TJC’s Black Student Association aims to uplift people of color and create a safe space for students who value equity and growth. Their organization has helped Black students find community for 17 years.
President Kenzie Rae said the BSA aims to make sure everyone within the organization feels included. Vice president Tia Barnes adds the club plays an important role in advocating for minorities on campus.
The BSA was founded in 2009. Originally it was called “Brothers and Sisters” before they eventually changed the name to what it is today. “TJC is a predominantly white school, and they have been going here for almost 100 years. In 2009, a group of Black students decided to establish the BSA because they did not see enough people like them around,” Barnes said.
Barnes added BSA focuses on helping people on campus feel welcome and advocating for minorities on campus.
“I mainly try to focus on including everybody so that no one feels left out. Even if some in the BSA are not Black we still try to make them feel at home and included in our organization,” Rae said.
The BSA also focuses on Black history and empowerment by giving students a voice. “BSA sets out to create a safe space and help people feel welcome, as well as advocating for minority groups on campuses like these. TJC is a very welcoming space, but it is nice to see people like you in a setting like this,” Barnes said.
Both said the organization is working to do this by creating a booth for their club and by advertising their events. Barnes talks about the club’s line dancing event and what it meant to them.
“A big part of Black childhood was getting to learn line dances at family reunions and get-togethers,” Barnes said.
Despite the organization successfully creating a safe space for students at TJC, sometimes there can be challenges in BSA. Barnes said they were initially intimidated by the BSA, but later changed their mind.
“I was originally scared that I would not fit in due to my personality, but eventually I found my place in the BSA, as ‘weird’ and ‘quirky’ as I am,” Barnes said.
The President and the VP both wish the BSA is still on campus in the future, as well as it being a hope for black students to not drop out. According to bestcolleges.com’s January 25th, 2024 issue, Native American & African American students have the highest dropout rates that year.
“We can reduce the amount of dropouts amongst Black individuals, especially Black men….I want people to come into our organization and see that they have a future,” Barnes said.
The BSA has been celebrating equity, community, and growth for almost two decades. Their goal is to highlight and immortalize the impact of African American culture on the US.
“I just hope that we are still here in the future and that we are still unapologetically us,” Rae said.
