Anansi is the name of a clever spider at the center of folklore in Ghana, called Anansi stories. These tales are told by elders to youth in order to pass down wisdom. And each story is created with elements of human experience.

On Nov. 5, the Africana Studies Department included these stories during a panel event opening a discussion about Black mental health and community. The event was held at the Michigan Street African American Heritage Corridor visitors center, or MSAAHC, an important part of Black history in Buffalo.

Dr. Marcus Watson, the director of Africana Studies, organized the event for his Why Africa Matters course. This class specifically covers Black mental health and psychology, as well as elements of African culture and history. With these things in mind, Watson organized the event to include in-depth discussions and examples of culture.

The event included open panel discussions and West African folklore, written by students, called Anansi stories. Each story was written from the student’s personal experience and included a meaningful life lesson. The goal was to use the tradition to open a conversation between Buffalo State students and the elders of the community.

Each panel started off with a different question meant to encourage critical thinking and conversation.

“What does Black people caring for themselves mean?”

“What factors inhibit Black people from getting together and healing?”

“How can institutions and community members partner to improve the quality of life for Black residents?”
Each question was led by a different group. Both students and elders were asked to start off the discussion. Every panel speaker had a different point of view to contribute to the conversation, leading to many different learning experiences.

“We integrated the idea of ‘everyone’s voice matters in Africana Studies’ into how we pulled off the program,” said Watson.

Watson had very specific goals in mind when putting together this event. The main goal being to build bridges between the students and the local Black community. As well as the sharing of knowledge, one of the many goals of Africana Studies.

“There were several goals,” said Watson. “Students experiencing what it means to practice knowledge, and raise the awareness of all attendees about what it would mean for Black people to care for themselves.”