On Thursday, March 25, the Student Program Board held the Virtual Talent Show. From 1-2 p.m., HCC students were given the opportunity to showcase their talents and the chance to support their friends and fellow performers.

At the Virtual Talent show, there were six performers all showcasing beautiful and fascinating talents.

The first act was Breonna Tonge with her reciting of two personally written poems. As Tonge spoke, the audience could feel her identity boldly reach through the screen. Her poems focused on her individuality and willingness to stand up for herself when she needed to. Tonge was empowering and her poetry was absolutely beautiful. From beginning to end, Tonge was inspiring, and her words carried power with every syllable.

Following Tonge was Elizabeth Feuerbach. Feuerbach sang the song, “Popular”, from the musical “Wicked”. Feuerbach didn’t let Zoom’s odd quality didn’t stop her from giving an uplifting performance. Even if you have never witnessed “Wicked” or heard this song, Feuerbach would make you want to explore it more. With her props of a lip gloss and a tablet she used to show the beauty of the people attending, Feuerbach sang her way into our hearts and minds.

Next, Trent Tabor performed an interpretative dance. Instead of using a classical song or another calm genre, Tabor went with the surprising choice of a dubstep music mix that had everyone wanting it on their playlists. The audience could feel Tabor’s bursts of joy as he flowed through his dance in the comfort of his bedroom. His performance went well, especially with the help of his background assistants.

Kareem Mack, one of the SPB co-chairs, followed after Tabor. Mack revealed that more than just being the Student Program Board’s co-chair, he was also a director in his spare time. Mack specifically directs with musical theatre as his focus. He displayed that focus when he presented his personally directed video of an all-Black choir singing “Seasons of Love”. Mack revealed that his video was not edited, but the audience could barely focus on that fact since the singers were so good. Mack’s skills were displayed beautifully as the choir sang their hearts out. It was definitely an act to remember.

Amira Cooper, a writer for the HCC Times, was next. Cooper also recited a poem that she wrote. Her poem focused on the current events of ethnic and racial minority injustices increasing during the pandemic. As a Black woman, Cooper expressed her reactions and raw feelings on the Black people that lost their lives. Cooper provided some insight to the show, hoping that the attendants could relate to her feelings in any way that they saw fit.

Finally, it was time for SGA president, Darryl Jeffries, to shine. Jeffries revealed that he used to play the saxophone and desired to play two of his old solo song for the audience. Some audience members were surprised and some were knowledgeable about Jeffries’s talent, but all were astonished as he played. Everyone jammed with Jeffries as he let the jazz notes fly and he even wore black shades to add a little flair to the vibe we all grooved to.

In addition to all of the amazing events, SPB also included a raffle for the participants. A wheel with all of the participants’ names on it was spun to determine the winners. There were five lucky winners, each getting a $25 Amazon gift card as their prize.

The Virtual Talent Show was a hit! We can all owe it to the Student Program Board for another amazing event. The co-chairs, Kaodi Gerry-Ofor and Kareem Mack, and the promotions and outreach assistant, Paola Sorto Quijano, worked hard to organize the Virtual Talent Show so that everyone could enjoy the show and find an escape from overbearing assignments.

Unfortunately, our beloved SPB committee is graduating this spring. So, if you are interested in being a part of the 2021-2022 SPB committee, please apply before the deadline: March 31 at 5 p.m. To get more information on how to apply and what requirements are needed, please email [email protected] or come to an SPB meeting. The meetings are weekly, every Tuesday, from 1-2 p.m.

Good luck and see you soon!