Judith Casselberry, assistant professor of Africana studies, performed at the third annual “Proud of My Whole Self” dinner in Daggett Lounge recently, riveting the audience of mostly students by singing a powerful, emotional version of “Rivers of Babylon” from Psalms 137 and then performing Bob Marley’s “Exodus” with her guitar.

Casselberry introduced herself as a “woman of faith” and a “fighter of social justice.” Stressing these different aspects of herself was the evening’s theme: the dinner had been designed by students to encourage participants to explore their many identities and how they connect.

Listen to Casselberry sing Rivers of Babylon.

“It’s important to me to explore the intersections of identity, and everything that makes us what we are,” Autumn Nelor ’14 said. She helped organize the event with Aiden Reis ’14. To describe her own identities, Nelor listed off, “African-American, a woman, southern, gay, a daughter, spiritual, able-bodied.”

Reis said the dinner was open to any student. “What I really like about this event is you get to learn about other people in ways you wouldn’t find out in a math class. You get little windows into people’s lives, and can find similarities and differences,” he said.