The African Women’s League is hosting its first Renaissance Ball, an event aimed at celebrating African heritage and culture, that will include performances, food and vendors.
Founded in 2019, the African Women’s League consists of African women from around the globe and provides a community for them at the University of Oklahoma. The organization will showcase the cultures of its members through the ball taking place on Saturday, Nov. 19.
“An evening of celebrating the beauty and excellence of African Women all over the world,” according to the AWL’s OU ENGAGE portal, the ball welcomes attendees to escape into the celebration of African talents and traditions.
Mandinyara Kanhema, public health junior and African Women’s League president, worked alongside her executives to carefully craft the event aimed at showcasing the various sides of black women.
“It’s this rebirth, not of the people but of their mindsets,” Kanhema said. “We’re looking at different aspects of black women — not just this single, strong, black woman. We’re looking at their softness, talents and entrepreneurship.”
The event will be divided into two sections. Attendees will begin the night by visiting different booths selling jewelry, art, perfumes, delicacies and more before indulging in a Kenyan dinner with performances from poets, musicians and speakers. It will also be what Kanhema described as “Beyoncé’s ‘Renaissance.’”
The African Women’s League executive team drew inspiration for the event from Beyoncé’s seventh studio album, “Renaissance.” Kanhema explained that her executive team, consisting of women from Nigeria, Rwanda, Eswatini and more, gathered a group of small businesses owned by African women to showcase their talents and differing cultures.
“The preparation was a bunch of raw ideas and also hard work,” Kanhema said. “What I love about this night is that it’s one night that you cannot describe in one word because there’s so much being offered.”
The event entails what Kanhema said was the African Women’s League’s founding goal: to provide African women a starting point for networking at OU.
Kanhema explained that a large portion of black women on OU’s campus are international students, and moving overseas provides many challenges, especially for students who are the only student or one of a few from their country of origin.
“One thing I’ve noticed with a lot of students and minority groups on campus is that they don’t know where to start,” Kanhema said. “They feel like, ‘where do I begin? How do I immerse myself into this organization and feel at home?’ That’s AWL — it’s just small ways that we can engage with each other.”
The African Women’s League’s Renaissance Ball is open to everyone to attend and is set to begin at 6:30 p.m. on Nov. 19 in the Jim Thorpe Multicultural Center. The event has no set dress code, though Kanhema emphasized dressing as “something that just captures you.”
“The whole point of the night is for people to go home thinking, ‘you know what? I am appreciated. I am excellent. I am good enough,’” Kanhema said. “When you see what other people are doing — people who look like you — you also feel inspired to do what you love and to do it wholeheartedly. It’s a space to see that you are being supported.”
Attendees must RSVP in order to join in on the celebration. Reach out to the African Women’s League’s Instagram page for any questions or accommodations.
