3 days ago
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FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) – Fresno State is preparing to look disconnected against Southern University connected Saturday.
It's a historical matchup, arsenic it marks the precise archetypal clip the Dogs volition spell against a Historically Black College oregon University (HBCU).
The Southern University Human Jukebox Marching Band volition besides marque a Central Valley stop.
Steve McKeithen is the Director of the Bulldog Marching Band and says they don't usually get groups that travel successful from different universities.
"It's a existent dainty erstwhile we get to spot different set perform," helium said.
McKeithen says Fresno students are focused connected performing astatine the highest level possible.
"[Southern] rehearses astir 20 hours a week, which could ne'er hap here. And so, they put a batch of clip successful their movement, successful their creation training, which is large and precise entertaining. Our broadside of it, we're a batch much focused connected the philharmonic aspects, making definite that our students marque large sounds, that they recognize however to bash it," helium explained.
Over the adjacent fewer days, the Central Valley National Pan-Hellenic Council (CVNPHC) is preparing to big determination organizational enactment from aggregate African American sororities and fraternities, besides known arsenic the Divine Nine.
President Taylor Ashby says the play volition service arsenic a mode to assistance propel their ngo forward.
"COVID truly caused a batch of america to benignant of dice retired a small bit. So, utilizing this momentum to bring it back, to truly assistance cultivate the African American experience, the African American civilization is what the Central Valley National Pan-Hellenic and the National Pan-Hellenic in wide stands for. Celebrating our culture, scholarship, service, brotherhood, sisterhood, giving backmost to our communities, honoring our ancestors, and conscionable truly giving abstraction for our younker to excel and person access," she said.
Ashby explained the thought to bring Southern to California started years ago.
"Fresno State began this process backmost successful 2021 to enactment with Southern University to get them to travel retired here, not conscionable the shot team, but the band. And honestly, conscionable with the California State University strategy and the UC system, they truly enactment precise diligently to collaborate with a batch of HBCUs," she explained.
To celebrate, they teamed up with the Fresno State African American Alumni Club, Southern University Alumni, and Black Students of California United (BSCU) to big a CALI X HBCU Weekend.
"Even though we don't person immoderate HBCUs present successful California, that does not mean that we cannot grant and observe the fantastic aspects that they provide, that they the doors that they had opened for each of us, African Americans each implicit the country," Ashby said. "Unfortunately, we don't needfully person entree to the HBCU civilization that exists truthful robustly successful the South, and connected the East Coast and successful immoderate areas of the Midwest. And so, for Southern University to travel retired here, it gives a nonstop vulnerability to our younker that typically they lone spot connected TV oregon societal media."
Although there's tons of anticipation for Saturday, Ashby says this is much than a game. It’s a taste solemnisation she hopes volition permission a lasting interaction connected the younger generation.
"We’re bringing the tone of the South to the Central Valley portion highlighting the value of pupil success, connection, and taste pride," Ashby explained. "Allowing our children to benignant of spot the originators, wherever we were birthed from and get immoderate of that archetypal civilization and sensation and spirit is an acquisition that I consciousness volition alteration the crippled for a batch of them.”
Multiple assemblage leaders issued a connection up of Saturday's large game:
"This play is simply a solemnisation of the spot of assemblage and the affluent contented of HBCUs. We're looking guardant to transcending taste boundaries and having a almighty and unforgettable acquisition unneurotic with a absorption connected community, service, and celebration," said Alex Brown, with the Iota Nu Lambda Chapter, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.
"Iota Omicron Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated is excited astir the upcoming play due to the fact that it increases consciousness of the affirmative acquisition and taste interaction that HBUCs person connected this federation and beyond," said Dr. Elizabeth Davis-Russell, with the Iota Omicron Omega Chapter, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.
"We’re excited for the Fresno State vs Southern HBCU event—a peculiar sporting lawsuit bringing the section assemblage country the tone of the HBCU experience. The Fresno (CA) Alumni Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi is arrogant to enactment HBCUs and service the Fresno community. We look guardant to large events this play celebrating the HBCU tone connected the West Coast. But still, GO BULLDOGS," said Richard Norman, with the Fresno Alumni Chapter, Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc.
"The Chi Nu Chapter of Omega Psi Phi is excited to spot Fresno State vie against an HBCU—moments similar these link radical who emotion the aforesaid traditions, but whitethorn person ne'er shared the aforesaid space, reminding america that unity and civilization radiance brightest erstwhile celebrated together," said Johnny Simmons, with the Chi Nu Chapter, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.
"The San Joaquin Valley Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated, is excited to observe HBCU Weekend! We grant the culture, legacy, and excellence of HBCUs— institutions that built spaces wherever our civilization could thrive and leaders person risen. California whitethorn not location an HBCU, but its communities transportation the HBCU spirit. HBCU Pride unites us, and we look guardant to welcoming Southern University to the Central Valley successful solemnisation of Black excellence that transcends authorities lines," said Winnie Fletcher, with the San Joaquin Valley Alumnae Chapter, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.
"Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. is excited astir the upcoming play due to the fact that it is ever bully to interruption breadstuff and fellowship with household and friends. We are besides looking guardant to tailgating with the Southern Alumni," said Shawn Will, with the Epsilon Delta Sigma (Fresno Alumni), Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc.
"Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated is ecstatic astir the upcoming play due to the fact that it affords the section D9 organizations to big our chap D9 from adjacent and far, Southern University Alumni, and Fresno State Bulldog fans successful engaging fellowship opportunities similar lone the Central Valley NPHC can! Go Dogs," said Angelina Gonzalez-Thomas, with the Tau Sigma Zeta Chapter, Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc.
A afloat database of events happening astir Fresno to people Southern's sojourn to the valley:
- Friday, Sept. 12
- 6 p.m. - Welcome Mixer hosted by the San Joaquin Valley Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.
- Saturday, Sept. 13
- 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Student Success Summit
- 1 p.m. - CALI X HBCU Tailgate
- 7 p.m. - Fresno State vs Southern University Football Game
- Sunday, Sept. 14
- 10 a.m. – Sunday Service astatine St. Rest Baptist Church
- 1 p.m. - Sunday Brunch astatine The Rosé
For much accusation astir the events, click here.
