Black Voices Today
Members of the CSB and SJU communities continue to work toward raising and amplifying Black voices. However, there is still much more work to be done. There are currently four clubs that aim to support and unite Black students. As of this writing in 2022, the clubs are the African Student Association (ASA), Afro STEM, Archipelago Caribbean Association, and the Black Student Association (BSA), which was previously the Organization of Afro-Associated Students (O.A.A.S.) and then the Black Student Union (BSU). CSB/SJU students have also become involved in issues that are continually facing the Black community. Following George Floyd’s murder, the CSB and SJU Senates hosted a joint meeting to create the Call to Action on June 8 and 10, 2020. In response to the Call to Action, the institutions created Racial Justice Scholarships honoring George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, both of whom were victims of police brutality. In addition to this, the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice Coordinating Council (DEIJ) was created to assess how the institutions were doing with moving to become an antiracist campus.
There are many examples in recent years of what student action can achieve. On January 21, 2019, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, classes were held at CSB/SJU. This upset many students, so in response, a protest called the Teach-In was held in the Gorecki Center's Fireside Lounge (CSB). Students believed it was important that classes be canceled to fully honor the work of MLK Jr. and to continue to pursue his dream today. Administrators eventually listened and since January 2020, there have been no classes held on MLK Jr. Day. On April 18, 2021, a vigil was held for Daunte Wright, who was killed by police in Brooklyn Center a week prior. In addition, on September 23-24, 2021, the Multicultural Center debuted after students advocated for one. It is a space for everyone but especially for traditionally underrepresented students (BIPOC, international, LGBTQ+, etc.).