For this week’s profile, meet Kim and Gabby, the co-presidents of African Student Organization! This dynamic duo is gearing up for the Annual ASO Fashion and it promises to be an event you don’t want to miss. Get to know them below!
Name(s): Kimberly Glover; Gabby Epemolu
Major (s): Nursing; Psychology
School/Year(s): CSON, ‘18; MCAS ’18
Hometown(s): Menifee, CA; Westchester, NY
Favorite places on campus:
Kim: O’Neill Plaza (in the summertime); Near the St. Ignatius Statue
Favorite class: Intro to Latin American Societies; Abnormal Psychology
O’Neill or Bapst?: O’Neill (I fall asleep in Bapst); O’Neill
Favorite Dining Hall?: None, my kitchen is the best dining hall; They’re all okay. No favorites here.
When/ why did you join ASO?
Kim: I joined the ASO eboard at the end of my sophomore year. Prior to joining, I had heard a lot about ASO’s events such as the Annual Fashion Show, Lover’s Lounge and Taste of Africa. My desire to find a sense of community or a group of people who shared similar cultures and upbringing as I did was what drove me to join ASO.
Gabby: I joined ASO because I wanted to find a group of people who were from a similar culture and upbringing. Where I grew up, there weren’t a lot of people like me and I found ASO to be a good fit.
What is your favorite memory of the club?
Kim: E-board meetings are always a fun time for ASO. The laughter, music and the personalities on the e-board make our meetings special for me.
Gabby: Our bonding that we had was a fun memory, it was a chance to know our eboard members on a more personal level.
What is one misconception about ASO/one thing you would want the general BC population to know about it?
Kim: Africa is a continent, not a country! The media portrays a negative outlook of Africa and for those who may not be well informed, there is a misconception that Africa is synonymous with poverty. As an organization, ASO aims to highlight the success stories with Africa that are not often shared and to demonstrate the beauty, resilience, and diversity within Africa.
Gabby: ASO is a club for all African cultures, I feel as though people tend to think that it is very West African based, but ASO represents all African cultures and we try our best to showcase all the different cultures that are in Africa.
What is the ASO Fashion Show and how is it going to be different from previous years?
Kim: The purpose of the ASO Fashion Show is to showcase African culture through fashion. In the past, most of the fashion we showcase to our audience is from West Africa. However, it is important for ASO to be more inclusive and stand as representatives of multiple cultures and countries. As an executive board, we came chose to showcase styles from different countries in East, North and South Africa.
Gabby: The ASO fashion show is a fashion show with a little bit of a twist. We showcase different pieces of fashion that showcase African fashion and culture, but we also involve a skit into our show which is different from a traditional fashion show.
What are you most looking forward to in terms of leading ASO?
Kim: I just want it to be a good year for the e-board. Leadership in ASO is important but I think the energy and bond between the e-board as a whole is the highlight of our organization.
Gabby: I am looking forward to seeing everyone grow throughout the semester and also see everyone get closer on the eboard. We are a family at the end of the day and I only want the best for the fam.
Favorite Afrobeat song?
Kim: I honestly can’t decide. Right now my favorite song is Ghana Bounce. But I’ll give a top 5. 1. Ayoo 2. No Kissing Baby 3. Only You 4. Problem 5. Adonai
Gabby: Ohema (feat. Mr. Eazi)- DJ Spinall and Something Light (feat. YCee)- Falz
ASO Fashion Show promises to be one of the best events of the year! Check it out on Saturday, November 18th in the Heights Room at 8pm and make sure you follow ASO on social media to see what Kim, Gabby, and their eboard have in store for the rest of the year.
Photo Credits:
Nicole Rodriguez-Rowe Lynch ’19