Blackademia enlightens students amid America’s racist reckoning

Share: Prior to the killings of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor that sparked worldwide outrage in recent months, the Blackademia program at PCC held meetings discussing police brutality. A few months ago, they discussed how the lives of Black people aren’t taken seriously. Some students believe they don’t get the same opportunities to work, go to school and speak as freely as others because of the color of their skin. They expressed their anger, sadness and concern for equality for all Black people.       “One of …

PCC’s Black community mobilizes support, demands reform after killing of Black individuals

Share: As evident with the thousands of protests that have ignited around the world, emotions such as anger, sadness, frustration, grief and fear only briefly touch upon what millions are experiencing as a result of the recent killing of Black individuals. George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery lived across the country, but even PCC’s Black community feels the shared loss of their brothers and sisters.  With the deaths of Floyd, Taylor and Ahmaud spanning within months of each other, it became apparent to many …

Black students and staff call for PCC to take action

Share: Feeling overlooked and unsupported by PCC, living in fear and getting harassed by police are just some of the experiences Black students and staff shared on the “Our Black Lives Matter – Listening Forum” that occurred on Thursday, June 4. As each panel member shared and read a portion of the resolution presented to the Academic Senate for them to denounce the killings of Black people, things simultaneously grew very emotional and heated. Frustrated by the lack of action and Black student and staff …

PCC celebrates its diversity during Black History Month

Share: Black History Month celebrations were taking place all over PCC’s campus this past February thanks to the efforts of Ujima and Blackademia. With over 250 students in Ujima, and many more in the Blackademia program, there was no shortage of people celebrating African-American culture. Despite hampered student attendance in the beginning of the month due to it being winter intersession, that did not stop the celebration. Director of the Ujima program, Gena Lopez, talked about this by saying, “Even though there weren’t as many …

Ujima mixer makes positive atmosphere for students

Share: Smiling faces, good food, and balloon decorations that match the Pan-African flag were all on display for the black students that wanted to spend the afternoon mingling with faculty members. PCC’s Ujima Program held a student mixer, Sept. 13, in the wifi lounge to give their students an opportunity to meet with their assorted deans and professors in a casual setting. The mixer allowed students to see their professors and assorted deans in a different light. The staff members appear more human due to …