BC students and faculty attended the 21st annual Umoja Conference on Nov.2-4 in Burlingame, California. The conference featured speakers that discussed culturally relevant topics and networking opportunities for over 1,200 attendees. This year’s theme was based on the quote by Alice Walker: “The most common way people give up their power is by thinking they don’t have any.”
Speakers Elaine Brown, former chairwoman of the Black Panthers; Dr. Eric Mayes, newly appointed executive director and CEO of Umoja; Harris-Stowe State University president Latonia Collins-Smith; Morris Brown College president Kevin James; and more discussed Black scholars and their education journey.
With more than 50 colleges and universities in attendance, the conference gave students a chance to make connections between other students, counselors, and college representatives.
The event featured seminars such as “African American Transfer Tipping Point: exploring the transfer journeys of over 7,000 black students,” and “Ghana: The Movement of Returning, Reconnection, and Becoming Rooted.”
The Bakersfield College Umoja coordinator, Dr. Paula Parks stated the importance of the conference: “I first took students to the conference in 2015 and noticed students came back more motivated and engaged with the program and their studies than before. They also came back with a better understanding that this isn’t just a Bakersfield College club or association but that there are more than 70 programs all over California.”
Parks continued, stating, “Students who felt that they are one of the few black scholars in their field can form lifelong bonds with other students that they may see at the colleges and universities that they’ll transfer to.”
Attendees have also shown a growing interest in attending HBCUs over other choices due to the connection and information they received with recruiters and alumni alike.
The Umoja Program kept the entertainment going by attending the African American Art & Culture Complex which is one of the premier black arts and cultural institutions that provide visual, digital, and performance art to the neighborhood.
Umoja students got to play games and listened to the black artists Shyspeaks and Kamaiyah, in their Appraise the Phrase event.
Bakersfield students got a taste of the Oakland sound from the performance, fan favorites such as “Why You Always Hatin” and “F— It Up” featuring YG and up and coming rapper Kamaiyah .