This past Saturday, Binghamton University’s Men Of Color Scholastic Society (MOCSS) hosted their first banquet, Golden Ticket Soiree, at Old Union Hall in celebration of student excellence.

The MOCSS is an organization at BU that strives to create a safe space for young men of color on campus. With inspiration from the recent musical “Wonka,” the event theme Golden Ticket Soiree was put together with the intention to highlight men of color, award them for their excellence and recognize their skills, talents and hard work.

Rexmond Asamoah, president of the MOCSS and a junior majoring in sociology, explained in an interview that imposter syndrome is common with many students on campus, and the MOCSS attempts to break free from that by hosting activities such as general body meetings that feature study groups, workshops and basketball games in addition to mental health discussions. The MOCSS aims to maintain the connection among males of color.

Asamoah then continued to discuss the sense of community behind the theme of this event.

“The awards handed out tonight [are our type] of golden ticket to let them know that [they] are special to the community, bringing joy, happiness and contribution to the community that no one else has seen,” Asamoah said.

At the banquet, guests were greeted with chocolate-themed decorations all around the room, with s’mores kits set on the tables, ice cream station, a chocolate fountain and more. The awards that were presented were given based on the communities’ nominees and votes. The winners were awarded on criteria based on their involvement, support, leadership and merit. Additionally, the event also included performances by Nicholas Waithe, a junior majoring in philosophy, politics and law on the saxophone, along with vocals by From the Bronx and Kofi Waldron, a senior majoring in economics.

Sean Peña, senior advisor of MOCSS and a junior majoring in mechanical engineering, expressed his concerns that the hard work and talent of many men of color lack representation and go unnoticed.

“This event was to recognize these people, to give them awards, give them a spotlight [and] an opportunity for them to perform,” Peña said.

Derek Jorden, advisor to the MOCSS and residential director for Dickinson community, explained in an interview that men don’t always shine or gain credibility. Hence, the goal of the event was to give men of color on this campus a place where they could embody the presence of leadership, attesting to the unity and brilliance within the men of color community.

When asked about future aspirations for upcoming events and the organization’s legacy, members of the MOCSS described their enthusiasm for inclusion and diversity from other outside organizations such as African Student Association (ASO), Asian Student Union (ASU) and the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE). The MOCSS recognizes the difficulties and hardships that school can bring to many students and aims to help them through togetherness and unity.

“As a man of color, I truly believe in ‘it takes a village,’” Jorden said. “I believe that being a man of color isn’t [only] being Black or Latino, it’s all shades of color — Asian, Indian, Vietnamese — you are a person of color. So I believe that is what this organization embodies, is the safe haven for men of color, of all shades, to come and actually be in a safe community with other people like-minded like them.”

Angel Okoro, community service chair for ASO, senator for NSBE and a sophomore majoring in electrical engineering, shared her experience and thoughts about the event. Okoro attended the banquet with the intention of supporting her friends in the men of color community.

“I knew this event was going to be amazing because I’ve seen the hard work behind the scenes, planning the events, [… and] it was amazing to see the event come together,” Okoro said. “I am so happy that it was not in vain.”

The banquet ended with the presentation of the final awards, followed by the acknowledgement of the MOCSS E-Board and concluding with a final thank you to the guests that attended the event. Once the event ended, attendees were encouraged to attend future events hosted by the MOCSS.

Additionally, Peña expressed how young men at BU are strongly encouraged by the MOCSS to join their community.

“[I want to see] the involvement of other men of color,” Peña said. “Anyone who identifies as a person of color is considered a man of color […] I definitely want to see more of a branch out toward [the] Asian American students [and more].”

Looking forward to upcoming MOCSS events and initiatives, Jorden identified collaboration as one of the key elements for him going forward.

“I really believe that there is a disconnect on campus of other cultures, especially the men,” Jordan said. “Women, they’re united […] but the men are not together, and one of my biggest hopes this year was to unite them. Today we had a lot of people in the audience. I truly look forward to the future of other [organizations] and [seeing] them uniting and being as one. I really hope that is the future.”