Black History Month begins today with a student-led discussion and a worship service setting the stage for a month of cultural events.Assistant Director of Intercultural Education and Services Greg Trevino said the goal of Black History Month is, “to educate and promote awareness of different cultures that do not share the same mainstream attention.”

“These are proud people with rich histories that deserve to be known,” he said.

University Ministries intern for Worship, Spiritual and Pastoral Life Ann Smith said Black History Month is not just for black people.

“It’s not just to honor black history,” Smith said. “It’s an important message for everyone about a people that were oppressed and their history of recovery.”

Program coordinator for Inclusiveness and Intercultural Services Sandhya Klein said that throughout the month, there will be numerous events both issue-based and for entertainment starting today with Real Talk.

“The Real Talk event, which is our kickoff, is just an open talk,” Klein said. “They’re going to be talking about issues that concern the African-American community, about things they think should change and [then] it comes back to racism, equal rights, and social justice.”

Three step shows will be held in Ed Landreth Auditorium, hosted byAlpha Phi Alpha, Alpha Kappa Alpha and TCU Soul Steppers.

The Alpha Phi Alpha Funkytown Stompdown will cost $10 with a portion of the proceeds going to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, according to a calendar of events from Trevino.

The Alpha Kappa Alpha First Steps is a competition of sororities for prizes, according to the calendar.

The Soul Steppers Fourth Annual Step Show will join student organizations in fellowship through stepping, according to the calendar.

Black Entertainers at TCU will present African Americans in Entertainment, a show choreographed by Marcus Nicholson, a junior ballet/modern dance major, which is aimed to educate audience members on the African-American history in entertainment industries, according to the calendar.

One of the final events will be the Night at the Apollo, a talent show with students competing for $200, according to the calendar.

Freshman finance and management major Cynthia Chaparira, who is working on one of the worship services and the artist show, said that events are important to her.

“It’s something I really hope to take up now and when I’m older,” Chaparira said.

Trevino said he hopes that this Black History Month’s events will accomplish his and his staff’s goals.

“What we hope to accomplish is to come to full equality in what would be a utopian society, where all the different awareness months come together and there is no separation,” Trevino said.