Sonoma State is home to a multitude of clubs ranging from Academic, Greek life, Faith/Spirituality, Gaming, Music, Identity, Sports, and more. Among those is the Sonoma State University Black Student Union. SSU’s BSU aims to create a safe space for those of Pan-African Diaspora. The club also focuses on empowering, supporting, and achieving higher education. 

Crystal Jiminez, now a Sonoma State graduate and a former RA, was invited to BSU through tabling. She was welcomed with open arms during her Sophomore year, which helped to create meaningful connections within the club.

“[BSU] came together to create a safe space for black students that needed a space to talk about feelings regarding coming to predominantly white institutions. It was also created as a space for individuals who don’t necessarily identify as black individuals to learn about culture, microaggressions and allyship,” Jiminez stated.

Looking at the CSU system as a whole, African American students only make up four percent of the entire system-wide population. SSU has almost 9,000 students, but out of the whole student population, Black students only make up about 2.2%. While Black students are one of the smaller demographics at Sonoma State, the Black Student Union proves to be a large asset to students of color at Sonoma State. 

Jiminez went on to state that, “the opportunities created were not only for black individuals, but those who have misconceptions about black identity and stereotypes. It allowed a space that could be navigated through the viewpoint of black individuals. This also allowed us to feel empowered seeing professors and staff who also identified as the minority striving for more.”

BSU caters to that two percent by hosting a multitude of workshops and having a safe space for them. Along with these, they also have an active Instagram page for a virtual safe space. Hosting a multitude of game nights and other interactive events, this gives everyone a chance to meet each other and interact, in an effort to create an even closer campus community. They host mental health workshops to ensure that all topics on students’ minds are being discussed, and explore better ways to manage the stresses of going to a predominantly white school. 

Along with the workshops that BSU hosts, they also educate the campus community on important topics, such as what it means to Black and educated, as well as bringing awareness to what Black history represents.

The club is student led, which allows for students to hold different leadership positions and contribute what they can to the club itself. This enforces the pursuit for leadership and empowerment. Having it being student led allows the club to execute the demands of students in a more accurate and personal manner. Students often have a more clear understanding of students’ demands, with resources and opinions from their peers available at every turn.

When asked about BSU’s end goal, Jiminez stated that “the end goal is educating and creating equality for individuals who identify as black. Not only educating those who want to learn but learning more about our own culture, and growing to love our own culture even through our hardships!”

Overall, The Sonoma State Black Student Union has become an inclusive and empowering space for students of color who often feel underrepresented. To many, college can create an imposter syndrome, as well as even causing a sense of culture shock. While these situations can be tough for many students to deal with, BSU aims to provide a safe space, as well as another support system for students to better navigate the hardships that college can create.