Black Unity Center at San Francisco State University

The Black Unity Center started as one of six Black Student Union Demands developed in 2015. This serves as a space for student engagement and achievement!

Brief History of the Black Unity Center’s Inception and Creation
The Black Unity Center started as one of sixth San Francisco State Black Student Union demands. These demands were developed Fall 2015, as part of the BSU’s efforts to change the organizations impact on Black student life and campus climate, and to address the lack of resources for Black students on campus. The board would use the tr

aining and advice offered by the Afrikan Black Coalition, a collective of California Black Student Unions, to construct the demands. In addition, using the key teachings of Pan Africanism, Black Nationalism, and lessons learned from the book, The Black Campus Movement. The board would first assess the campus climate and what key objectives should be sought so as to maximize the demands impact of Black student life. SFSU BSU saw that the campus lacked any central entity that was tasked with assessing, and tracking Black student life and resource allocation to Black students. Furthermore, there was a lack of administrative efforts to address Black students concerns. These observations were the basis for the BSU’s rationale in demanding a resource center. Other observations were a lack of Black student enrollment, retention, Black faculty outside of Africana Studies, training for non-Black faculty in racial sensitivity, and a Black residency floor. Once the demands were drafted they were presented to the entirety of the BSU board for review and approval. It was then taken to the BSU body for the final approval and endorsement. The demands were released October 2015 as part of a BSU demonstration to highlight the Universities indifference to a nationwide movement to change University climate for Black students, sparked by Black students’ protests and demands at the University of Missouri addressing racial intolerance and lack of administrative actions addressing the issues . Following the demonstration, the BSU would arrange regular monthly meetings with President Wong to address each demand item. These meetings would continue into Spring 2016, simultaneously during the “Hunger Strikes” that occurred as a result of the defunding of the College of Ethnic Studies, the BSU coordinators were still meeting with the President and other University officials specifically about the BSU demands. The Black Unity Center would later be adopted into the, “Advance and Protect Ethnic Studies” list of demands as each member of the organization contributed to the collective demands. In Summer 2016, Vice President of Student Affairs and Enrollment management agreed to create a working committee for the center starting in Fall 2016. The committee consisted of a BSU representative, ASI representative, Africana Studies chair, directors of Educational Opportunity Program, and lastly the VP of student affairs and her chief of staff. The committee would work for about eight months, meeting monthly and sometimes bi-weekly to research centers around the nation, campus climate and to examine all areas in which the campus was failing its Black student population. The notes from each meeting would be relayed to the BSU board and body for updates and to make sure that the center was going the right direction. In Spring 2017, the proposal was drafted and the BSU body voted on naming the space and initiative the Black Unity Center (BUC). In Summer 2017, the proposal was submitted and approved by the President’s cabinet. The Black Unity Center once an idea, and more so collective vision became a reality, its purpose to bring Black people and organizations into a united space to collectively move forward. Finally, thanks to the collaborative efforts of the Black Student Union, Department of Africana Studies, College of Ethnic Studies the Black Student body, and the support of Student Affairs and Associated Students. A special thank you to all members of the Black Student Union board, past, present and future for their commitment to furthering Black student success. Sincerely,

Ghilamichael Andemeskel External Vice coordinator 2015-2017
Hanna Wodaje Senior Coordinator 2015-2016

Photos from Black Unity Center at San Francisco State University's post

03/08/2018

Tomorrow is Black Women’s Appreciation is at 6:30pm at the Annex at San Francisco State University and Black Men’s Appreciation is March Tuesday 13 @6:30pm in Jack Adams Hall at San Francisco State University. All free events. Dress to impress and come as your self.

02/20/2018

Hey y'all the Fred Hampton Jr., son of former Black Panther Chairman Fred Hampton Sr., will be at SF State tomorrow with his mother, Mama Akua Njeri! Please come through tomorrow from 5-7 in EP 116!! We are extremely excited to co-host this with the Black Student Union!

02/05/2018

Make sure to come to our second Financial Aid workshop hosted by Jimmie Wilder and Learn about what resources are available to you!! Tomorrow> Monday Feb. 5th,2018 in Ethnic Studies and Psychology Room 125!

01/24/2018

Join us this Thursday for Dr. Stewart's Mbongi Talk!!

01/22/2018

JOB OPPORTUNITY IN THE BLACK UNITY CENTER-

Black Unity Center Student Worker Job Description:

Job Characteristics
The occupant of this position will be expected to assist the Director of the Black Unity Center in developing Afrocentric educational and social programs designed to enhance Black students’ college readiness, institutional attachment, academic achievement, and cultural enrichment. This position also includes strengthening and sustaining relationships with local Black communities, as well as reducing and/or eliminating institutional barriers to Black student access and success.
Typical Tasks Include Assisting the Director in:

Program design
Program facilitation
Liaison with student organizations
Copying
Scheduling
Event Promotion
Web design

Minimum Qualifications

Ability to: write effectively, establish and maintain cooperative relations with those contacted in the work; operate programs in the Microsoft Office suite, and design websites. Persons who apply should have some Interest and passion toward African/African American/ African diasporic life and culture.

If You Would Like to Work at the Black Unity Center Please Send A Paragraph Stating Your Interest and How Your Meet the Minimum Qualifications by Wednesday, January 24th at 12Pm. Send Your paragraph to [email protected]

12/27/2017

Hi all! Please remember that the Black Unity Center will be closed for the break!

12/01/2017

Interested in seeing a live Graffiti Demonstration? Join us today to watch Mr. Brumfield speak on Graffiti from a cultural context and later do a demonstration in the Black Unity Center!

Information in the Flyer:

12/01/2017

Yesterday in the Black Unity Center, we celebrated Dr. McDougal's 38th Birthday. Please join us in wishing our Director, mentor, friend, and colleague a happy birthday!

11/28/2017

The Black Unity Center, invites you all to attend several events produced by the Black Unity Center in the coming weeks. We encourage faculty to notify their students, students to notify their peers, and organizational leaders to notify their members. You are all cordially invited to attend these events and engage in constructive dialog about critical issues.

Firstly, on Tuesday, November 28th from 11:00 AM to 12:30 PM the Black Unity Center and the Department of Africana Studies will be hosting award-winning researcher Analisa Brown, M.S. who will be preventing her pivotal research Investigating the Experiences of Black Students Studying Biology. This event will take place in the Ethnic Studies and Psychology Building, room 116, at San Francisco State University. This empirical research is very timely and has practical relevance to any institution interested in enchaining Black students’ experiences in STEM fields and is validating to those who are in STEM fields.

Second, On Friday, December 1st at 12:00 pm the Black Unity Center is bringing 2015 SF State Graduate Student Honors Hood Recipient, Mr. Jonathan Brumfield M.A. to discuss his own research on the historical foundation and the cultural, social, and political functions of graffiti writing. His Afrocentric focus and systematic research approach allow him to look at graffiti writing through a cultural lens that is rare and rewarding for the study of the cultural production of people of African descent. This event will take place in the Student Services Building, Room 404, at San Francisco State University.

Third, On Tuesday, December 5th, between 5:00 pm and 7:00 pm, in Ethnic Studies and Psychology Building, room 116 at San Francisco State University, Dr. Derethia Duval will be doing a presentation on how to navigate success, stress, and racial identity, exploring how Black students can maintain their confidence and sense of racial identity while dealing with racism and racial microaggressions.

Lastly, on Thursday, December 7th, between 5:00 pm and 7:00 pm, in the 7 Hills Conference Center at San Francisco State University, Dr. Kaila Story will discuss why it is that Black Q***rness seems to be explored and/or made visible, predominantly through in*******al pairings. The title of her talk will be "Your Black Ain't Like Mine: The Absence of Black Q***r Love and Intimacy within mainstream and Q***r Media ". We look forward to an intellectually nutritious discuss following her talk.

San Francisco State University's Black Unity Center Opens Doors To Students After Years In The Making

10/31/2017

The Black Unity Center has already done so much amazing work this year, make sure you stop by Village-C room 142!

San Francisco State University's Black Unity Center Opens Doors To Students After Years In The Making San Francisco State University has a reputation for...

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Telephone

+14154054442

Website

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Address

750 Font Boulevard
San Francisco, CA
94132

Opening Hours

Monday	8am - 8pm
Tuesday	8am - 8pm
Wednesday	8am - 8pm
Thursday	8am - 8pm
Friday	8am - 8pm