California Community Colleges everywhere have come together to celebrate Black student success week including Long Beach City College.
Black Student Success week was started in 2020 to provide Black students with more equitable experiences to bridge the gap that many Black students might face when it comes to higher levels of education.
This year Black Student Success Week was celebrated from April 22nd until April 28th.
The week of festivities started with the ribbon cutting ceremony of the Black student success center.
“Now we have a place to meet and showcase Black students” said Angela Fowlkes who runs the Black Student Success Center.
The ribbon cutting ceremony also featured many different clubs, including the newly chartered club A2MEND, a club that focuses on African American male student success.
“[The ribbon cutting ceremony] was our biggest event. We got about two pages of sign-ups…it was amazing to see people come together.” said Jay Sowell, A2MENDS president.
The club was officially chartered during Black Student Success Week, another thing to celebrate for many Black students on campus.
Sowells mother Kendra Sowell was fundamental to the Black Student Success Center coming to be.
The theme of this year’s Black student success week was “Building a Better Future Together- The Urgency is Now.”
The focus of this success week was to show innovative ways for Black students to succeed.
Everyday during the week the Black Student Success Center will show a webinar titled “Black Hour Viewings.”
During these viewings students, and faculty across several different California Community Colleges come together to talk about various different topics all showing students ways to succeed and to feel empowered.
Long Beach City College also hosted their own events on campus such as discussions with author and professor Chike Ukua, a Sneaker Ball for students to attend in their fanciest footwear, and a fundraiser.
You can find out about all these events by dropping in the Black Student Success Center or online at LBCCs website.