The African Black Coalition (ABC) is designed to unify Black students across the University of California system for collective empowerment.
We discuss and resolve issues concerning Black students ranging from academic policy and campus climate, to hyper-incarceration and the lack of proper educational resources. By bringing together Black Student Unions and Afrikan Student Unions within the UC and beyond, ABC presents the opportunity for unity in spite of geographical boundaries. This year ABC is focusing on a few new objectives—primarily looking toward building infrastructure, capacity, and influence throughout the UC system.
In order to increase our ability to impact the condition of Black people in the state of California, and beyond, we have take steps to ensure we are properly qualified by emphasizing leadership development for Black student leaders statewide. If our leaders are not qualified to lead, then our community will not find success in our onward march toward Freedom.
ABC hosted our first annual statewide Black Student Leadership Training in September. ABC also hosts monthly meetings with BSU chairs to plan how we can be better collective servants of our people.
In January, ABC will host a Black student Leadership camp to bring together Black student leaders toward a common goal of community activism, grassroots organizing, and building a better future for our people.
To ensure that Black Student Leaders throughout the State have access to the information and skills necessary to be effective, we understand that more must be done if we are to counter the disparate conditions that affect Black people in our communities.
ABC is developing community-organizing programs that will seek to connect Black students in our capacity to the larger struggles that Black people often face. More tangibly, this is represented by an increasing collaborative spirit between UC Black Students and the larger Black community through programs, events, and other methods of exchange. Campuses across the UC system, for example, are beginning to coordinate with local elected officials, community organizations, Black newspapers, and those who can assist in our success. One such program will be the reestablishment of Freedom Summers—connecting Black Students to the lived struggle of Black people.
Keep your eyes on AfrikanBlackCoalition.org for ABC updates our progress. We look forward to serving you!
Salih Muhammad is interim executive director of the Afrikan Black Coalition. He previously served as ABC Chair for the 2012-2013 year, and as conference co-chair in 2012.
