District events celebrate Black Student Success Week

April 19, 2023 | San Diego Community College District
Three students sit at a cement table at the City College. Each student is wearing a black Umoja T shirt

Black Student Success Week is from April 24 through April 28, 2023. This year’s theme is Vision to Action: Building Systems and Structures for Black Student Success.

The San Diego Community College District celebrates Black Student Success Week from April 24 through April 28, 2023. This year’s theme is Vision to Action: Building Systems and Structures for Black Student Success. The week-long event will focus on those approaches that help ensure Black and African American students thrive at California community colleges.

Pre-Black Student Success Week events are scheduled for Wednesday, April 19, and Friday, April 21. All events are free and open to the public unless otherwise noted. Among the highlights:

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 19

9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. 
San Diego County Office of Education and the San Diego College of Continuing Education Present: “Our Voice, Our Power, Our Future” Black Student Summit for Grades 6 to 9
Entertainment and enrichment as we help prepare our youth for high school, college and beyond. Sessions to include special guest speakers, leadership, athletics, social justice, health and wellness and financial literacy. This event is open to students in grades 6 through 9 only. Free event, lunch provided.
Register in Advance here
San Diego College of Continuing Education, Educational Cultural Complex Theatre, 4343 Ocean View Blvd., 92113

FRIDAY, APRIL 21

8:30 to 11 a.m.
SDCCD Black Student Success Summit
The Black Student Success Summit provides an opportunity for students to engage in building community and in dialogue to move toward solutions that dismantle barriers and enable each Black student to achieve their academic goals. Each student who attends will receive a gift. This virtual event is open to students and all district employees. The event will include a welcome by SDCCD Acting Chancellor Gregory Smith and Vice Chancellor of Educational Services Susan Topham. The summit also will feature keynote speaker San Diego Mesa College President, Ashanti Hands, Black student leaders, spoken word artist Gregory McKnight, Jr., and discussion sessions for students, classified professionals, faculty, and administrators. Register in advance here. A Zoom link for the summit will be emailed prior to the event.

MONDAY, APRIL 24

11 a.m. to noon
Focus on students: Harambe!
Come out and enjoy free food, fun, music, and games!
San Diego City College, A-Terrace, 1313 Park Blvd., 92101

11 a.m. to noon
The Black Student Experience at the San Diego College of Continuing Education and Virtual Watch Party
The virtual event focused on the Black student experience at the San Diego College of Continuing Education with student speakers. Register in advance here.
San Diego College of Continuing Education; a Zoom link to attend will be emailed prior to the event.

11:30 a.m.
Drum performance and lecture
Join the Black Student Union and Yiriba Bernard Thomas, Co-Director & Founder of Teye Sa Thiosanne, who will be featured in a drum performance and mini-lecture.
San Diego Miramar College, LRC Outside Atrium, 10440 Black Mountain Road, 92126

Noon to 1 p.m.
Information Sessions 
Learn about Black Leadership Fellows, UMOJA, and Black Student Union, plus get your professional headshot taken.
San Diego Mesa College, I4-202, 7250 Mesa College Drive, 92111

Noon to 1:30 p.m.
Black Student Union: The Holistic Black Student Experience “We Are Not a Monolith” (Watch Party)
Part of a series of daily sessions, the focus will be on exploration of the various intersectional identities of Black students in California Community Colleges. 
San Diego Miramar College, L-309, 10440 Black Mountain Road, 92126

TUESDAY, APRIL 25

11 a.m. to noon
Advocacy Day
Join guest speaker J. Luke Wood, Ph.D., vice president of Student Affairs and Campus Diversity at San Diego State University.
San Diego City College, MS 140, 1313 Park Blvd., 92101

Noon to 1:30 p.m.
Black Student Union: Supporting Black Student Success Through Racially Equitable State Policy (Watch Party)
Part of a series of daily sessions, the focus will be on opportunities to support Black student success throughs state policy, explore policies passed in recent years and their impact on closing racial equity gaps, and bring in the practitioners, students, and community partners directly impacted by such policies. 
San Diego Miramar College, L-309, 10440 Black Mountain Road, 92126

Noon to 2 p.m.
Health Services: Naloxone Discussion and Distribution
The Miramar Health Services medical team will host an on-campus Naloxone discussion and distribution to students during a meet-and-greet campus event.
San Diego Miramar College, Compass Point, 10440 Black Mountain Road, 92126

2:30 to 4:30 p.m.
"What should we call you?"
Join panelists Dr. Veronica Gerace, Dr. Edeama Onwuchekwa Jonah, Dr. Thekima Mayasa, and Professor Manuel Velez. Engage in meaningful dialogue about labels (Black/African American, Hispanic/Latine, Oriental/Asian). Dessert provided.
San Diego Mesa College, LRC-435, 7250 Mesa College Drive, 92111

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 26

11 a.m. to Noon
Department of Labor: Career Panel Discussion 
San Diego City College, MS 140, 1313 Park Blvd., 92101

11 a.m. to Noon
Career Development from the Black Perspective and Virtual Watch Party 
Hybrid (in person and via Zoom) event focused on career development.
Register here; a Zoom link to attend will be emailed prior to the event.
San Diego College of Continuing Education, Educational Cultural Complex, Room 169, 4343 Ocean View Blvd., 92113

Noon to 1 p.m.
Mesa College World Art Collection African Art Tour
Learn about the history of the collection, how the pieces were acquired, and the benefits of studying pieces of this caliber. Led by Denise Rogers.
San Diego Mesa College, LRC 446, 7250 Mesa College Drive, 92111

Noon to 1:30 p.m.
Black Student Union: Transition to Workforce and Livable Wages (Watch Party)
Part of a series of daily sessions, the focus will be on strategies to help Black students successfully transition into the workforce with livable wages. 
San Diego Miramar College,  L-309, 10440 Black Mountain Road, 92126.

Noon to 4 p.m.
Career Services: Child Development Fair
An opportunity to connect hiring companies for one-on-one meetings and to collect resumes from SDCCD students in the Child Development Program. Free food will be provided to participants.
San Diego Miramar College, K1-Lobby/K1-107, 10440 Black Mountain Road, 92126

12:30 to 2 p.m.
NextUp Program: Foster Youth Awareness Month Launch Party!
Join the Miramar NextUp team as they kick-off Foster Youth Awareness month. Learn about the progress of the NextUp program and promote awareness of the needs of students.
San Diego Miramar College, Compass Point, 10440 Black Mountain Road, 92126

3 to 4 p.m.
Meet & Greet
Meet San Diego Mesa College President Ashanti Hands and Vice President of Student Services Larry Maxey
San Diego Mesa College, I4-202, 7250 Mesa College Drive, 92111

THURSDAY, APRIL 27

11 a.m. to Noon
Focus on Practitioners: Showcasing the San Diego City College Umoja Program 
San Diego City College, MS 162, 1313 Park Blvd., 92101

11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Black CommUNITY Cookout
Enjoy music, games, and food! Meet students and employees!
San Diego Mesa College, Mesa Quad, 7250 Mesa College Drive, 92111

Noon to 1:30 p.m.
Black Student Union: Programming for Black Student Success (Watch Party)
Part of a series of daily sessions, this panel event brings together practitioners from across the state who have been successful in promoting Black student success to discuss their best practices and lessons learned. They will also share a practitioner’s toolkit with attendees. 
San Diego Miramar College, L-309, 10440 Black Mountain Road, 92126

12:30 to 1:30 p.m.
Student Affairs: Student Leadership Series “How to Be an Effective Leader”
From the importance of camaraderie to managing stress under pressure, students will learn how to be an effective and successful leader.
San Diego Miramar College,  K1-211, 10440 Black Mountain Road, 92126

2 to 5 p.m.
Career Services: Diesel Fair
An opportunity to connect hiring companies for one-on-one meetings and to collect resumes from SDCCD students enrolled in Miramar Colleges well-known Diesel program. Free food will be provided to participants.
San Diego Miramar College, C-1 Building/Diesel Yard, 10440 Black Mountain Road, 92126

FRIDAY, APRIL 28

11 a.m. to noon
Focus on Faculty: Black Faculty Panel Discussion 
San Diego City College, MS 140, 1313 Park Blvd., 92101


Black Student Success Week at San Diego City, Mesa, Miramar, and Continuing Education colleges is sponsored by the SDCCD’s Equal Employment Opportunity and Diversity Office and Campus Diversity Advisory Council.

Black Student Success Week is organized in partnership with the following organizations: A2MEND, Umoja Community Education Foundation, The Campaign for College Opportunity, The Education Trust-West, the Equity Avengers, The RP Group, the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges, the Community College League of California, the California Community Colleges Chancellor's Office, the Foundation for California Community Colleges, and the Student Senate for California Community Colleges.

Top