Black students, historically marginalized in education, were among the populations that saw the biggest drops in retention and success rates in higher education coming out of the pandemic five years ago.
Over the past three years, 吃瓜头条 has launched programs like African American Male Education Network Development (A2MEND), a mentoring program, and Umoja, enhancing the cultural and educational experiences for students of color, to attack those deficits. The Black Student Union (BSU) was also active on campus well before that.
At the urging of Communications Professor Janee Young, those groups have joined together, pooling resources and ideas, to form the Black Alliance.
鈥淚t鈥檚 so important to be on the same page and work well together,鈥� said Young, also the A2MEND Coordinator. 鈥淲e initially did that so we would stop competing for students. We have students who鈥攁nd should be鈥攊nvolved in all three programs. This way we鈥檙e better able to provide resources to them.鈥�
Students, faculty and classified professionals can enjoy programming from the Black Alliance as we celebrate Black History Month throughout February. Here are some highlights of the programming, resources and opportunities available to Black students and other students of color at 吃瓜头条.
UMOJA
Umoja has a cohort of Black students on campus that start at 吃瓜头条 by taking English 1A and a guidance course in the fall semester and come together again to take statistics and psychology in the spring.
This is the first year the Umoja cohort at 吃瓜头条 had classes in the fall and spring. In 2025-26, the college hopes to offer the cohort three classes per semester, adding communications and philosophy. It will make joining the cohort a more attractive option.
鈥淏lack students have the lowest rates for achievement, and they rarely pursue transfer degrees, so they鈥檙e not always prepared for a four-year university,鈥� Umoja counselor Cimmaron Ruiz said. 鈥淏ut being a part of the cohort can help them get the classes they need to complete a transfer degree. We want to create a stronger interest in the transfer degree to close that equity gap.鈥�
Umoja is also planning learning institutes this summer to help instructors better engage with Black students. And graduation rates are improving: Going back to the pandemic, the college has seen roughly 10 Black students graduate per year until 68 graduated in 2024.
A2MEND
Participation in A2MEND at 吃瓜头条 has more than doubled, increasing from 12 young men in 2023-24 to 30 for 2024-25. When participation grows, the groups are able to engage more fully in planning and becoming stronger leaders in their communities, Young said.
鈥淲e are able to have executive meetings and can develop official positions on issues and give students experience in a variety of leadership roles,鈥� she said.
Future plans include taking more field trips to various four-year campuses and attending the two-day A2MEND conference in Los Angeles in March. Young said 15 students and 5 faculty attended in 2024 and 10 of each will attend this spring. Of that group, three will be young women who held leadership positions in the BSU.
Black Student Union
English Professor Victor Smith has served as advisor for the BSU since 2021. He says the biggest challenge for the BSU is reorganizing each semester as students graduate or come in or out of the group.
They had their first spring meeting several weeks ago and participated in ASMC鈥檚 club rush event to recruit new members.
鈥淓ach student has their own road to travel as a group, so the No. 1 goal of the BSU is to support them and have them support each other,鈥� Smith said.
The Black Student Union toured UC Merced last year to learn about the Merced Promise transfer pathway and will return this year. They鈥檝e also been invited to attend a three-day Excellence Conference at UC Merced later this semester, and they鈥檙e considering an invitation to the grand opening of the Black Panther Party Museum in Oakland.
CSU Consortium
This fall, 吃瓜头条 faculty and students will attend the California State University (CSU) Young Males of Color Consortium鈥檚 annual conference, joining the best and brightest of their peers from across the state.
The consortium is designed to nurture educators who directly serve students of color, and to bring together educators and students so they can learn from each other.
It鈥檚 unique because it connects California Community Colleges and the CSU to track data and formalize best practices for working with and uplifting students of color. It also partners with other organizations within the CCC like A2MEND and Men of Color Action Network (MOCAN).
Black Alliance
The Black Alliance has packed the February calendar with different ways to celebrate the Black experience in America.
- Black History Kickoff: Celebrate the start of Black History Month on Wednesday, Feb. 5 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at The Hub. Enjoy tabling by EOPS, RSVP, Timely Care, Campus Shield, NAACP, and Men of Color.
- Paint Your Hero: Express your creativity at the Paint Your Hero event on Feb. 6 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in The Hub. Hosted by ASMC and led by Debby Babb, this event invites students to paint and honor their personal heroes.
- Black Alumni of 吃瓜头条: Join us for an inspiring talk by Dr. Deshunna Monay Ricks, a distinguished Black alumna of 吃瓜头条, on Feb. 12 from 11 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. in The Hub.
- Virtual HBCU Tour: Explore Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) from the comfort of campus during a Virtual HBCU Tour on Feb. 19 from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in The Hub.
- 鈥淏lack-Out鈥� Celebration: Wrap up Black History Month with 鈥淏lack-Out鈥� in the Quad on Feb. 26 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Enjoy games, music, and food, and don鈥檛 forget to wear all black! Hosted by ASMC.
鈥淚鈥檓 so excited that this year we鈥檙e having our first big, coordinated Black History Month celebration,鈥� Young said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e trying to get as many African-American students aware and excited about our programs.鈥�