University of California, Santa Barbara
   

African diasporic Community

Black Graduation 2019
At UCSB, we strive to keep our African diasporic community united and strong with an array of resources. Get connected with the Black Student Union by attending weekly meetings, check out frequent events at the ADCRC, and gain insight on the academic work being done at the Center for Black Studies Research! We are very proud that our Black and African faculty, staff and students are setting the bar for success, all while contributing to a legacy of Black excellence. As Chair of the BSU, I am happy to be a part of this community and pass on the knowledge and wisdom I’ve gained from so many amazing people at UCSB!
 
Alyssa F., class of 2021

Featured Event

Michelle Alexander
The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness

THU, MAR 4 / 5:00 PM / VIRTUAL

A legal scholar, social justice advocate and author of The New Jim Crow, Michelle Alexander explores the modern legal system, revealing how mass incarceration has come to replace segregation

 

 

 

 

 

 

Point of Pride

The New Negro Event Flyer
UCSB has a strong tradition of expanding services and opportunities for Black students through a history student activism and collaboration with university administration. Our Black Studies Department, ranked 9th in the country, houses world class scholars, including a Pulitzer Prize winner and the flagship journal for Haitian studies. 

Student Organizations

African Diasporic Student Organizations

Black Faculty & Staff Engagement at UCSB (UCSB Black)
UCSB Black is a supportive and enjoyable space for Black identified faculty and staff at UCSB to build community and create connections with one another. We hope to further develop and sustain an environment that allows Black faculty and staff to feel supported both professionally and personally by their peers. 
Black Graduation (Black Grad)
The mission of this organization is to create, organize, and prepare a rewarding and joyous graduation ceremony for Black/African American graduating seniors.The ceremony will incorporate many aspects of African American cultural identity in ways that will celebrate the achievements of its participants at UCSB.
Black Leadership Council (BLC)
To further unify UCSB’s community of Black student leaders, the Black Leadership Council is a conglomerate of each of the Black Student organizations on campus. The BLC aims to bridge the gap between the various identities within the Black community. The space provided by the Black Leadership Council aims to provide student leaders with the support necessary to build a sustainable and cohesive community. Black student leaders are encouraged to collaborate with one another and assess the overall needs of Black students.
Black Pioneers Renaissance Organization (BPRO)
Our main function as an organization is to provide a safe and supportive space in which individuals from different backgrounds can come together to discuss and learn from each other’s experiences. Through brotherhood, we will uplift each other and be positive role models and leaders in our society. We recognize the plights of those who came before us and commend those who have paved the way so we could call ourselves Young, Black, AND Educated.
Black Student Union (BSU)
The Black Student Union provides networks, spaces, and opportunities in which students are able to improve their own community and the communities they are closely intertwined and associated with.
East African Student Association (EASA)
We are a coalition of students that are a part of the African diaspora coming together to "Unite the East" on our campus. The East African Student Association was created to create a cultural space for Black students who identify as East African, but is an open space for all.
National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE)
The mission of the National Society of Black Engineers is to increase the number of culturally responsible Black engineers and other underrepresented STEM-based students who excel academically, succeed professionally, and positively impact the community.
The Black Graduate Student Association of UC Santa Barbara (BGSA)
The purpose of BGSA is to serve as a support network for graduate students of African descent and provide resources that will enhance academic and career success of current graduate and professional students. In addition, the purpose is to develop a network of emerging scholars of African descent who are dedicated and sensitive to the needs and concerns of an increasingly diverse academic community.
The Impact Movement (BAM)
IMPACT is a group of people who have been transformed by the love and truth of Jesus Christ and we are committed to sharing that love and truth with students of the African diaspora, building family bonds with them, and serving our community.
Black Quare
We serve to first and foremost create safe spaces for Black queer students, faculty, staff, and community members. Additionally, we engage with campus departments/organizations and community groups to raise awareness of the unique and diverse experiences of Black LGBTQ communities.
Men of Excellence (MOX)
The purpose of Men of Excellence is to assemble upstanding men on campus to stimulate excellent leadership development, education enrichment, cultural progression, and social and community service to the greater population. We intend to strengthen the bonds among people of color, both on and off campus while exemplifying positive masculinity in hopes to serve as influential role models to one's peers, and youth within the local community.

Expand all

Collapse all

Community Resources

Community Resources

Salons and Barber Shops
Bazinet Hair Designs
(805) 965-7879
3008 State Street
Santa Barbara, CA 93105
(805) 687-1010

Connie's Place
(805) 965-2625
Connie Hicks, Owner
5860 Hollister Avenue, Suite B
Goleta, CA 93117

Modern Salon
Santa Barbara, CA 93103
Faye Tucker, Owner
(805) 965-8912
1361 Saviers Road

Montecito Barber Shop
(805) 962-1189
Ray Walker, Owner
1028B Coast Village Road

Mike's Barber
Santa Barbara, CA 93103
Mike Coleman, Owner
(805) 969 9696
934 South "A" Street

Town & Country Beauty Salon and Barber Shop
1430 San Andres Street
Santa Barbara, CA 93101
(805) 966-6694
Churches
Friendship Missionary Baptist Church
912 East Cota Street
Santa Barbara, CA 93103

Lewis Chapel C.M.E. Church
202 East Gutierrez Street
Santa Barbara, CA 93101

Bethel Church of God in Christ
236 E. Cota
Santa Barbara, CA 93101
(805) 717-3015

St. Paul A.M.E. Church
502 Olive Street
Santa Barbara, CA 93101

Second Baptist Church
1032 East Mason Street
Santa Barbara, CA 93103

Lewis Chapel C.M.E. Church
202 East Gutierrez Street
Santa Barbara, CA 93101
(805) 965-2625

Peace of Wisdom Ministries (non-denominational)
(meets Saturdays)
949 Veronica Springs Road
Santa Barbara, CA 93121

Community Organizations
Endowment for Youth Committee
1136 East Montecito Street, Suite #2
Santa Barbara, CA 93103

National Association for the Advancement of Colored People
(NAACP)
Ventura County Chapter
P.O. Box 7645
Oxnard, CA 93031
(805) 201-0475

Santa Barbara African Heritage Film Series
P.O. Box 23212
Santa Barbara, CA 93121
(805) 899-1160
http://www.sbahfs.org

Santa Barbara Young Black Professionals
https://sbybp.com/
Connect.sbybp@gmail.com

Expand all

Collapse all

Support Services

African diasporic Cultural Resource Center

The African diasporic Cultural Resource Center (AdCRC) educates, promotes, and encourages interaction and dialogue among the diverse ethnic groups within the African diasporic communities of UCSB. The center promotes cross-cultural learning and interaction amongst all ethnic groups. The AdCRC is an environment for students, staff, faculty and community members to develop an understanding of and appreciation for their African diasporic cultural identities. AdCRC staff strive to create and maintain a welcoming atmosphere for all to acquire knowledge in relation to the diversity of cultures within the African diaspora.

Black Student Engagement Program

The Black Student Engagement Program (BSEP) was launched in September 2016 as a student-led initiative of the Black Resource Committee, which is housed in the department of Student Affairs Academic Initiatives. The program aims to connect Black students with campus resources and to provide mentorship and academic support with the goal of facilitating an environment wherein students can thrive holistically in the university and beyond.

Black Resource Committee

Founded by VCSA Dr. Michael D. Young and Dr. Claudine Michel, the Black Resource Committee includes administrators, staff, students, and faculty who have shown a clear commitment to Black students. The ultimate goals of the committee will be to increase the enrollment and retention of the Black students at UCSB and to create an educational and social climate that supports their success.

Department of Black Studies

UCSB offers a Bachelor of Arts degree in Black Studies and a minor in Black Studies. Students who graduate with a degree in Black Studies may work in the fields of education, social work, or politics, and many pursue graduate degrees in law and medicine among other disciplines. The Black Studies faculty is available to students who are pursuing graduate degrees in other departments on topics related to Black Studies. The Department of Black Studies is located on the 3rd floor of South Hall.

Center for Black Studies Research

From the onset of its establishment in the fall of 1969 as a result of student struggles for Black Studies in fall 1968, the aim of the CBSR has been to support interdisciplinary research on the social, political, historical, cultural, and economic experiences of communities in the United States and the African diaspora. The Center also aims to support several levels of university–community engagement.

UC Santa Barbara Library: Black Studies Collection

The library’s Black Studies collection is located in the Ethnic and Gender Studies Collection (2nd floor, Ocean Side). It has a rich history dating back to student activism and the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s. The collection houses materials on a variety of topics related to Africa and the African diaspora in the United States and the Caribbean. Topics covered in the collection include anthropology, biography, music, theater, literature, and history.