Black Excellence Month Kickoff

Feb. 2, 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m., USU 2310

The Black Student Center (BSC) will kick off the celebrations with a brief presentation discussing the history of the Pan-African flag, a raising of the flag and a live drumline performance. Food will be provided at the event, which is open to all students.

Def Jam Open Mic Night  

Feb. 5, 5-7 p.m., USU Amphitheater

The BSC, in collaboration with the Cross-Cultural Center, invites students to enjoy a night of poetry, spoken word and music. The event is open to all students.

Professional Styling: How to Tie a Tie

Feb. 9, 1-2 p.m., USU 3300

As part of the “My Brother’s Keeper” initiative, the BSC will host a session of professional styling to teach students how to tie a tie. The event is open to all students.

Sista Fest

Feb. 10, 5-7 p.m., USU 2310

In collaboration with the Women and Gender Equity Center, the BSC will host an event to celebrate Black women on campus. This year’s theme, “Rooted and Radiant,” is focused on providing mentorship to young Black women looking to navigate professional spaces. The keynote speaker is Wendy Stewart, MiraCosta College’s chief diversity officer. The event is open to all students.

Black Jeopardy Game Night

Feb. 13, 5-7 p.m., USU Ballroom

Students are welcome to join the BSC for a night of culturally relevant games. Food will be provided on a first-come, first-served basis.

Carnaval

Feb. 18, 5-8 p.m., USU Ballroom

Join the BSU and the Latinx Center for a celebration of dance and heritage from various communities across Latin America and the African diaspora. The event will feature live music, cultural foods and mask painting inspired by Rio de Janeiro’s Carnaval and New Orleans’ Mardi Gras festival.

Ebony Fashion Show

Feb. 20, 5-8 p.m., USU Ballroom

The inaugural Ebony Fashion Show will provide a space for students to showcase their elegance on the runway. The event will highlight the creative expression of students across CSUSM student centers to showcase cultural displays through fashion.

Black Org Fair

Feb. 25, 5-7 p.m., Forum Plaza

All students are invited to learn about the various Black student organizations at CSUSM. Representatives will be featured from various academic, social, faith-based and national Panhellenic Council organizations.

2/27 Black Excellence Gala

Feb. 27, 5:30-8:30 p.m., USU Ballroom

As the finale of Black Excellence Month, the BSC will host an inaugural event in collaboration with Tukwut Life to celebrate and highlight the Black community. The evening will showcase achievements and inspiring stories from the community, followed by a student performance and live DJ. Guests are encouraged to dress in their finest attire to honor the occasion and the remarkable accomplishments being celebrated.

Media Contact

Eric Breier, Interim Assistant Director of Editorial and External Affairs

ebreier@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7314

Formerly incarcerated, Bennett was 26 and felt like he didn’t have many options. But he knew he wanted to make a change.

“I remember I was sitting in the car with an old friend of mine and she told me to go to college,” Bennett said. “She told me about how to get financial aid and how it can help. And that’s when I decided I was going to go to college.”

Four years later, Bennett hasn’t looked back. 

After receiving his associate degree in self-development and wellness from Fullerton College, he learned from his father about CSUSM’s memorandum of understanding with a group of community-based organizations representing the interests of Black students that strives to increase educational access and social mobility. Bennett’s father is a pastor at the Friendship Baptist Church, which is based in Yorba Linda and part of the Coalition on Black and African American Education, which is a collection of community-based organizations that works to close educational equity gaps related to historically underrepresented students. 

Bennett said he was the first person accepted through the MOU in spring 2022, and he knew he wanted to pursue a bachelor’s in communication and get involved on campus.

“I find as a Black male that it is imperative that our behavior and our communication can align in multiple spaces,” Bennett said.

Once Bennett came to campus, he noticed that there was no one applying to be the student president of the Black Student Union, so he decided to give it a shot. 

“I wanted more people to feel more comfortable and build a stronger sense of belonging,” Bennett said. “We are small, but mighty.”

During his presidency, Bennett wanted to start bringing cultural groups on campus together. Bennett helped develop events in collaboration with the LGBTQA Pride Center because he saw that there were more opportunities to connect with students. 

“If I can be in leadership for the Black Student Union, and then also work inside of the Pride Center, I can bridge these two areas together,” Bennett said. “I love that I have the support of the staff. The faculty and administration of this campus has been so supportive of making sure that we're continuing to bridge gaps and work together.”

While Bennett was working alongside the Pride Center, he found himself looking up to its director, Robert Aiello-Hauser, as a mentor. Aiello-Hauser inspired Bennett to pursue his master’s in communication after he graduates in 2024.

“Danny, with his infectious personality and kindness, has been a breath of fresh air to the Pride Center this year,” Aiello-Hauser said. “The students in the space have grown to respect him for his allyship and community building; and for me, the hard work and respect that Danny brings to the job helps the center to be successful. Danny has been an important part of bridging the gap between the Pride Center and students of color. Representation matters, especially when you are such a welcoming and loving presence.” 

While Bennett’s term as Black Student Union president has ended, he plans to continue to work in the Pride Center as a peer mentor. 

Bennett has had to overcome numerous challenges, but has big plans on the horizon. He wants to become an image consultant to help people’s confidence with their appearance, and he is also pursuing his real estate license. 

“I think this upcoming semester, I'm most excited to make sure that I continue to make headway for students to feel comfortable in queer spaces,” Bennett said. 

Media Contact

Eric Breier, Public Affairs Specialist

ebreier@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7314

So when Cal State San Marcos’ Black Student Center decided to team up with the library special collections group for a retrospective on its five-year history, the consensus was to share stories and experiences orally.

The BSC is celebrating its fifth anniversary this month with a handful of events, culminating in a celebration on Feb. 26 where the Oral History Project will be shared for the first time.

“There's a group that we've been working for the last year, year and a half in trying to figure out how we can better serve our community, better serve our regional area,” said John Rawlins III, director of the BSC. “When we first were thinking about the project, we wanted to start with the individuals who were a part of the community prior to the establishment of the center. Some who are student leaders who were a part of ASI, are a part of the Black Student Union, coming together to figure out how they could make a Black Student Center happen.”

The stories will be made available only digitally for now.

They’ll be unveiled at the BSC anniversary celebration along with web pages for each narrator. Additional content in the coming months is expected.

The stories tell firsthand experiences of the driven and energetic community members who worked tirelessly to create a space where Black students could go to both feel comfortable and learn from others.

They convey the passion of the people responsible for starting the center as well as the emotions of those who considered the space a huge part of their time on campus.

While five years may not seem like a long time, where the BSC is now seems like a lifetime from when it opened in 2017.

“You're documenting history,” said Sean Visintainer, the CSUSM head of special collections for the library. “You're providing an avenue to document the history of the center to give recognition to the people that worked very diligently over a period of years to make this happen and advocacy and in support of the student-centered initiative. It's a really interesting story, and that it was implemented and advocated for by students and supported by staff and faculty. It's a really exciting and enticing idea to me in both a professional and a personal sense and in that a lot of the work that we do in archives is trying to preserve and document history.”

The idea for the project was born from a conversation between Visintainer and CSUSM alumnus Jake Northington, a photographer who went on to graduate school in education at Cal State Fullerton.

The two met at Northington’s photography exhibition and discussed the idea of an oral history project involving the BSC. The conversation lasted about 20 minutes, and they set up an interview to further discuss the project. That interview lasted a couple of hours.

“His artwork is focused a lot on representation of the Black community,” Visintainer said. “And he wanted to positively show representation of Black men and women to combat a lot of the negative stereotypes that exist in our society. We talked about the Black Student Center and how that got founded and how important it was. And it was a really interesting tangent to go on, which is one of the great things about oral histories. You can sometimes go on these tangents and end up uncovering things that you didn't have any intention to uncover.”

Jenn Ho, an archivist for special collections, was critical in the project. She and Visintainer trained students in oral history methodology.

The project hit some obvious roadblocks when campus remained closed for an extended period of time due to the pandemic. But once the student team was hired in February 2021, it was onboarded by March. The oral histories were completed by the end of the semester.

“We envision this project being student focused like students learning oral history methodology then conducting the interviews and then doing some of that post interview work as well,” Visintainer said. “These students were all awesome and really enthusiastic about the project.”

Rawlins has been part of the BSC for half of the BSC’s existence. In that time, he has witnessed a tremendous amount of growth for the group in both numbers and support from the CSUSM community.

He spent a good portion of his early days on campus having conversations with faculty, staff and alumni. His goal was to learn why CSUSM needed a space like this.

“It's how we utilize not just the physical space but really thinking about the philosophy around why these kinds of spaces are important and what they can foster for students’ experience,” said Rawlins, who has a bachelor’s degree in human development from Cornell and a master’s degree in communications from Johns Hopkins. “That is what really has helped carry me in my work these two-and-a-half years. Really thinking about how we create opportunities for students for them to take charge of their education, for them to see themselves in what I consider a call of culturally affirming and validating experience at CSUSM. And helping them to put their own spin on what it means to be successful as a Black student or as a student in general at a university like CSUSM.”

The BSC, which is located at University Student Union 4200, not only creates a community space for Black students, it provides professional development and academic success opportunities for students, faculty and staff of all backgrounds. It strives to promote an equitable campus through advocacy education and support services.

The goal is to help students translate that experience on campus to advocating for change and equity upon graduation.

“We really want to get Black students and their families to see that CSUSM is a viable option,” Rawlins said. “It's going from the intention of just having a physical space where both can gather to really the philosophy around how we best utilize spaces, to create community and for students to find community and to be successful.”

Research has shown that students who are more connected to their learning institutions graduate at a higher rate. Keeping high retention levels is a major goal of every university.

But beyond that is the goal of wanting students to connect to something larger than them. To pique their curiosity in the classroom. To help them respect their differences and come together in their similarities.

“Now, of course it doesn't mean that students won't have their share of difficulties, their share of ups and downs as they go on the journey,” Rawlins said. “But when they know that they're connected to a space and connected to other individuals, it makes it a little bit easier to deal with some of the tough times you've experienced in the classroom or even in your own personal life. And this has definitely been that space for a lot of students. We're able to have these conversations to help them realize as you're going through your academic experience, as you're going through just personal circumstances, you don't necessarily have to go to these alone. And if the resource is not within the center, well guess what? We're connected to many other campus partners that we're able to get that student to help in the assistance that they need. And ultimately, I find that that helps students really want to be in the space and be together.”

Media Contact

Eric Breier, Public Affairs Specialist

ebreier@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7314

Documentary photographer Suzun Lucia Lamaina spent five years traveling throughout the United States chronicling the lives of more than 50 former Black Panther Party members. The exhibition commemorates the legacy of the Black Panther movement through powerful portraits and narratives originally published in Lamaina’s “Revolutionary Grain” book.

The exhibition is on display in CSUSM’s Kellogg Library Gallery through Dec. 20, 2017. It is free and open to the public during all library hours.

In conjunction with the exhibit, CSUSM’s Black Student Center is hosting a panel discussion on Wednesday, Sept. 20 with Lamaina and several Black Panthers on the history and legacy of the movement. The free event begins with a reception at 6 p.m. in the University Student Ballroom, followed by the program and panel discussion from 7-9 p.m. For questions about the event, call 760- 750-3675 or email bsc.csusm@gmail.com, or RSVP at bit.ly/RevGrain

The Context Library Series is a grant-funded, instructionally related library series supporting student learning and research through art installations. Created in 2004, the series has brought more than 20 instructionally related exhibits to CSUSM, including LGBTQ hate crimes; death, dying and grieving; bacteria and fungi; veterans; the prison industrial complex; and women’s health education.

Email context@csusm.edu to schedule exhibit class visits or guided tours.

Revolutionary Grain Exhibit

What: “Revolutionary Grain: Celebrating the Spirit of the Black Panthers in Portraits and Stories,” an exhibit that commemorates the legacy of the Black Panther movement

When: Through Dec. 20, 2017

Where: Cal State San Marcos’ Kellogg Library Gallery

Cost: Free

Information: https://microsites.csusm.edu/context/

Revolutionary Grain Panel Discussion

What: In conjunction with the exhibit “Revolutionary Grain: Celebrating the Spirit of the Black Panthers in Portraits and Stories,” CSUSM’s Black Student Center is hosting a panel discussion with photographer Suzun Lucia Lamaina and several Black Panthers on the history and legacy of the movement.

When: Wednesday, Sept. 20, 2017; reception at 6 p.m., followed by program and panel at 7 p.m.

Where: University Student Union Ballroom, Cal State San Marcos

Cost: Free

RSVP: bit.ly/RevGrain

About California State University San Marcos

Building on an innovative 27-year history, California State University San Marcos is a forward-focused institution, dedicated to preparing future leaders, building great communities and solving critical issues. Located on a 304-acre hillside overlooking the City of San Marcos, it is the only public four-year comprehensive university serving North San Diego, Southwest Riverside and South Orange Counties.

The University enrolls nearly 17,000 students. With approximately 2,000 employees, the institution is a Great College to Work For® (The Chronicle of Higher Education). As a recipient of the annual HEED Award since 2014—a national honor recognizing U.S. colleges and universities that demonstrate an outstanding commitment to diversity and inclusion—CSUSM is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment.

The month-long celebration is sponsored in part by CSUSM’s Black Student Union, a cultural student organization that focuses on the voices of marginalized people groups—specifically black students. Together they aim to create a cohesive community where students can achieve academic excellence and resources to further their ability to be effective citizens in their communities.

Officially recognized by the U.S. government in 1976 as an expansion of Negro History Week, which began in 1926 in connection to the birthdays of Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln, Black History Month is an annual remembrance of important people and significant achievements made by the African-American community in all aspects of American society.

Schedule of Events

Feb. 7: Black Monologues
7 p.m. | ARTS 111
Members of the Black Student Union will perform a monologue skit and recite poetry featuring acts of historic African-American icons, such as Harriet Tubman and Madam C.J. Walker, who have helped the advancement of black history and culture.

Feb. 13: Film Screening of “13th”
5 to 7:30 p.m. | Kellogg Reading Room 5400
Filmmaker Ava DuVernay explores the history of racial inequality in the United States in her documentary “13^th” that focuses on the nation’s prison population & criminal justice system. The film screening will be followed by a Q&A panel discussion and is sponsored by the ASI Board of Directors in partnership with the Black Student Center.

Feb. 16: Black History Festival
Noon to 1 p.m. | Kellogg Plaza
This event will feature dance performances, music and other campus organizations showcasing African American figures. Free food will be available.

Feb. 14: Meet and Greet
Noon to 2:30 p.m. | USU 4200
The campus community is invited to a welcome reception to meet the founding Associate Director of the Black Student Center, Anthony Jett Sr. Jett holds a master’s degree in Higher Education Leadership from Northcentral University in Prescott, Arizona, and has six years of experience in higher education. Refreshments will be served.

Feb. 16: The Truth Behind Me Showcase
6 p.m. | USU Amphitheater

Feb. 21: Night of Recognition
7 p.m. | USU Ballroom
Join the Black Student Union in recognizing select faculty, staff and community members for their support to the organization and the advancement of African Americans. Attendance is free but space is limited. Visit the Black Student Center to reserve your seat.

Feb. 22: The Socially Just
6 to 7:30 p.m. | USU Ballroom
CSUSM alumnus, local artist and activist Nomis will perform on stage for a powerful evening of hip-hop and spoken word that entertains and brings awareness to social issues that plague our cultures both locally and globally, with a special emphasis on human trafficking. Reserve tickets at www.csusm.edu/al.

Feb. 23: Grand Opening of the Black Student Center
10 to 11 a.m. | USU 4200
Join President Haynes and the campus community in celebrating the opening of the new Black Student Center. A short program will begin in the USU Amphitheater at 10 a.m. followed by an official ribbon cutting at the Black Student Center, located on the fourth floor of the USU’s East Pavilion near Jazzman’s Café.