Sigma Alpha Iota: Recognizing Art

Greek music fraternity Sigma Alpha Iota hosted their second Open Mic event of the 2014-15 school year at the Wesley Foundation, the theme of the evening being “Love and Hate”. The women of SAI created a smooth, idiosyncratic atmosphere to begin the event with slow music and spoken word. The members of the organization dominated the first and third segments, with the second being devoted to volunteers.
Many of the poems were solo pieces, while a variety of musical selections were performed in duets and small groups. Although there were many events held on campus simultaneously, I was able to walk away after experiencing an intimate, soulful occasion. From my experience, SAI is one of the few organizations on campus that instills a bond between others. The performances were amazing, and the environment contained a romance that people only dream about.
This night showed me that music is a medium through which many dreams and thoughts reveal themselves to people, consciously or unconsciously. It sends out messages in about every way an individual can think of. From the melodic harmony of words and phrases spoken from the participants of the open mic, to the serenading tunes produced by the sisters of SAI themselves, the event was very embracing and impactful compared to many similar ones from previous occasions.
In this modern world, people often view arts such as poetry and music as a historic memento in our society, when in reality, it is a long-living tradition that implements itself in many ways, while recognizing it’s origin. I am appreciative of clubs and organizations such as Sigma Alpha Iota, which keep the influence of poetry and music alive and relevant throughout the campus of Southern University. Without this art, many people would not know how to fully express themselves while facing the challenges of life. I personally hope to see more events like this in the future.
John F. Kennedy said, “If art is to nourish the roots of our culture, society must set the artist free to follow his vision wherever it takes him.” I feel as if the more we implement the concept of art into our community, the more we are able to unify and break barriers of communication and develop a new sense of consciousness with this language. After all, that is what the arts were meant to do.