Terriers in Charge: Brianna Bourne (CAS’24)

Terriers in Charge: Brianna Bourne (CAS’24)

President, SOCA (Students of Caribbean Ancestry)

Brianna Bourne (CAS’24) grew up in Mattapan surrounded by Caribbean culture. Her neighborhood drew families originally from the Dominican Republic, Haiti, and Jamaica, where her parents were born. So, when the psychology and classics double major arrived at BU, she went in search of a student club that celebrated Caribbean music, dance, and food. 

March 24, 2023
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What she discovered disappointed her. There had been a student club, SOCA (Students of Caribbean Ancestry), but it had become inactive during the COVID pandemic. Bourne tracked down two students who had been part of the club and they encouraged her to reactivate it and to reach out to the Student Activities Office (SAO) for guidance.

Bourne posted a query on her Instagram account to gauge student interest and soon had 300 followers. After months of planning, SOCA relaunched last winter. 

The club, which is open to anyone interested in learning about Caribbean culture, routinely draws between 40 and 50 students who come from all over the region, including Jamaica, the Dominican Republic, the British and US Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico. Members gather every two to three weeks, usually in a classroom in the College of Arts & Sciences building, where they host speakers, dance workshops, food and game nights (a recent event featured a Caribbean edition of the popular TV game show Family Feud), and potluck dinners highlighting specialities like Jamaican patties and empanadas. And they’ve begun teaming up with other cultural clubs on campus to share food traditions. 

This past December, SOCA joined with Caribbean clubs at other area schools—including Harvard, Northeastern, UMass Dartmouth, Suffolk, Wellesley, and UConn—to host a dance showcase, Riddim ’N Spice, which drew more than 350 people to BU. 

“Bringing cultural foods to campus and listening to Caribbean music has really brought that feeling of home to many students, myself included,” Bourne says. “Seeing others engage and embrace Caribbean culture has made me proud to be Caribbean.”

Interested in learning more about SOCA? Follow them on Instagram or email them at busoca@bu.edu.

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There are 2 comments on Terriers in Charge: Brianna Bourne (CAS’24)

  1. Great job Brianna. I’m very proud of the work you’re doing with SOCA. Being proud of your heritage is a great thing. I’m happy to know you’re bringing people together and learning about other Caribbean Islands and Nigeria.
    Keep up the good work. You have a bright future ahead of you.

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  2. This is about Brianna Bourne’s documentary, in reference to SOCA, (Students of Caribbean Ancestry) is an inspiring tale.

    Even though she was not the original founder of this amazing movement, SOCA.

    As Brianna Bourne stated, apparently due to social distancing, SOKA which was on the verge of dissolving as a social, international and interaction organization during the COVID-19 epidemic era, she was able to keep the movement alive along with other pupils at Boston University where she live and studies on campus and is always seeking ways to help others.

    With her curious and inspirational mind, when it appeared to Brianna Bourne that she along with other students from different ethnicity were on campus and could be enriching their lives at Boston University with their different cultural foods, sharing cultural thoughts, ideas, fun & games.

    Brianna inquired about the possibilities of organizing a movement among students like her piers and found out that there was already such an organization of such but was on the verge of extinction.

    It’s delighted to know that she was instrumental in taking the initiative to inquire about rebuilding the organization and was able to put out the words of revitalizing SOCA on her social page, Instagram, which surprisingly lead to the overwhelming positive responses and also lead to the resurrection of Students of Caribbean Ancestry, along with Brianna as the president.

    It is great to know that with Brianna Bourne’s intellectual, positive and curious mind, she has been able to have Students of Caribbean Ancestry and other international community such as Nigeria proudly exhibited and enjoy things such as different foods and games.

    This is truly a positive cultural movements of various ethnicity that will allow each others to boldly enrich the different Caribbean islands diasporas.

    To President, Brianna Bourne who boldly represents Students of Caribbean Ancestry and others of the movement SOCA, (Students of Caribbean Ancestry).

    keep the organization motorized with good food fun & games!

    By, DM Richards, AkA Hank

    dr

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