Conference celebrates BIPOC student culture and success
Chaffey College had its second annual Black and Brown Minds & Mattering conference on Nov. 1 and I had the opportunity to attend.
By Devon Pizano
Chaffey College had its second annual Black and Brown Minds & Mattering conference on Nov. 1 and I had the opportunity to attend. This conference focused on celebrating the culture of Black and Brown students and how faculty can help them reach their goals.
Hispanic and Black students are among the largest ethnic groups in the student population at Chaffey recorded at 66%. Black students make up 7.3%. These two minority groups are actively becoming a large part of many colleges and universities.
This conference took the experiences of Hispanic and Black students into account when creating this event with workshops tailored to helping these students to be successful in their educational pursuits. As a Hispanic student, I found this conference informative and valuable being surrounded by others like me.
Workshop subjects ranged from toxic masculinity to resources for undocumented students. I found the toxic masculinity and LGBT+ workshops particularly interesting. These workshops showcased the work that Chaffey is doing to ensure that students’ voices are heard by showing faculty ways to support them inside and outside the classroom.
Introducing people to diverse perspectives and cultures gives them the opportunity to have pride in their identity and teach others about issues that affect them which provides a space for learning and growth. This conference gave me a chance to express how I experience education as a Hispanic male with a disability. It also introduced the concept of intersectionality, which is the idea that we as people can identify within multiple communities such as being Latino and LGBT.
Honoring the identities of students lets them know that they are valued within that community. Conferences like this are important not only for the students and faculty but for the community as well. It demonstrates that the wellbeing and success of all people who are looking to help others in achieving their goals is taken into consideration.
Having open conversations on how to effectively help students of color demonstrates Chaffey’s commitment to equity. Programs like this offer the opportunity to build community with others like them. I hope Chaffey continues to offer events like this in the future to support others within the community.