By: Sydney Umstead, News Editor
On Feb. 6, The Buffalo Trailblazers: Black History Month Speaker Series at Canisius began with speaker Jillian Hanesworth, Emmy Award-winning spoken word artist and poet laureate emeritus.
Hanesworth, who is from Buffalo, has written poems such as “Choose Love,” and poetry books like “For The Culture,” published in 2017 and “The Revolution Will Rhyme: With remarks from Dr. Cornel West” which was published in 2021.
This is a larger speaker series that will be held every Thursday in February, featuring people such as DaMar Dowell, the CEO of equipped trainings as well as Edreys and Alexa Wajed, co-founders of Eat Off Art.
According to Leyla Akil, the creator of the event, Hanesworth’s talk captivated the audience. She explained how Hanesworth has “such a powerful presence and her poetry was unlike anything I’ve experienced.” She went on to say that “Her poetry felt like magic – seamless, like water being poured into a cup with no spills,” and that Hanesworth’s words had impacted her “deeply in [her] heart and bones,” giving her goosebumps.
The first poem Hanesworth read, “Mourning until Morning” which “commemorate[d] the lives of those who died and the families of the victims from the mass shooting at the Tops Friendly Market on Jefferson Avenue in Buffalo on May 14, 2022, targeting Black people,” explained Akil. This tribute “was a powerful way to not only honor those lost but also remind us of the ongoing struggles for justice and the importance of resilience in the face of tragedy,” she said.
At the beginning of the planning process, Akil discussed how there was a focus on highlighting people “in the local Buffalo area who are shaping the world of tomorrow.” Continuing, she said that she wanted to uplift Black voices, acknowledging past voices and shining a light on “the people of today, the ones actively shaping the world in their fields.”
Akil said, “These are the trailblazers inspiring the next generation – showing students that they don’t have to wait to make an impact,” and that “these are the individuals who are moving culture forward right now.”
Akil reached out to the speakers at the end of last semester to let the speakers know that she was thinking about them, and ensure she was giving them respect and time to prepare.
She discussed how the behind-the-scenes work meant “[a] lot of learning: reserving spaces, coordinating food orders and dealing with emails that often go ignored.” But, in the end, it is all worth it as she said that “seeing my vision come to life makes it all worth it.”
For Akil, the most rewarding part has been “finally [seeing] everything come together – the speakers, the audience, the impact – is incredibly fulfilling.” Continuing, she said, “Knowing that I’ve helped create a space for students to engage with meaningful conversations – in this case about Black excellence – and diversity is truly gratifying.”
The importance of this event also occurs at a time where civil rights are under threat. Akil spoke on this, saying that “Walking into Canisius, the ‘outside world’ often feels muted, but there are real-world implications,” and, “as Chair of the Diversity Committee, I recognize that DEI initiatives have faced heavy opposition – President Trump has been one of their biggest critics.” However, the trailblazers speaker series “pushes back against that narrative – Black history is not only relevant but essential.”
Acknowledging the book bans, curriculum restrictions and the cuts to DEI programs, Akil said that the series is an “act of resistance and empowerment,” explaining that “By highlighting contemporary Black leaders, artists and changemakers, we’re reminding students that history is still being written and that they have a role to play in it.”
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