resources

Souleman Toure, Class of 2023

Editorial Team — Thu, 11 Aug 2022 03:17:15 +0000

I chose Bowdoin because I enjoyed my time when I visited. I felt like people really embraced me as a prospective student, and I thought if I received this comfort, and I wasn’t yet admitted it would only get better once I got in. That was the main thing that led me to Bowdoin. People were very generous with their time and gave me honest feedback about Bowdoin and the college process in general. I would choose Bowdoin again. I have met people that I will be friends with for life. It has been challenging in many ways, but overall, I think my time here has brought me a lot of joy. I appreciate the experience I have had at Bowdoin, and I think the community is a special one. Personally, I interact with lots of different groups on campus so the feeling of cliqueyness is not one I really resonate with. This answer can look different for different people. I can say there are groups that are maybe more homogenous and that people find similarities and identify with people who look like them. But I don’t believe that is a thing unique to Bowdoin. I think people mingle and move around spaces/people often at Bowdoin. We are not perfect, but I feel like the majority are open to meeting/engaging with people that look very different outside themselves. We have Black Men’s forum, there is a female version as well I believe. There are Students of Color in Computing and those are some that I know from memory. We have Africa Alliance and Soca/Caribbean Club which are not exclusive to Black students but are spaces where you will find a lot of Black students. There have been potlucks, fashion shows, “African weddings”, Lunches and Meet and Greets, and hangout/social events. These spaces are not always something I go to every week but when I do show up I am always welcome. In the last month, there has been a BSU x LASO Jersey Party, Black scholars night (weekly study together), Guest speaker Mr. Pious Ali, and a talk about Billie Holiday’s legacy. I think the administration listens a lot and tries to work with students of color. They are really open about feedback, but a response can be hard sometimes for them. I know there are things in place on campus to try and help black/POC students in a more proactive way. This weekend there is a POC retreat/getaway for the weekend. They try and provide resources as best they can and it’s again not perfect. But there is good intention and effort and more can always be done for sure, but the black/POC experience is not uniform. So, trying to do something for all students of color assumes a lot and might end up hurting some. It’s hard to say if I feel represented. I don’t know what goes on at other institutions, but I think Black voices at Bowdoin over my time here have grown. I think people are listening more and trying to understand better and make it an inviting space for all members of the community. We are a small portion, but sometimes less is more you feel me?

Anonymous, Class of 2023

Editorial Team — Thu, 14 Apr 2022 04:02:59 +0000

With the Student Resource Building’s designated cultural spaces, it is nice to have a space of your own with people of similar cultural backgrounds and experiences. Although, it does not seem to promote much mingling. I do think there are some students where there is no such thing. Some of the clubs on campus are and can be diverse and inclusive. Resources include the Office of Black Student Development, National Society of Black Engineers, Black Women’s Health Club, BSU, and the designated study room in the Student Resource Building on campus. The OBSD does a great job at providing opportunities, safe space, and mentoring for the Black students on campus. However, I can not speak for my counterparts. I do believe that UCSB could be doing a much better job at supporting students of color by hiring more Black and brown professors, staff members, and faculty on campus. Representation matters, especially in STEM. I chose UCSB for its Environmental Department, and I have only ever had one Black male professor teach me in the Environmental Science Department– Professor D. Pellow, an extraordinary scholar, and individual. I do not feel as represented as I would like. Being a mixed Black womxn there are few of us on campus it feels. The demographic of campus is visibly predominantly white, Asian, and international students. The Black community on campus is pretty close and tight-knit from what I have seen in my year here. They try to reach out to one another and propose bonding times, a safe space to ask questions, and genuine friendships. I suggest being vocal and reaching out to these individuals. It will make your experience more enjoyable when you can find a familiar face in the crowd.

Anonymous, Class of 2025

Editorial Team — Thu, 14 Apr 2022 03:57:11 +0000

Honestly, I do not feel represented. The Black population at UCSB is so small so if you were to take a picture of campus during passing times, there would maybe be 5 Black students amongst hundreds. People of similar races will tend to group together but they aren’t exclusionary. UCSB is a wonderful institution, but at its core, it is a PWI so the experience will be better in Black spaces. Find black spaces on camps! Whether that’s a club, sorority, fraternity, or cultural center, it will give you a sense of community that can be hard to have in a Predominantly White Institution. The best memories I have are in these spaces. I chose UCSB because I liked the location and it seemed like a respectable institution to pursue my education at. I would choose my school again because there’s no other place where I could see myself graduating from. At UCSB, there is the African Diaspora Cultural Resource Center (nicknamed the ADCRC) and the Office of Black Student Development (nicknamed the OBSD). My experiences with these resources are nothing but positive. The ADCRC presents a safe space for Black students to study and converse. The room is full of culture and is very homely. The OBSD’s whole purpose is to enrich the Black student experience at UCSB. They send out emails about internships, jobs, scholarships, and other opportunities for Black students. We have Cultural Resource Centers for most ethnic groups in the Student Resource Building and there’s the Multicultural Center where students of any culture can have a safe space to be in. Additionally, when picking housing, you can choose to live in cultural halls. There is also an LGBTQ+ house in Manzanita Village (a residence hall on campus) as well as Cultural Resource Centers in the Student Resource Building. I wish my school employed more Black faculty, staff, and professors. Also, I wish the greek life here was more diverse.

Eryn Madison, Class of 2025

Editorial Team — Thu, 14 Apr 2022 03:48:37 +0000

I do not feel represented in the slightest. I chose UNC since it was closer to home than my last school (Howard University) and less expensive. If given the chance when I first was applying to college, I would probably not choose it again. It is cliquey, and it’s not just among the races like white and black but the black people are pretty cliquey as well (Africans vs African Americans). We have the Black Student Union, which I am a part of; the Marcus Garvey Cultural Center, a space for Black students to connect and build relationships; African Students United, a space for African students to connect; Black Women of today, a club designed to uplift the voices of black women on campus; and many other organizations. The support I receive on campus as a Black individual is through the organizations I listed above, not from the school itself. UNC seems to only really speak out if something major happens, we’ve had some racial slurs graffitied on campus before and the school sent out an email to students. Other than that, that’s about it. I wish they took more action and spoke out more about things that the black community deals with, not just a simple post or banner change during black history month. However, the school is very supportive when it comes to the LGBTQ+ community as well as women and disabled students. If you are a prospective student: really do your research and maybe try to do a campus visit before committing to a school. Also, if you are someone like me who is coming from predominantly black or minority spaces, be prepared for a big culture shock coming to a PWI. Be secure in who you are as a person and the values you have. Don’t be discouraged to go to a PWI! School is what you make it out to be, even though there might not be a lot of people that look like you on campus, as long as you go through each day with a positive mindset, it will turn out amazingly!

Aisha Jallow, Class of 2022

Editorial Team — Tue, 22 Mar 2022 22:21:53 +0000

There is definitely a lack of resources when it comes to the counseling center there is a lack of therapists in general but also a lack of Black therapists and Black women specifically, especially when trying to talk about struggles relating to racial issues and racism. Although Black affinity housing is needed, it is not the best housing that AU could have given us. They did renovations, but the bathrooms and some main areas were not renovated as they said they would. There should be more support for affinity to host events. Last year they said we couldn’t order food for our events which really hurt our events like the Caribbean affinity group because that is how we gather people. It hurt our turnout. While the rule was supposed to stop the spread of COVID (the dining hall was still serving buffet style, and people were still eating together), it kind of only hurt the affinity groups with an appreciation for family-style meals even the Asian American student organization. It became more expensive to get them done pre-packaged style. I do feel represented at AU, I came into AU already in organizations. I barely left high school, but I was in African student organization which I am the president of today. And I had a lot of strong Black female figures to look up to and go to for advice and I really admired these girls for creating a Black community for AU. I was fortunate to be on the E board so I was able to meet with these juniors and seniors, but a lot of people may not have those same opportunities. Oftentimes when you come to a PWI, people think it will be hard to find the Black community, but college is what you make it and you are not the only person looking for people to be around. Go to events. You don’t have to be Caribbean to go to Caribbean events you don’t have to be African to go to African events, etc. Don’t be discouraged when ur entire floor is 99 percent non-Black, the 2 Black girls on my floor became 2 of my closest friends. Just keep going to events. The ASO pageant is open to everybody you don’t have to be African to come. We don’t have a big African community but we are open for anybody to learn about it.

Karissa Frederick, Class of 2023

Editorial Team — Tue, 22 Mar 2022 22:19:15 +0000

I would definitely say to an extent there is some segregation. Of course, we all take classes together, but in the residence hall, you won’t necessarily see the white kids and Black kids together. It isn’t a melting pot like they portray college to be. I wanted to join the AU pride club, but I didn’t because there aren’t a lot of Black people in the group. After class, I’m in my room because I don’t necessarily feel comfortable being on campus. There have been a lot of instances with black women specifically, not being treated the way we should be treated. Both by admin and by the student body. We are a PWI, so these instances are reflective of America, but it is very sad because we are labeled the most politically active school in the country. Most of the support I will say that I do receive is from the affinity groups: African student organization (ASO), Black student union, and Caribbean circle. In those spaces that are predominantly places for people of color is where I feel my issues are heard. We do have Black affinity housing. It is set aside just for black-identifying students to be a part of which is definitely a step in the right direction. We also have the center for diversity and inclusion (CDI). We have some representation in student leadership, but the student leadership is majority white. Our current student body president is a Black woman. Our student government has 10 Black senators. There is so much I wish the school would do more, but I don’t even know where to start. For me, I will say coming to this school was a cultural shock, being West Indian, I grew up and all of my friends were West Indian. I didn’t make friends maybe until my 2nd semester of freshman year. Therein lies the problem, many people on this campus tend to see Black people as a monolith. There are Caribbean/West Indian, African, etc. It was hard to find Black friends. I would hang around the African American kids, but there were certain things that were different. If anything, those groups get it more than the white kids. I wouldn’t say this is a problem so much now, but freshman year, I felt the black community was sort of cliquey. I guess it was hard to be accepted. “I look like you so why can’t we get along?” It definitely took a whole pandemic and coming back to school in my junior year to have that sense of acceptance or a black community. In a sense, I thought that I couldn’t get in. I do feel represented now. I see so many Black women on campus. (Side note: There are not many Black men on campus in general. A majority of the Black people here are women.) I was able to create not only a Black female friend group but a Black female community. The student body president is one of my close friends. A lot of them are on campus trying to make a change. I know the Black girls who come after me are definitely gonna have it easier than I did. Also, our school has a lot of engagement on social media. Not only do we post our current happenings, but we also try to have community-building events. For example, we had a mental health dialogue about Black mental health on campus. For Valentine’s day, we had a Black love event where we talked about what Black love looks like. Soon we have a love of diaspora ball. There is so much hardship outside so we don’t focus on that. We answer our DMs, we do a lot of collaboration events, we collaborated with AU pride recently, we collaborated with Caribbean students in the past. I am in the Black Student Union, but I still represented West India in the recent pageant. The Caribbean circle as well as ASO have a pageant. I was Miss Grenada because my family is from there. It is like Miss America, but the boys can participate too. We talk about food, our views, what we love about our country, etc. I love sharing my experiences and what I love about my country. There are so many kids on campus in different parts of the diaspora and we try to encourage everyone. If you’re not African, still come to the African events. If you are not Black, still come to the Black events. At the end of the day, we are all trying to build a community for each other. We don’t want to gatekeep anything. At the end of the day, we still share the same black skin color. We never want to divide each other inside the diaspora.

Tyshana Campbell, Class of 2022

Editorial Team — Sat, 22 Jan 2022 19:05:15 +0000

Rutgers is such a big school that you will find your crowd. There are so many different people but like the same things that will hang together. However, there are organizations that cater to specific groups, which isn’t segregation (just a home away from home). Are there resources? YES!!! We have the Paul Robeson Cultural Center, which is the Black Cultural Center. They host black events and create spaces for black students to feel welcomed and at home. At Rutgers, we have the Social Justice Cultural Center and Douglass Residential College, which are geared toward other marginalized groups such as women and the LGBTQ+ community. Also, there are Student Support Services, which offers a multitude of resources for first-generation students at Rutgers. I wish Rutgers would hire more Black and Brown professors and faculty and give white professors sensitivity training. Sometimes, I think Rutgers is such a big school, and even though they do an okay job at promoting diversity. You only get to see a glimpse of that in real life. For example, I am a senior and have only had two Black female professors and they were both in the Africana department. Mind you I am a STEM major, so there is some room to improve representation at Rutgers. Going to a predominately white institution can be hard but don’t give up! I fought the majority of my first year at Rutgers because I felt like I didn’t have community, but I just didn’t try to find any. You have to FIND YOUR HOME AWAY FROM HOME. You will feel out of place and uncomfortable, but that’s life. You have to keep going in order to feel comfortable and trust me, you will get there!

Isha Kamara, Class of 2023

Editorial Team — Sat, 22 Jan 2022 18:58:23 +0000

One day, I walked into a predominantly white party off-campus, and a white student yelled “why are all the minorities here?!” Not to only highlight racist incidents, I’ll also add that the BSU had a Friendsgiving and a large group of black students across the years came together to cook and eat together (the food was so good)! Hopefully, this year was the first of many! The school is more cliquey across sports teams than by race. It’s majority white, so it’s not weird to see large white friend groups and the occasionally Black, Latinx, Asian friend groups. There is the Davis center. I’m in a leadership position at my school’s black student union, so my interactions are very different than that of other black students. But we have a black director who works there who keeps clutch. When the rest of the Davis center doesn’t do enough to make our events happen (parties for example), this director always holds it down. The Davis center has spaces on campus meant for black students, Rice House. And Hardy for LGBTQ+ members and Latinx students and the third house for all groups to use as needed. Williams is supportive of students of color with other marginalized identities. Generally, I feel represented. If I don’t feel represented, I try to become that representative. Don’t be afraid to say hi to random other black students on campus! I think it’s the duty of Black upperclassmen to make new students feel welcome to the community and I actively say hello to frosh, but it helps if they are also open to making friends. I would also recommend joining clubs! I’ve met so many wonderful people outside of the classroom, but admittedly I am a very social person.

Anonymous, Class of 2022

Editorial Team — Sat, 22 Jan 2022 17:37:02 +0000

When I was a freshman, I had a hard time adjusting to the culture of my PWI. Throughout my childhood, I attended very diverse schools so going to a PWI was a complete culture shock that I was not prepared for. I was usually the only Black student in my classroom and it seemed like everywhere I looked, there wasn’t anyone that looked like me. I definitely experienced Imposter’s syndrome and was ready to transfer schools. After attending some NAACP meetings, I was able to meet other Black students who felt the same way as me. They told me that I am exactly where I am supposed to be. It was very refreshing to know that I wasn’t the only student feeling this way. It was also affirming to know that I actually wasn’t the only Black student on campus either. There are many programs, organizations, and resources specifically for students of color. You will find your group and you will feel like you belong because you do. Baylor is less than 6% Black and at least 60% White/Caucasian. Our Multicultural Affairs office has a subset called the Black Student Coalition that consists of dozens of Black organizations such as the Black Student Union, the African Student Association, and the NAACP. These organizations are one of the only ways you will see other Black students on campus. The events that these organizations put on allow Black students to have an unofficial safe space to be ourselves. Baylor typically honors the different heritage and history months; makes all students complete diversity “training”; put on Neighbor Nights, an event to help you get to know people that do not look like you; and other similar events. Baylor does a good job at allowing students of color to share and express their culture. However, events and organizations led by students of color generally don’t receive as much recognition and publicity as those from our White peers. I also think that Baylor tends to be performative, as in many of our White counterparts will come to our events for a short enough time to get pictures and to say they came. In terms of other marginalized groups, Baylor has currently been under fire for not allowing an LGBTQ+ organization to be chartered. Instead, Baylor came up with their own version of the organization that aligns with “Christian values and beliefs” (but nobody wants their version). There was also an issue in which Baylor had ended shutting for those who are disabled and/or need accommodation. After receiving negative feedback, Baylor brought the shuttling back. As it pertains to women, Baylor has many organizations that are directed towards women in different fields as well as the well-being of women in general. I do not feel represented at Baylor. There are very few staff and faculty that look like me. I am typically the only Black girl or person of color in my classroom. Baylor prides itself on being very diverse but when you look in our classrooms, diversity is not what you see. Baylor has a long way to go. Do not let what they say about PWIs scare you away. Unfortunately, as a Black person in the United States, you will always be faced with adversity and may be the only person in the room that looks like you. Though there aren’t many of us, there are other Black students at PWIs that know exactly how you feel and want the same things that you want. Going to college, in general, is a huge step–You will succeed no matter what college you go to. If we want more representation in our country, we have to be willing to take that first step. Change can start with you. Just always remember that, though you may not feel entirely comfortable, you are deserving of attending ANY college that you desire and succeeding in ANY field that you desire. You got this!

Jasmine, Class of 2025

Editorial Team — Sat, 22 Jan 2022 17:34:50 +0000

It is not really cliquey, but a lot of POC choose to surround themselves when they can with people who look like them and are from the same community just because they don’t see people like them hardly ever during the day and in classes at a predominately white institution. The resources for Black students are the Black African American Cultural Center, National Society of Black Engineers, African American Studies classes, NPHC’s, black events, black faculty, Africans United, Black Students Alliance, United women of color, united men of color. I wish CSU had more black students, black faculty, and black studies classes. I feel a little represented at CSU. You have to know that you belong anywhere and everywhere you choose to go as exactly who you are and it will be hard, but you have to hold on to that.