“Stories In Color” unites students during Black History Month

For Black History Month, New Mexico State University honored the contributions African Americans have made to history and culture. Black History Month is an annual celebration of important figures and achievements of African Americans.

NMSU’s Black Student Association (BSA) gathered to recognize and honor the impact of Black culture through a variety of on-campus events throughout the month. These experiences were aimed at bringing our community together, encouraging students to acknowledge the past and build inclusivity.

Organized to display the powerful impact of murals in Black history, the BSA organized a collective mural experience called “Stories in Color” on Feb. 18. This event invited attendees to create one piece of art to make a mural together. This event was a way to preserve history and display the community’s cultural identity.

Mural designer and first-year animation student, Marli Brown, and two other students interpret their canvases while enjoying drinks from the social soda bar. Feb. 18, 2026 (Corey Preston)

This event was a collaboration between first-year Animation major, Marli Brown, and their guest speaker, Arch Jackson. Jackson set the stage for the event, emphasizing Southwest Black art and the importance of murals. Brown was approached by the BSA to design and facilitate the mural and decided to create individual, color-by-number canvases for each student to paint.

Brown said she believes in representation, especially of people from all cultures, which further inspired her to create this activity. Based in Los Angeles, Brown has come across a wide variety of people from different backgrounds.

“You don’t always see this type of representation. I really do want to show everybody,” she said, describing her plans to incorporate more cultural diversity into her future work.

Once assembled, the mural itself would be a representation of Black culture. The art piece featured a man and a woman, Brown said that this art piece was made with a specific focus on their hairstyles. Beforehand, Brown did considerable research about different styles and the historical context behind them. She ended up with a design of an afro that incorporated flowers with meanings of resilience, power, and beauty, themes that are central to Black art.

Guest speaker Arch Jackson shows students how their canvases fit in the larger color-by-number mural to be displayed in the Black Student Association office when completed. Feb. 18, 2026 (Corey Preston)

Brown said she typically uses bright colors to “catch people’s eyes” and draw attention to her pieces. Behind the people, she incorporated a golden and silver sun, accentuating them further. She expressed the “creative freedom” she wanted students to take on as well. Brown created this color-by-numbers activity to allow students to paint their own backgrounds with no boundaries, adding personal representation to the mural.

The mural became a strong creative project for Brown, and it became a shared experience for the students who participated. It was an opportunity for students to reflect on Black history and identity.

“Art is power,” NMSU student and coordinator for the event, Grace Warren, said. Warren stated that her inspiration for organizing the Black history event was to “turn our pain into something beautiful.” Her purpose was to make this event represent Black excellence and power, creating something personal for everyone involved.

NMSU has a 2.55% enrolled student population of Black or African American students, according to Data USA. With a smaller Black community on campus, the BSA looks forward to welcoming more students.

Sumayah Mustafa, a student at BSA, expressed how her work in the organization inspires her and urges other students to know that this is a community they could be a part of.

Event coordinator, Grace Warren, and four other students focus on their almost-finished panels. Feb. 18, 2026 (Corey Preston)

“It makes me feel fulfilled, like I’m doing something to help my people at this school,” Mustafa said.

When asked what Mustafa would like people to remember from the mural experience, she replied, “I’d like them to remember the beauty of it.”

This event announced to attendees that Black art tells a story deeper than the surface. The heritage within Black art not only brought the community together, but it also highlighted the social change and empowerment of generations.

The BSA offered a platform for students to define their own identities through the arts. They continue to foster a community that strives to educate and inspire others.

“Stories in Color” celebrates generations of cultures’ resilience and strength. Coming together to create a piece that will reach diverse audiences shows the depth of how art connects people to their roots. This mural became a reminder to students that Black history is not only something to be preserved, but something to expand and be built upon through art.