The Black Student Union is putting on a powerful and thought-provoking play titled BRAVE, a production that highlights the voices, strength, and impact of Black women who have shaped American history and culture. Through a mix of dialogue, storytelling, and performance, the play centers on both historical and modern Black women whose courage opened doors for future generations.
BRAVE is set as a guest-speaker style panel hosted by BSU, where students act as reporters asking questions to six influential women: Ruby Bridges, Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, Amanda Gorman, Coco Gauff, Angel Reese, and Kamala Harris. As each woman shares her story, the audience is taken through moments of hardship, perseverance, and triumph. From Ruby Bridges integrating an all-white elementary school at just six years old, to Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson becoming the first Black woman on the U.S. Supreme Court, the play connects past struggles to present-day progress.
The play also highlights modern voices who continue to shape culture today. Poet Amanda Gorman emphasizes the power of using your voice in any form, whether through words, art, or action. Athletes Coco Gauff and Angel Reese discuss confidence, pressure, and what it means to be unapologetically yourself in spaces that often try to limit Black women. Kamala Harris closes with a message about resilience, leadership, and continuing the fight for progress, even when the road is difficult.
BRAVE was written and directed by BSU President Ramyah Carnell, whose vision helped bring these stories together into one powerful production. Many BSU members are featured throughout the play, taking on roles as reporters, narrators, and historical figures, allowing students to step into the stories they are telling and make them their own.
The importance of BRAVE goes beyond telling stories. The play reminds students and audience members that representation matters and that change happens because people are willing to stand firm in who they are. It also reflects BSU’s mission to create a space where Black students feel seen, heard, and valued. By bringing these women’s voices to the stage, BSU shows how history is not just something to read about, but something that continues to shape students’ lives today.
BSU would also like to thank Mrs. Cleasant, Mrs. Adkins, and Mr. Stairs for their guidance, support, and help in making this production possible. Their encouragement and dedication played a key role in bringing BRAVE to life.
Ultimately, BRAVE delivers a clear message: courage looks different for everyone, but every voice has power. Through this production, BSU encourages students to recognize their own strength and understand that being brave means speaking up, standing tall, and continuing to push for a better future.
Come support Assumption High Schools’ Black Student Union and experience BRAVE on January 6th at 7:00 p.m. in the Assumption Theater to see how these impactful stories are brought to life through student voices.
