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Club Collaboration Brings Block Party to The Hill

Growing up in the Bronx, Avontae Palmer ’27, always looked forward to the annual block parties in his neighborhood.

“It was all about belonging,” said Palmer, a sociology major with a minor in economics. “There would be all this food and music, and you could connect with your friends and family.”

Wanting to recreate that same sense of community at Hartwick, Palmer, the president of Hartwick’s Black Student Union, teamed up with Amelia Williams ’26, president of the Caribbean Student Association, and Sarah Matumbura ’26, president of the African Student Association, to organize a Block Party Bash on Frisbee Field.

“By working together, our groups can create more spaces for students who look like us. And not just to have a space for us, but to share our culture with all the other students on campus.”

Amelia Williams '26

Psychology and Political Science Double Major, Women and Gender Studies Minor

The Hawkettes Dance Team performed. A DJ played music while students played mega-Jenga and tic-tac-toe. Food options included mac and cheese, BBQ, fried chicken and lemonade.

“It was such a cool vibe, seeing all the students on campus enjoying each other’s presence,” said Williams. “Where I grew up in Jamaica, we didn’t have block parties, but we had gatherings that were similar – where you could enjoy good music and good food, and just catch up with each other.”

As Palmer and his collaborators look ahead to future block parties, their shared vision is clear: to keep building bridges between cultures and ensure that every Hartwick student feels at home, no matter where they come from.

Hartwick College students Avontae Palmer '27 and Sarah Matumbura '26
Hartwick College students on Frisbee Field during Block Party
Hartwick College Hawkettes Dance Team dancing on Frisbee Field during Block Party
Hartwick College Hawkettes Dance Team dancing on Frisbee Field during Block Party

“Having the block party at Hartwick gives students of color a place where they can hear the music they grew up on, eat that food they remember from home and feel like they belong. It really brings out everyone’s inner child.”

Avontae Palmer '27

Sociology Major, Economics Minor

October 10, 2024
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