As many in the Bulldog Nation gear up for Homecoming, this year’s celebration will feature a new addition – Blackout2k8.

Inspired to establish pride in Homecoming within the University’s black community, a group of current and former students organized a week-long series of events, concerts and seminars.

“The goal of Blackout is to create a sense of pride in UGA after matriculation, which will in turn increase structural diversity and encourage support from black alumni as well as the Athens community,” said Patrick Adeleye, a junior from East Point and founding member of Blackout2k8.

Blackout2k8 premiered Monday with its first event, “Decisions, Decisions,” a seminar focused on the differences between historically black colleges and universities and predominantly white institutions such as the University.

The idea behind the celebration evolved from a summer seminar Adeleye attended with co-founder Stedman Spruiell, a junior from Tucker, at the National Black Student Leadership Development Conference in Washington, D.C. The discussion centered on how students can become effective leaders at predominantly white institutions.

The students took what they learned and saw that it could be applied to the University, Adeleye said.

“I believe [Blackout2k8] will give black alumni a reason to have pride in their school and an obligation to want to give back to the school. Most black alumni graduate and never come back,” Adeleye said. “This is a problem that definitely needs to be addressed. This will give people in the Athens community, as well as undergraduates on campus, a great sense of pride within UGA.”

Jessica May, homecoming coordinator for University Union, said she encourages the idea of additional homecoming events on campus.

“The main goal of University Union’s Homecoming events is to get the students excited for the Homecoming game and to feel more invested in their University,” May said. “If there are other events that promote our same objective, then it really only helps to make Homecoming a better week for everyone.”

Adeleye and three other organizers worked with campus groups to coordinate the week’s events.

The Committee for Black Cultural Programming teamed up with Blackout2k8 to promote Wednesday’s T-Pain concert at Legion Field. The concert is free for students, but tickets must be obtained from the Tate Center ticket booth. The concert will be held on Legion Field at 8 p.m.

“We spread the word for the concert,” Adeleye said, “and for other [events] that for whatever reason the Black community may not have a big turn out, like the [Homecoming] parade.”

Today’s Block Party at Legion Field was a collaboration between Blackout2k8 and University Union. It will take place from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.

On Friday, University Union will host the homecoming parade at 5:30 p.m. followed by Dawgs After Dark, which is set to begin at 6:30 p.m at Legion Field.

HOMECOMING EVENTS

- Today
The Bizarre: 12 to 2 p.m.
Tasty Tuesdays: 9 p.m. at Tasty World
Block Party: 4 p.m. at Legion Field

- Wednesday
T-Pain Concert: 8 p.m. at Legion Field

- Thursday
Pure Liberation, a poetry jam: 6:30 p.m. at Tasty World
Pre-tailgate: 11 a.m. on the Tate Lawn

- Friday
Homecoming parade: 5:30 p.m. downtown Athens
Dawgs After Dark Carnival: 6:30 p.m. at Legion Field

- Saturday
Jazz on the Lawn: 12 p.m. on Myers Quad, co-hosted with the University chapter of NAACP
Talib Kweli Concert: 9 p.m. at Georgia Theatre, performances by David Banner and B.O.B.