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As part of its initiative to become a destination school for African American students, Las Positas College is hosting its inaugural Black Family Day later this month.
Set for Sept. 16 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., the event is open to current students, prospective students and community members of all ages. Although Black Family Day will highlight the specific resources available at the community college for Black students and other students of color, President Dyrell Foster told the Weekly that all are welcome to attend.
“Las Positas College is proud to be ranked the No. 1 Best Community College in California and the No. 6 Best Community College in America,” Foster said in a previous statement announcing the event. “Our college is committed to providing equitable access to a high-quality education for our community. We want to ensure that our community knows the value that LPC offers and the educational and career opportunities that are available right here, in the Tri-Valley.”
With Black students making up less than 10% of the population at Las Positas (roughly 500 students), the administration identified an area where they could improve by showcasing that the school is a welcoming, inclusive and caring campus that prioritizes equity and anti-racism.
Black Family Day will serve as an opportunity to learn about the academic offerings available at Las Positas as well as the Black Cultural Resource Center and the many cultural affinity groups on campus including the Black Student Union, the “Sista 2 Sista” leadership development support group and the Umoja learning community, among others.
Faculty, staff and administrators will be on site to meet and greet attendees at Black Family Day and share the ways in which they work together and individually to support student success.
Jeanne Wilson, vice president of student services at Las Positas, said the event will also feature a DJ, free food, campus tours and a parent panel.
Representatives from California State University, East Bay and University of California, Berkeley will be in attendance to provide information about the transfer process from community college to a university.
During Black Family Day, Foster and Wilson said they hope to increase awareness of the college’s various academic and financial options, including its free tuition program for first-time college students enrolled in 12 credits or more as well as the concurrent enrollment opportunity for high school students to enroll in college-level courses.
Foster added that another overall goal of the event is to bring the community into the campus, which can seem isolated from the rest of the city. He noted that there are residents of Livermore and the greater Tri-Valley region who have never even been to the Las Positas campus. Hosting more public events is part of a larger, ongoing effort to increase the school’s engagement with the community.
While Black Family Day is free, organizers encourage those who plan to attend to reserve a spot via Eventbrite. Las Positas College is located at 3000 Campus Hill Drive in Livermore.
I continue to be amazed that schools promote such division and segregation. It’s demeaning to have events targeted at people with a particular skin color, as if other events won’t appeal to them. It’s also racist.
The left continues to live in the 50’s where in the south the Democrats divide the country by race. Is Las Positas going to separate their bathrooms and water fountains?