Brother Jeff reaches out during Black History Month

The sound of bongo drums and flutes filled the air outside the

Lory Student Center’s Cherokee Room Wednesday night as students and

faculty wandered in from the snow to listen to Brother Jeff, the

keynote speaker for Black History Month.

Jeff S. Fard, or Brother Jeff as he is more commonly known, runs

the Brother Jeff Cultural Center and Cafe in Denver. With help from

the Black Hands Ensemble, poets and hip-hop artists, Brother Jeff

presented an evening of hip-hop, history, spoken work and social

consciousness.

“Black History Month is very important,” Brother Jeff said. “It

gives us an opportunity to reflect on where we’ve been, critically

analyze where we’re at and plot out our future.”

Black Student Services, Black Definition and Black Student

Alliance were responsible for bringing Brother Jeff to CSU’s Black

History Month Celebration.

Jennifer Williams Molock, director of Black Student Services,

grew up in Denver with Brother Jeff living down the street.

“I’ve known Brother Jeff since we were both very young,” Molock

said. “This is an amazing young man.”

Students attending the event agreed.

“Brother Jeff is just incredible,” said Delijah Shead, junior

psychology major and president of BSA. “This is a very, very good

and positive way to start (Black History Month) out.”

Brother Jeff touched on topics ranging from politics to

geography, advising students to remember their past in order to

avoid future struggles.

“Think about what our ancestors had to go through so we could

sit in these chairs,” Brother Jeff said. “If we are not careful we

will find ourselves in physical slavery once again.”

He also urged students to use Black History Month to reach out

to people from different backgrounds.

“It’s not only for black people,” Brother Jeff said. “We don’t

want to use this as a cause to isolate ourselves, but instead to

give others a better understanding.”

His sentiment was echoed by many of those in the audience.

“It’s really nice to hear people doing this,” said Craig Dumas,

sophomore finance student. “I loved it.”

Brother Jeff ended by citing CSU’s theme for this year’s Black

History Month.

“Talk about a story of triumph,” he said. “We are black by

nature, proud by choice.”