Longy BSU Takeover!

This week, Castle of our Skins turned our Instagram over to the Black Student Union (BSU) at the Longy School of Music of Bard College! Read more about their organization and check out our Instagram @castleskins to learn more about the Black conservatory student experience in 2021.

The Longy Black Student Union exists to serve as a place 1) of fellowship for students and alumni of the Longy School of Music of Bard College, 2) to raise awareness for minorities (especially from the African diaspora), 3) to foment and moderate open discussions on any and all topics related to race, diversity, socio-economic status, gender, inclusion, and intersectionality, 4) to promote and celebrate the accomplishments of Black creatives, and 6) to curate events that highlight elements of the Black experience. 

We were founded in 2019 by twelve students and staff members who noticed that Black students within the Longy community needed additional support in navigating the classical realm as well as the Cambridge/Boston area. We anticipate that our current membership of fifteen will double within the next couple of years as we prepare to welcome more Black immigrant students through Longy’s international programs and more Black American students through Longy’s partnership with Alabama State University. 
​
Despite the difficulty of the pandemic, we have been able to continue virtual programming around issues like Black agency within Black music, connecting across the Afro-diaspora, and healing Black trauma. We hope that we will be able to open back up to more in-person programming opportunities one day soon. Until then we enjoy bi-weekly check-ins concerning the wellness of our members and monthly conversations with the Longy community at-large.