SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News) —
VIDEO TRANSCRIPTION
NCC News Reporter Sophia O’Brien: The Community Folk Arts Center’s Black Box Theater held a Black History Month karaoke night yesterday, and although a small crowd, it was loud. I spoke with Alexia Carr, the Market Outreach Coordinator, on all the things you can do at the Center.
Marketing Outreach Coordinator Alexia Carr: We have a lot of different programs that sort of rotate simultaneously, so some people tonight were practicing ballet, some of them were in African drumming, and that’s sort of what our programs represent, like all the different forms of art in the Center. So for Black History Month, this is probably like our seventh event so far, and we have about seven or so more.
O’Brien: This isn’t the Center’s first time behind a mic. They launched their karaoke series in 2025, and tonight, the song list is wide open, picked by those in the crowd all night long. They’re giving performers a real stage and a real spotlight, and you know what? Looks like I’m up.
O’Brien: I also spoke with some of the singers. That includes Syracuse University student Tomasco Thungchana.
SU Student Timasco Thungchana: I didn’t want to go to Black History Month karaoke and like not sing a song by a black artist. I didn’t want to like do that, you know, and I like Rihanna, and like I like the song. I was going to sing a different song, and then I saw the kid in the crowd.
O’Brien: To 10-year-old parents and SU students, they all took part in this musical night, including SU student Ryan Thierry, who talked on the overall event outcome.
SU Student Ryan Thierry: It was a good experience, even though not many people came.
O’Brien: Although it was a small crowd with some empty seats, the energy was electric all night long, and it continues with the Center’s daily events. I’m Sophia O’Brien, NCC News.
The Community Folk Art Center held a Black History Month karaoke night on Thursday in downtown Syracuse, New York. The center started its karaoke series in March of 2025 with the “Karaoke Night – Celebrating Divas of the Decade” for Women’s History Month. They also collaborate with student organizations for certain heritage months and hold events including Student Thesis performances, plays, Open Mic Nights, and concert series such as JMAD and Tony International Live Jazz Under Spoken Word in their Black Box Theater. The Community Folk Art Center has consisted of people from the Department of African American Studies, College of Arts & Sciences at Syracuse University, since 1972.
They strive to connect students and the community through a wide variety of art. Community members, eighteen and up, are given a space to embrace their artistry, hobbies, and talents in a theater that allows them to feel like an actual performer on stage rather than in a community room or classroom with no stage or spotlight. People of all ages participated in the event, from ten-year-old birthday girls to parents to even Syracuse University students; they all got up and sang their hearts out. Alexia Carr, the Marketing Outreach Coordinator, spoke on the many activities available at the center, holding daily events and including all ages with its youth group, for those of the younger ages. SU students Timasco Thungchana and Ryan Thierry spoke on the crowd outcome and overall experience of the event.
The songs sung stretched widely over many different genres. From Roberta Flack’s “Killing Me Softly With His Song” to Erykah Badu’s “Bag Lady” and “Don’t Stop the Music” by Rihanna. No matter what was playing, the small but mighty crowd was cheering, clapping, and singing along. The Black Box Theater will not be empty for long. The center is holding multiple more events this February, including the Black Women’s Art Ecosystems Book Talk on the 20th, the Community Writing Workshop on the 23rd, the Snaps & Taps on the 25th, the Upstate Medicine and KeyBank Black History Month Celebration on the 26th, and the Healing Forward Artist Talk in late March.