About 50 students gathered in Battelle-Tompkins Atrium Monday night, sitting at tables intimately situated among red, black and white balloons and streamers.
Yes, it was Valentine's Day, but the First Love Comedy and Poetry Caf?, co-sponsored by the Black Student Alliance and One Accord, a campus religious group, focused on a different kind of love than most Valentine's events. First Love brought students together for a night of comedy, poetry, praise and worship, and to celebrate the love of God.
"One Accord is about out-of-the-box worshipping, which means we don't stick with tradition. We relate to our age group," said Vajaah Parker, administrator and webmaster for One Accord, and a sophomore in the College of Arts and Sciences.
Sean Sarvis of BET's "Comic View" hosted the event and treated the audience to a blend of religious encouragement and student-centered comedy, including jokes about his college experience.
"Remember your freshman year? You wanted to sound so educated. You read everything. You even read graffiti in the bathroom," Sarvis joked.
He also discussed his stray from religion in college.
"When I came to college, I left Christianity behind," Sarvis said. "I wish I would have took advantage of school, you know, 'cause I did bad..."
But no matter what Sarvis talked about, he kept the crowd in stitches.
"My career's goin' down ... for real," Sarvis joked about hosting a show that lacked contestants.
Throughout the night, Sarvis introduced three speakers to recite their poetry and King Solomon, a Christian rap musician. Students in the atrium clapped to the R&B stylings of Solomon, who played piano and sang several songs, including a love song for his wife.
Some students said they enjoyed the evening, from the comedy down to the refreshments.
"I thought the poetry was very insightful, the music very spiritual and the comedian more than entertaining," said Ebonie Branch, a freshman in CAS and the School of Public Affairs.
As the night ended, students swayed to the beat of live prayer and worship music.
"It was a nice way to start the week," said Ayodele Dele-Giwa, a freshman in CAS.
This event was held as part of the Essence of Blackness, AU's celebration of Black History Month. Upcoming Black History Month events include a forum on affirmative action today at 7 p.m. in the Butler Board Room, community service for Martha's Table from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, and BlackOut, readings from creative writing graduates, in the School of International Service Lounge at 8 p.m. Feb. 23.
For details and more events, see www.american.edu/ocl/ma. For details on One Accord, see www.oneaccord-au.org.
