Angels danced with devils while Futuristic Ghetto Girls shot at each other with their iridescent water guns at the Black People’s Union Costume Ball in the Marvin Center Ballroom Friday night.
BPU President Nneka Mokwunye said her organization was originally going to host a suitcase party to raise money for the BPU and decided to change it to a costume party after realizing the event was going to take place on Halloween weekend.
Mokwunye, who was dressed as the BPU Witch, said the $315 raised will go toward funding cultural activities for the BPU, such as events at the Kennedy Center and a concert by the Harlem Boys’ Choir.
Mokwunye said the event drew about 150 people. Some attendees said that the ball fostered community spirit in addition to raising money.
It’s like `Cheers’ – it’s a place where everybody knows your name, said Technical Support Director for the BPU Chanler Langham, who was decked out in full Shaolin kung fu fighter garb – headband included.
Sandra Gutierrez, a BPU member clothed in karate gear, agreed.
We’re located in a city, and here you have this school party that helps promote GW spirit, she said. It’s safe, there’s no alcohol and it’s cheap.
Junior Jasmin Polanco, draped in a long, dark coat and sporting a hat hovering over one eye, said she came to have a fun time with her friends.
I like the glamour of it, Polanco said, leaning with one arm on her wooden cane, while using her free hand to adjust her tie.
While other costumed students got their groove on, three attendees wearing cowboy hats and bandannas to mask their features silently moseyed around the ballroom, raising speculation about their identities.
The three self-described outlaws, Emeka Olumba, Uchenna Ahaghotu and Rusheid Neil, said they wanted to come incognito to add mystery to the event.
It keeps it exciting, they said.
Mokwunye, her visage cloaked in green and the rest of her body draped in black, said she thinks this event helped put all members of the GW community in a Halloween mood.
I think this event is a definite success because people are happy, and that’s what really matters, she said with a smile that made the painted blood dripping from her lip more apparent. This is only the beginning of Halloween weekend – people can party all weekend long now.
