CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, LONG BEACH
BLACK SCHOLAR'S NEWSLETTER
November 8, 2023
The Black Scholars Newsletter exists to share dynamic, informative and empowering knowledge that uplifts, encourages, and inspires our community.
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Co-Editors:
Chloe Thomas and Kayla Brooks
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By Kayla Brooks
I never imagined being the editor of the Black Scholar’s newsletter. I was accustomed to assisting with articles and helping form new ideas, so when I was presented with the opportunity, I wasn’t sure how to feel. Immediately, I felt a surge of anxiousness. I didn’t believe I was adequate to fulfill the role due to my lack of experience in editorial work. Naturally, I wanted to retreat and decided that I would tell my supervisor, Tracy Kelly, that I wasn’t sure I could do it. But she didn’t allow me to reject the offer. She encouraged me to see it through and recognize the power that I had to master this new position. And eventually I did begin to realize the strength that I possessed to persist through this new journey and the impact that I had on students, alumni, and sponsors that would read every month.
There were times where I struggled, but I leaned on the shoulder of my co-editor, Teylor Graves. Amidst managing the load of school assignments and extracurricular pursuits Teylor and I had a wonderful year working together. We bonded over a shared love for writing and being the voice for those who may not always have the chance to speak their truth. The content that we posted in the newsletter was informative and representative of the remarkable things that people in our community are doing. We also had a wonderful newsletter committee, who we are grateful for, that ensured we could publish a newsletter each month that served our community well. Though we started working on the newsletter because we were both Liberal Arts majors and wanting to gain more experience, we developed a passion for something deeper. We began to write because our community needed to be aware of available resources and communicated to us that they were proud to be recipients of a body of work that we put so much of our time into. Teylor and I have both moved on from our editorial positions, but are still proud and active members of the Black Scholars community.
We are so honored to welcome the new editor of the Black Scholars Newsletter, Chloe. Chloe is a phenomenal student and writer. She commands each room that she enters and has a love for our community that runs deep. I am excited to see what she has planned for the newsletter and to watch her grow into a wonderful editor. I am exceedingly proud of her for filling this role which requires one to be present, committed, and insightful.
To Chloe,
Please take these gems, honor them, and pay them forward. Also, know that everything that you need is already within you.
With love,
Kayla
“Any torch incapable of illumination is completely useless; what else is sought after in a torch if not light?”
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Breaking Barriers in the Bookstore |
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By Chloe Thomas
Have you seen this?
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When was the last time you walked into the CSULB bookstore? Better question, when was the last time you paid attention to the items in front of the checkout counter at the bookstore?
For those of you that may not know, last spring the bookstore made additions to their product lists by including a section for Black hair care. This was great news for all Long Beach Black students, especially those living on campus who may not have had time to find a beauty supply in the area after moving in. Many people embracing their textured hair loved being able to go to the bookstore for scantrons or planners and using the same trip to restock on conditioner. For them the bookstore had finally become a one-stop shop for most needs.
Recently the bookstore increased the diversity and inclusion of their products again. For the past few weeks, the front of the store has been covered in books written by authors of Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) backgrounds. They’ve included and put on display books that talk about race in the workplace, cultural history, healing and wellness in Black communities and so much more. At first glance this may not seem like much, but for People of Color who have been longing to feel seen and heard this is a major victory. We are being offered an opportunity to read about our history and share that history with others outside of class lectures. More importantly this change came about organically and focuses on cultural victories, and achievements rather than trauma.
The next time you make your way over to the bookstore look at some of the books that have made their way to the front of the line. If you like what you see, pick it up and hopefully you’ll enjoy the read or maybe you have a friend that will.
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Dr. Charles D. Smith
Watch this interview to meet Dr. Charles D. Smith a CSULB Alumnus who graduated in 1998 as a Liberal Studies Major with a minor in Black Studies.
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Scroll down to read the summary
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Dr. Charles D. Smith is a CSULB alumnus who graduated in 1998 as a liberal Studies Major with a minor in Black Studies. He is currently employed as a regional director with the Los Angeles Unified School District and has been in education for about 25 years. Originally when applying to colleges Dr. Smith was set on going to a Historically Black College or University (HBCU). When he met Danny Martinez through Upward Bound and was convinced to apply to Long Beach after meeting with several other people from the school. Dr. Smith takes us back to his freshman year for one of his favorite Long Beach Memories. He recalls there being a small Black population and wanting to become more involved with this community. He joined the Black Student Union (BSU) who taught him the importance of finding and becoming a second family – even with those you didn’t know. They were invited to “speak, get to know each other [and] make connections” with other members of the community and like-minded individuals. This helped him to grow in connections on campus and built the foundation of his college experience. He tells our students “Your college experience helps to shape you for the rest of your life” and that “it’s really about the relationships you build.” His final advice is to enjoy organizations, make genuine friendships and connections and nurture them. |
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By Tracy Kelly
Sometimes, all that’s needed is a bus pass. A way to get from home to school and back again. With a CSULB discount, a bus pass is $150 every 150 days. Sometimes, that can be a lot. Even when a student has persevered and managed to get accepted, dreams of a college degree can end abruptly for want of something as simple as a bus pass. This is not a new scenario, but our stories of resilience are unmatched. Together as a village, we are working to inspire others to join and benefit from our community of support. To help those working through these types of challenges and provide the incentive to give back once a dream is fulfilled.
Since the Black Alumni Scholarship Fund was started by Dr. John Hamilton, we’ve met the most amazing students, alumni, and community members. We have helped shape and tell so many inspiring stories. If there is one thing that we need right now, it's stories that motivate us to expand our efforts towards more Black Excellence. Stories of resilience that encourage another student to find the support they need. As a part of our village, please help us spread the word about our efforts. Although we love large donors and sponsors, a few people sharing our stories can work together to provide something as simple as a bus pass.
You can share this newsletter with folks that you stay in contact with no matter where they live now. You can also email us and share some of your inspirational stories or recommend folks for us to interview. Tell us who, why and how to contact those that can serve to be a beacon of light for students struggling in the shadows. We have a rich and vibrant history here at the Beach and much of it has not been captured. Let’s work together to change that.
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Black Organization Highlight |
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The sisters of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. held a food drive this past month for the ASI Beach Pantry. They delivered 250 items for Long Beach students facing food insecurity. Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. is an international organization of women focused on public service. Their goal is to continue their legacy of service and impact the students of LBSU. We applaud them for their continued support of the Long Beach community. |
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Native American Heritage Month |
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The Native American Heritage Month Kickoff took place on November 1, and featured food and dance performances offered by WildHorse Native American Association, a non-profit that teaches Native youth traditional values like drumming, singing, and dancing. Jorge Lechuga is a CSULB alumni and the founder of WildHorse. The event is just one of the events taking place in November in honor of Native American Heritage Month. The Puvungna Resource Center student leaders Eleanor Nelson and Cheweka Lawson make these events possible with support from peers, community members, faculty, and staff. Eleanor, president of American Indian Student Council shared, “Events like our Kickoff during Native American Heritage Month are essential to highlight our culture as Native peoples. We make up less than 1% of the campus community so the programming that we put on as Native students is crucial to educate the campus community of our culture and resiliency.”
One staff member who is also an alum spoke about the impact these events had when they were a student. For Passi, the events and community celebrating Native culture “was my awakening... having that community didn’t come through until I got to school here.” Now as Coordinator in Student Life & Development and advisor to the American Indian Student Council, Passi supports inclusive programming that affirms students in their Native identities. It is important to celebrate and learn about Native heritage every month, not just in November. Dr. Craig Stone, Professor Emeritus in the School of Art and American Indian Studies Students shared about the Comparative Ethnic Studies course which was made possible by a bill called AB 1460. This unique elaborative course is offered with support from faculty such as Dr. Maulana Karenga, chair of Africana Studies to connect the stories and struggles of American Indian, Latinx, Black, and Asian communities. Craig Stone noted “we bring faculty together to say how do you want us to tell your story in this class.” We hope to continue seeing Long Beach affirm the identities and culture of Native peoples through more courses, events, and programs in the future.
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Black Alumni Scholarship Gala |
The 4th annual Black Alumni Scholarship Gala will be held Sunday, May 5th, 2024 in the Carpenter Performing Arts Center. The theme for this event is Legacy in Leadership. We invite you all to join us in celebrating past community legacies and uplifting and encouraging a new generation of leaders. More information to come. |
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Date; Sunday, May 5th, 2024
Location; Carpenter Performing Arts Center
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Date; November 3rd - 30th
Location; 4321 Atlantic Ave, Long Beach
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African American Military Experience Exhibit |
In honor of the Veterans Day Holiday join the African American Cultural Center of Long Beach for their annual exhibit. The current African American Military Experience Exhibit will be open until November 30th. Join them on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 2pm to 6pm, and Saturday, 11am to 4pm.
The exhibit is free and family friendly!
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The Carpenter Performing Arts Center is partnering with the Symphonic Jazz Orchestra to present a free Arts for Life Community Connections concert. This concert is organized to honor the life of composer/arranger Don Sebesky and will include special guest NEA Jazz Master flutist Hubert Laws. Also on the program is the world premiere of a commissioned work from composer Christopher Zuar, winner of the 7th annual George Duke Commissioning Prize. |
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Date; Sunday, November 12th
Time; 6 p.m.
Location; Carpenter Performing Arts Center
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Date; Tuesday, November 14th
Time; 12:30-2:00pm
Location; USU Beach Auditorium
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Annual African Extravaganza |
Join in celebrating African excellence at the Beach. Enjoy African food, music, and dancing! Discover Africa with CSULB study abroad. Sponsored by College of Health and Human Services, Family and Consumer Sciences, and Africana Studies. For more information contact Dr. Cheryl Rock.
Email: Cheryl.Rock@csulb.edu
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The Black Faculty and Staff Association is accepting donations for finals care packages. These packages will help Long Beach Students get through their finals successfully. Things needed - hot chocolate, scantrons, and blue books. Please drop off any of the requested items by December 4th at the locations listed on the flyer. |
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Date; Wednesday, December 13th & Thursday, December 14th
Time; 7-8:30 p.m.
Location; Carpenter Performing Arts Center
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A Nat King Cole Christmas |
Allan Harris the Harlem-based vocalist is coming to Long Beach to welcome the holidays. Join us this winter to hear Harris and his band perform their soulful rendition of Nat King Cole Classics.
Use discount code; BASG when ordering your tickets for $10 off up to two tickets.
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Christmas Tribute to Charlie Brown |
Jazz pianist and five-time Grammy nominee David Benoit, presents a show featuring cherished holiday songs from A Charlie Brown Christmas. Gather your friends and family for a night of holiday spirit with this Christmas tribute to characters that have charmed generations.
Use discount code; BASG when ordering your tickets for $10 off up to two tickets.
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Date; Saturday, December 16th
Time; 8 p.m.
Location; Carpenter Preforming Arts Center
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Date; Sunday, January 14th
Time; 2 p.m.
Location; Carpenter Preforming Arts Center
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Enjoy a concert filled with fresh renditions of classic as well as contemporary hits performed with a jazzy Doo wop twist! Brought to you by the stars of Broadway’s Jersey Boys and Motown: The Musical. This brand-new show celebrating some of the greatest music in American pop and rock history is sure to be fun for anyone in the audience.
Use discount code; BASG when ordering your tickets for $10 off up to two tickets.
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