Janese Fayson ’26 and Ryan Nkongnyu ’25 at the 40th annual Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration in the JMA Wireless Dome. They co-chair the University’s Black History Month planning committee.
Janese Fayson ’26 believes that behind every successful community is a sense of belonging. That’s why the Miami native wasted no time in putting herself out there when she arrived at Syracuse. Now she considers the University her second home.
“I bleed Orange,” says the marketing and finance double major in the Martin J. Whitman School of Management. “I feel like I’m part of a big extended family.”
Fayson is drawn to campus for various reasons—the changing seasons (“I love the snow!”); its rich history and traditions; and most importantly, an unwavering commitment to diversity and inclusion.
This sense of place takes on special significance during Black History Month, whose campuswide programming she helps organize. For her, Black History Month is not just a time for celebration and reflection. It’s also an opportunity to connect and uplift different voices.
“We’ve upped the ante,” says Fayson of this year’s Black History Month programming, which focuses on Black resilience and perseverance.
As the Student Association (SA)’s vice president of diversity, equity and inclusion, Fayson considers Black History Month a “mindset.” “Most people think that the month is just for Africans or African Americans, but it’s really for all Black people,” says Fayson, who self-identifies as Puerto Rican and Black. “That’s why our turnout is always diverse.”
Black History Month also is emblematic of her Syracuse experience, which is steeped in teamwork, perseverance and accountability. She’s rarely seen without her planning committee co-chair, Ryan Nkongnyu ’25, a communication and rhetorical studies major in the College of Visual and Performing Arts.
Nkongnyu (left) considers Black History Month a celebration of hope and empowerment. “Hope gives us strength to keep moving when things are difficult.”
Since the fall, both have worked closely with academic departments and programs as well as some of the University’s 300-plus recognized student organizations to create an unforgettable milestone experience. “We’ve upped the ante on this year’s observance,” she says. The result is a rich array of wellness events, lectures and multicultural learning opportunities.
“Our events foster unity across diverse backgrounds,” says Fayson, adding that the national theme of this year’s observance is “labor.” “There’s a lot of emphasis on Black resilience and perseverance.”
And the “power of hope,” Nkongnyu interjects. “Hope is what gives us strength to keep moving, especially when things are difficult.”
Alie Savane ’25 speaking at the 2024 New Student Convocation.
Reclaiming the Narrative
Alie Savane ’25, a biology major in the College of Arts and Sciences and a self-described “leadership advocate,” insists that Black History Month promotes inclusion on and off campus—a trait that informs his work with the Intercultural Collective’s Men of Color Initiative (MCI) and Kessler Scholars Program. “Supporting and mentoring other Black students is important to me.”
The Bronx native is particularly excited about Black History Month’s Afropreneurship Celebration and Business Competition (Feb. 7), the Basketball Classic (Feb. 19) and MCI’s induction ceremony (Feb. 11).
“I thrive on hands-on, real-world learning,” says Savane, an aspiring physician who minors in psychology. He recently served as a Medical Brigade volunteer in Guatemala and a hospital volunteer in The Gambia, providing care to underserved communities while gaining firsthand knowledge of global health challenges.
Savane also is a budding entrepreneur. His line of kola nut-based food and beverage products took third at last fall’s Student Showcase, sponsored by the Blackstone LaunchPad at Syracuse University Libraries.
“Supporting and mentoring other Black students is important to me,” says Savane, an aspiring physician and budding entrepreneur. “In reclaiming our narrative, we foster a sense of agency.”
“Entrepreneurship allows me to share my culture in ways that spark curiosity and connection as well as promote health and wellness,” he says.
In many respects, entrepreneurship is Savane’s “North Star”—long a symbol of hope in the Black community. “I want my business to not only honor my African roots, but also serve as a blueprint for other young entrepreneurs,” he says. “In reclaiming our narrative, we foster a sense of agency.”
