CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, LONG BEACH
BLACK SCHOLARS NEWSLETTER
October 9, 2024
The Black Scholars Newsletter exists to share dynamic, informative and empowering stories that uplift, encourage, and inspire our community.
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To get more announcements, and stay up to date with community events and opportunities, follow us on Instagram @csulbblackscholars
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Black Scholars Community,
While here, I hope to promote cultural unity and progress, allowing Black students to feel welcomed and safe on campus and beyond. A Black Scholar must uphold excellence even when the odds are against you. We are doing just that and breaking barriers by being in spaces such as this community. Everything we do together will push us on the road to scholarship and success.
Thank you,
Emmanuel
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By Chloe Thomas
Community is one of the most important values one can hold. Friendship, support, and belonging can all be found in community. As one grows, those surrounding them teach them new perspectives and enhance their quality of life. The Black Scholars community is always growing; we find our purpose in uplifting one another, knowing that we grow stronger with every additional member. Each scholarship recipient, alumni volunteer, donor, speaker, and honoree help build the foundation for a village that serves Long Beach.
I have been committed to serving this community for a year now, and each addition has been a blessing that strengthens our community. It is my pleasure to introduce Emmanuel Okereke, our latest addition to the Black Scholars Team. Emmanuel is in his last year studying Biology and aims to pursue a career in health and medicine. During his time at Cal State Long Beach, he has found community within many Black Organizations. He is a member of the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE), and the Black Health Professions Organization (BHPO) – a new student organization that supports future Black healthcare professionals. Emmanuel spends much of his time volunteering, serving as a board member in many student organizations. Currently he is the Internal Vice President for the Black Student Union (BSU), and Co-founder and Vice President of the Nigerian Student Association (NSA).
Emmanuel,
You are an excellent leader, and I trust that you will show up for and support Black Scholars. Your dedication to unity and collaboration is admirable and I look forward to seeing the impact you will have as part of the team. Never doubt your abilities and remember to lean on the community that will support you always. Welcome to the Black Scholars Team!
Best,
Chloe
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By Chloe Thomas
Coming back to school means getting back to serving our community. The Black Scholars program has had a great start to the fall 2024 semester. Here is a look into some of the programs and events we’ve been involved with in just the first month.
Our first events were tabling at "Week of Welcome" and the "Black Cultural Welcome." The first of which was during a week-long heatwave. Representatives from the Black Scholars Program were able to hand out free electric fans to those who stopped by. During tabling we promoted and served our community, spreading awareness about the recently closed fall 2024 scholarship season. We enjoyed spending time with neighboring Black organizations, many of which we look forward to highlighting. If you or your organization would like to be highlighted in the newsletter please fill out this form.
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As the Spring Semester Study Abroad deadlines approached, we hosted a study abroad workshop to guide students interested in exploring international education opportunities. The event featured an informative presentation by Mia Elsberry, the Education Abroad Advisor, and a student testimonial from Gigi Givens, a Black Scholar and study abroad participant, who shared her academic, cultural, and personal growth experiences. The event concluded with a Q&A session, allowing students to connect with other study abroad students and gain perspectives from their journeys. | | |
Every semester the Black Scholars Program hosts application workshops to help students learn where and how to apply for scholarships. This semester we hosted two workshops for students and gave away t-shirts to participants in both sessions. Our team, as well as past recipient Samyiah Bryant-Taylor, shared tips and best practices for submitting scholarship applications. Helping new and returning students go over their essays and lean into their experiences was a great way for us to serve our growing community. If you are interested in applying for the Black Alumni Scholarship follow us on Instagram and look out for the spring semester application and workshop series. | |
Black Alumni Scholarship Application Workshop | | |
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Supporting our community is so important. One of the ways we support those around us is by promoting Long Beach’s Black owned businesses. One business we’ve highlighted was Shirley’s Temple, an alcohol-free mocktail bar. Unfortunately, the mocktail bar has closed. To show our support Black Scholars invited students and staff to come out during the businesses final operating days. | | |
This month Black Scholars and the Black Resource Center will be hosting Black Wellness in Motion, the first ever Black wellness day. The upcoming event will be held on October 18th from 1-7:30 pm in the Student Recreation and Wellness Center (SRWC). A day of friendly competition from basketball, volleyball, and rock climbing that will end in a pool social. If you're interested in attending, please fill out this form. We look forward to seeing you at events, and hope you continue to have a great fall semester! | |
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By Monet Jenkins
Meet Demetri Kelley, the Associate Director of Black Student Success, at Cal State University Long Beach. He grew up in the small high-desert town of Barstow, California. He graduated from Northern Arizona University with a Bachelor’s in Psychology and a minor in Sociology. He continued his education at Bowling Green State University, where he received his Master's in College Student Personnel. Currently he is pursuing a Doctorate in Leadership for Educational Justice (Ed.D) at the University of Redlands. Recently he has been named the Vice President of the Black Faculty and Staff Association (BFAS) for the academic school year. He looks forward to working more closely with BFAS and exploring the opportunities used to unify their work across campus for the advancement of Black excellence. In addition to all of his academic achievements, Demetri is also a talented spoken word poet.
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Prior to working at CSULB, Demetri took a sabbatical from pursuing higher education and worked as a Mental Health Resource Specialist with boys aged 12-19 in a group home for a year and a half. While looking to get back into higher education, a former supervisor reached out to see if he was interested in a Black Student Success role. He was nervous to pursue a role that was ethnically affiliated because most people held accountable for doing the work are those with DEIA (diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility) in their job responsibilities. It would become his first role that did not directly interact with students. He saw an opportunity to make a difference supporting students through improved infrastructure, policy, and practices. Now nine months into the role he has achieved beyond just that.
Although Demetri worked with students directly prior to this role, preparing for the Black Excellence Experience and developing student leaders at CSULB was his first chance at engaging with students at Long Beach. His biggest motivation is promoting student development. He emphasizes that he wants to be a “plank in your bridge” by assisting students to attain their goals and achieve their dreams. At CSULB, students are unapologetically themselves and he appreciates the level of resilience within the community.
To Demetri, a Black Scholar is “a trailblazer, a pioneer, and someone who is unapologetically themself”. Even though the educational systems were not designed for Black success, it is important for Black Scholars to be affirmed in their identity and exemplify Black excellence in their own unique way. He encourages students to take time to discover themselves and explore their opportunities for success. Demetri encourages students to reach out and use him as a resource.
Email: demetri.kelley@csulb.edu
Office: BH 300 (315) – Provost Suite
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National Society of Black Engineers | |
By Chloe Thomas
The National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) was founded at Purdue University in 1975. A few Black students on the campus wanted to create an organization for other Black engineering students to excel. They started NSBE to provide a space that uplifted those students, gave them support academically, and helped them look for careers without feeling limited. Now the organization has over 270 chapters on college campuses across the country as well as alumni and pre-college chapters. Nationally their mission is to increase the number of culturally responsible Black engineers that excel academically, succeed professionally and positively impact their communities.
We learned about the NSBE chapter at Cal State Long Beach from current student Donirvin Dickerson (Don). Don started his involvement with the program in high school. There was a NSBE Jr. Chapter near him that took him to a national conference where he witnessed over 12,000 Black engineers gather. “This inspired me to believe that I could have a high achieving engineering career and that I wouldn’t be alone on that journey”. As he began his collegiate journey, Don joined the CSULB NSBE chapter aiming to bring this opportunity to other students and help them excel in their studies. This year Don noticed the highest increase in Black women engineers, as well as increases in majors that were not as popular within the community such as aerospace, civil and chemical engineering. He loved seeing the increase in incoming students pursuing these careers and hopes the chapter continues this growth.
NSBE is one of the few cultural academic organizations on campus that are geared less towards social engagements and more towards professional development – the Black Business Student Association (BBSA), Black Health Professions Organization (BHPO) are two others. Don points to regional and national conferences as one of the best resources available to NSBE members. These conferences allow students to travel both in-state and across the country. The chapter spends time growing closer and the conference helps members broaden their horizons and gain experience in their fields. “Of the 30 members that we took to nationals last year, 15 came back with summer internships”. More than anything, having a community of Black engineers allows you to come back from a day of classes where you may be the only Black student and find comfort with those facing similar struggles. NSBE is one of many campus organizations open to students, if you are looking to get involved with the program follow them on Instagram @csulb_nsbe.
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By Mark Kelly
In an earlier edition of The Art of Healthy Eating series, I discussed the concept of “Panchamahabhutas” (also known as The Five Elements) and the “Doshas” (bio-energies that influence the baseline constitution of each human being). The five elements make up everything in the universe and combine in pairs to create the three Doshas known as Vata, Pitta, and Kapha. These three Doshas are also influenced by the seasons; the fall and winter are dominated by Vata energy, the summer is ruled by Pitta energy and the spring is governed by Kapha energy. Like the gravitational pull of the moon on ocean tides, the Doshas affect both the physical environment on Earth and the condition of our bodies.
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As the seasons change, so does our need to use different strategies and tools to fortify and defend ourselves against the change in atmospheric conditions. Birds fly south for the winter, bears hibernate, trees turn to shades of gold and brown, preparing for the dark days ahead. In the winter we bundle up as the temperature drops, spend more time indoors sheltering from harsh rain and snow. Traditionally most indigenous cultures would also adapt their diet to conserve energy during this time of rest. | |
Ritucharya is Ayurveda’s answer to shifts in the season. ‘ritu’ means season and ‘charya’ means guidelines. These protocols have been in use by Ayurvedic enthusiasts for thousands of years and serve as a roadmap for the proper diet, herbs, lifestyle, therapies and exercise routines even in modern times. Recent scientific studies show that even the microbiome and digestive enzymes that inhabit our gut change not only with the time of day but also the season and lunar cycles. For example, in winter, our digestive system produces more amylase, an enzyme which allows us to digest more starchy foods such as bread, pasta and grains. In 2017 three scientists won the Nobel Prize in Physiology for their ‘discoveries’ of the molecular mechanisms that control circadian rhythms, but Ayurveda recognized this critical connection with nature thousands of years ago. It is now widely accepted by Western science that circadian rhythms govern everything; from sleep patterns and blood pressure to the timing of hormone release, and hunger impulses. The body comes programmed to adapt and supply itself with the best tools to survive, thrive, and digest foods naturally provided by nature during each season. Consuming seasonal fruits and vegetables is yet another way to ensure we provide our bodies with the right food and micronutrients needed to pacify the current season’s dominant dosha and protect ourselves against internal imbalance, illness and disease.
Modern society fights against this age-old wisdom, telling us that we can eat and snack on anything we want, at any time of day, or year, regardless of our state of health. A double dose of your favorite ice cream on the darkest night of winter? No problem! An extra helping of spicy Louisiana hot links in the peak of summer? Not to worry if you have Tums on hand. Taste is promoted as the highest concern and most often sweet, salty, or spicy are the only flavors that matter, devaluing sour, bitter and astringent flavors. Highly processed foods filled with preservatives, toxic oils, pesticides and herbicides clutter the grocery store; some even advertised as ‘healthy’ choices.
Not too long ago all food was seasonal, but the capitalist marketplace demands shelf-stable, genetically modified foods, available year-round whether in or out of season. However, locally grown, organic foods are best since they are at their peak of freshness, containing their highest nutrient value. This practice also supports local growers and reduces the pollution caused by delivery networks. The microbes in locally grown whole foods transition with the flow of seasons to mimic the nature of our own microbiome.
In future episodes of The Art of Healthy Eating we will discuss specific protocols classified as ‘Ritucharya’. If you’d like to revisit this series to clarify previous related concepts, please see the February issue here.
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Black Ambition is a prize competition that funds bold ideas and companies led by Black and Hispanic entrepreneurs. As we near the culmination of the 2024 Prize Competition, we invite the public to vote here and help us select the venture most deserving of the $25k Popular Vote award to help their business. | |
Want us to highlight someone you know? Send us the names of people or organizations you think should be recognized and we’ll share their accomplishments in our monthly newsletter. Submit the form below.
Newsletter Highlights Form
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Become a Black Scholars Volunteer |
The Black Scholars Program invites any community member who would like to help us with upcoming programming including campus tours, tabling events, and the annual gala to sign up as an official CSULB volunteer. Use the link here to make an account and designate your interest in the Black Alumni Scholars Program. We will make updates as new volunteer opportunities become available, and look forward to working with you!
Sign Up Here!
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Buddies Connect at the Beach |
A space to connect with other students, find community, and engage in activities to de-stress. Our space is facilitated by our Beach Buddy peer educators, each week we connect on a different topic, and engage in mental health activities. You are welcome to bring your lunch!
Hosted by Project Ocean and Beach Buddies through CAPS
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Date: Wednesday, October 9, 2024
Time: 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
Location: USU 306
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Date: Thursday, October 10, 2024
Time: 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM
Location: Black Resource Center – F04 Room 274
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Join Basic Needs at the Black Resource Center every second Thursday and last Monday of the month from 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM. Get FREE snacks, hang out, and learn more about Basic Needs and CalFresh services. We’re excited to see you there! | | |
District 4 Candidate Forum |
Join ASI in a District 4 Candidate Forum. Hear from Daryl Supernaw and Herlinda Chico in this discussion. Moderated by ASI President, and Lobby Corps Chair, Nikki Majidi.
Register by visiting Long Beach City Council, District 4 Forum Survey.
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Date: Thursday October 10, 2024
Time: 5:30 PM – 7:00 PM
Location: USU Beach Auditorium
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Date: Fridays, October 11, 18 & 25, 2024
Time: 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM
Location: Online
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Individual Drop-in consultations with a CAPS counselor for CSULB students who identify as Black or of African descent. This is a drop-in service where students can have an informal consultation with a counselor from time to time. Visits are first come, first served. Schedule your meeting here. | | |
Experience an evening of powerful and stunning contemporary dance, including the Carpenter Center-commissioned 6 Lost Labors, plus Keerati Jinakunwiphat’s Someday Soon, Rena Butler’s Shell of a Shell of the Shell, Kyle Abraham’s Show Pony, and Grey—set to the music of Etta James!
Use Promo Code BAS10 and Save $10!
Tickets can be bought here
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Date: Saturday, October 12, 2024
Time: 8:00 PM
Location: Carpenter Performing Arts Center
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Deadline: Monday, October 14, 2024
at 5:00 p.m.
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The Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program is designed to prepare and support underrepresented undergraduate students in their pursuit of doctoral studies.
Program Overview
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Come connect with LaKeysha Carter, who serves as an advisor in the University Center for Undergraduate Advising (UCUA). Let's talk about academic support and get to know a supportive staff member that's here for your success. Every Tuesday in the Black Resource Center. | |
Date: Tuesdays, October 15, 22, & 29, 2024
Time: 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM
Location: Black Resource Center – F04 Room 274
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Date: Friday, October 18, 2024
Time: 1:30 PM - 7:30 PM
Location: Student Wellness and Recreation Center (SWRC)
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Join the Black Resource Center and Black Scholars Program as they host the first Black Wellness Day! Spend the day in the Rec Center competing in fun sports and doing rock wall climbing with your friends. Stay for the end of day pool social.
Make sure to RSVP for the event here!
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Save the Date, the Lovely Ladies of Lambda Alpha are hosting their Fall 2024 SkeeWeek: Clueless Edition! Join us for a week of financial literacy, professional skills, sustainable practices, and social justice advocacy.
Stay tuned for upcoming details and event descriptions! Follow Lambda Alpha @lambdaalpha1976
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Dates: October 20 - 26th, 2024 | | |
Early Deadline: Thursday, October 31, 2024
Final Deadline: Sunday, December 1, 2024
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Looking for access to networking, professional development, and internship opportunities with top companies in media, entertainment, and technology? Apply for the T.Howard Foundation Internship Program Class of 2025.
Apply Here!
Program Overview
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Critically acclaimed soul-jazz pianist and vocalist Kandace Springs enthralls in this uplifting evening that includes stirring songs from her latest release Run Your Race, written after the passing of her late father Kenneth “Scat” Springs. Influenced by legends like Ella Fitzgerald, Nina Simone, and Norah Jones, Kandace Springs captures the personal and heartfelt in this extraordinary tribute to her father, who sang backup for everyone from Garth Brooks to Aretha Franklin. Performed on our intimate cabaret stage!
Use Promo Code BAS10 and Save $10!
Tickets can be bought here
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Date: Saturday, November 8, 2024
Time: 8:00 PM
Location: Carpenter Performing Arts Center
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Check out short study abroad and service-learning trips to different parts of Africa, Caribbean and central America. Additional opportunities are open to interested CSULB students and faculty. Upcoming: 10-day trip to Kenya scheduled for early January 2025 (during winter break).
Click here for information about the program
For any questions or further information please contact Professor Edwin Achola
edwin.achola@csulb.edu
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Njideka Akunyili Crosby - 5 Umezebi St., New Haven, Enugu
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This piece by Njideka Akunyili Crosby depicts a collage of squirming of toddlers from the bosom of their mothers to siblings playing with each other, in addition to the background of the painting which is an amalgamation of various pictures together to serve as a visual metaphor for the intersection of culture and unity. | | | | |