Before you proceed, be sure to “go back and get it.”
Channeling and preserving the past is a culturally formative sentiment amongst the African community and best captured by the term Sankofa. Sankofa is a Twi expression coming from the Akan people of the Ivory Coast and Ghana that translates to “go back and get it.” Often represented by an insignia of a mythical bird reaching behind itself for an egg, the term expresses the importance of recognizing the past as a building block for the present. The symbol also preserves history for future generations.
Resonating with this message and the image of the Sankofa bird is the University of California, Riverside’s (UCR) African Student Program (ASP) and its program coordinator Sharee Hughes; “at ASP, we have our emblem, the Sankofa bird, and we go with the spirit of Sankofa… but the whole premise behind the Sankofa is to give back to the communities that poured into you.”
In the face of marginalization and discrimination, ASP’s origin on campus in 1972 beautifully revived the sentiment of Sankofa through the delivery of a space for Black students. The center’s support system acknowledges the struggles of the past as a reference to best support Black excellence at school. In time for Black History Month, an interview with Hughes delivers an incredible look into her involvement with ASP and an insight on ASP’s presence on campus as a whole.
Starting off with her time at UCR as an undergraduate student, Hughes retained a history for program coordination as a program assistant for student-parents under the Women’s Resource Center. Following her graduation, Hughes was offered a position as a substitute program coordinator for ASP. She eventually assumed the role of a permanent coordinator in 2016.
Approaching the 10-year anniversary of working for ASP, Hughes reveals her motivation for continuing her involvement with the program: “It’s the love of the scholars and being able to give back to a population that I come from, and being a resource… [and] wanting to give back to a space in a community that really poured into me while I was a student here.”
Hughes’ presence in ASP has promised the forward movement of Black students pursuing academic and personal endeavors. By coordinating events and promoting a positive college experience by facilitating grounds for a safe space, they prepare students “for a life outside of the university.”
Hughes shares, “While providing this safe space to grow and flourish, [we] also prepare you for what’s to come outside of this space… We do that through mentorship, both peer mentorship and mentorship from Professional Staff.”
ASP provides an extensive list of resources that include not only mentorship, but also cultural programs, tutoring, academic advising, student advocacy and social justice education. Additionally, the program maintains the goal of improving or implementing more resources by refining their goals yearly basis, as Hughes mentions. These resources and the effort to implement them can take years to advocate for.
In reference to ASPs new Black Student Success coordinator, Victor Moreira, who serves students with any academic advising question, Hughes mentions, “We fought hard via Black experience committees. It was years worth of work that we put into it. From what I know, we are the only [student program in Costo Hall] that has a success coordinator.” According to Hughes, Moreira’s services proved to be the most sought after by students, being the most visited coordinator in the entirety of ASP. Even as ASP remains a heavily serviced program, it never falters in making improvements for its students.
Looking to encourage community engagement, ASP holds many events throughout the year that serve to promote the program’s seven pillars: Capital building (advertise resources), Professional development, my Black matters (exploring Black identities), Blackademically speaking (resources that help navigate academic endeavors), Personal wellness (focusing on physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health in students), Responsible citizenship (civic engagement programs), and Leading while Black (leadership program).
Some of the biggest events held by ASP are their Black History Month events, which will include guest speaker Kevin Powell. Powell will be present on campus on Feb. 4 from 6 p.m. to 8:20 p.m. at the Highlander Union Building (HUB) 302. During this month, there will also be performances by student groups on campus. ASP will also be hosting a basketball night in collaboration with athletics on Feb. 20 to honor Black scholars. On Feb. 22, the Black Alumni Chapter will be holding a Preserving Black Brilliance scholarship gala. Any further interest in other events and collaborations can also be found in ASP’s newsletter.
ASP’s Black History Month celebrations prove to highlight the importance of recognizing Black history and excellence. However, beyond the 28-day limit of February, Hughes highlights the celebration of Black success is a year-round celebration that isn’t limited to the past, but also revolves around present successes. Hughes insists, “Well, we have a saying in ASP, that Black history is celebrated 365 days. And we also look at Black history in that we feel like our scholars that are coming through these doors are Black history in the making.”
Hughes continues by encouraging those that don’t celebrate the month-long holiday year-round to make time to uplift Black student and community voices. Fourth-year public policy major and president of the Black Student Union at UCR, Chantelle Miller, who frequents ASP mentions, “Honestly, every day, every month is Black History Month. To us, at this point, were really surrounded by each other like that. So I think, [Black History Month], it’s more of a time to reflect on what we want to put out there in the world and what we want for our futures. Because yes, it’s important to acknowledge, Black History Month, but also we are shaping people who are going to be contributing to Black History Month.”
However, ASP’s lively nature is not limited to its events! Apart from having quiet hours in the morning, ASP is hustling and bustling with the spirit of Black scholars. Working towards bettering their program, Hughes advertises ASPs open-door policy and its dedication to remain vigilant about catering towards all of its students: “ASP is a space for all scholars that come here on campus, so we don’t want anyone to feel like the resources that are here aren’t available to them.”
Anyone who is interested in knowing more about the resources, events and collaborations that ASP offers to the entirety of UCR’s student body can view their newsletter and social media, which detail the program’s limitless opportunities.