Uhuru na umoja wednesday, november 20, 2019 an ethnic supplement to the collegian
The Black Student voice of California State University, Fresno, since 1969
Harambee Room Revitalization and Renovations
By Darelle Harvey Black folks on the Fresno State campus usually are scattered and separate from one another, save for a few groupings of us. And those groupings usually come out of people that already know each other or out of the school’s necessity. The only place dedicated to drawing Black students together and allowing us to really express ourselves is a room in the Cross Cultural and Gender Center (CCGC) known as the Harambee room. It is a room that is often talked about in the circles of BSU and NAACP, but, sadly, hardly anywhere else. Which is a major shame because the room itself is a veritable “Room of Requirement,” (all my Harry Potter
fans get that reference.) It is a place that offers peace, quiet, a resting place for us, even offering pillows and blankets allowing us to sleep. As Ju’Juan Johnson puts it the room is “...more like a home space...it’s like a home away from home, like a library away from the library.” The room can also be reserved for events as long as students or faculty meet with CCGC representatives to set up the room at the time needed. The uses are for study groups, for club meetings, even for small events. However, we still have the issue of the space not being utilized, because most don’t know about the room at all. Two years ago, there was an event known as “Turnt Up Tuesdays” held every Tuesday night.
On those nights, the room would be packed, there were people going there, taking in the free snacks and candy available, they were studying and getting their work done and socializing and meeting people, “...it used to bring, at least, 20 to 30 of the AfricanAmerican students on campus to the Harambee room…it brought a vibe to the room.” After the event stopped being held, we largely stopped paying attention to the room. But, in spite of this, there is still a vibrant collection of us that hit the room daily. On any given day, groups of people can be found in there, chatting and laughing. There is a sense that the people in the room are definitely where they feel they need to be.
Even jokes like, “we can’t be Black nowhere on campus,” pass through these walls, making light of the situation that we don’t feel there’s a place for us. And that brings us to the renovation of the Harambee room itself. The room has decorations and pictures on the walls, but the room walls seem dry. An eggshell off-white on all walls feel a bit bland, but what we want to see are more depictions and artwork of our accomplishments and things to inspire us for the coming future. Some have mentioned perhaps having a small speaker for music in the room while students study which would make the Harambee room more inviting to the students. The room will be shutting down in late November
so it can be ready in time for Dead Days, so look for that in the Harambee room! The Harambee room is located in the Thomas Administration Building rm. 109. It is here and waiting for us! We have the power to use the room however we want, if anyone wants to make an event like Turnt Up Tuesdays to get people into the room, speak to Ju’Juan Johnson or Vanessa Brown in the Thomas Administration Building rm. 110. Remember, CCGC and the room are open Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 8-5. Tuesdays and Thursdays are open until 7 pm. And whatever you decide to do with the room, always remember to promote the event in the room! Good luck out there y’all!
Food Insecurity By T.J. Taylor A problem 42% of all CSU students face daily is food insecurity. It can be tough to manage the energy necessary to sustain an adequate amount of effort at school, work, and extracurricular activities while attending college full-time. Studies show, it becomes even more difficult without food security. Food security is NOT having a secret service agent for your refrigerator to prevent theft, rather it is the access to three meals a day. Food security can be defined as
the state of having reliable access to a sufficient quantity of affordable, nutritious food. The lack of food security is known as food insecurity. Food insecurity is prevalent here at Fresno State as well as nationwide. Food insecurity can negatively affect academic achievement and leave a toll on students’ physical and mental health. With many working students juggling paying for necessities like rent, transportation, and tuition, the budget for food is often minimal. These factors compile thus creating stress, anxiety, and sometimes depres-
sion for students. Food insecurity can be linked to lower GPAs as students with food security have less inactive days . With 66% of Black students dealing with food insecurity, this topic needs a campaign to bring awareness of this phenomenon. To combat food insecurity, the resources made available must be shared. College students working 20 or more hours a week can qualify for CalFresh and receive federal aid of up to $192 a month for financial assistance towards groceries. You can apply for this program at the Student Cupboard on campus,
which is located in room 144 in the Industrial Tech Building. This location also distributes free nutritious food on school days. Their distribution hours for this semester are 11:00 a.m. through 4:00 p.m. on Monday and Friday, 11:00 a.m. through 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday and Thursday, and 10:00 a.m. through 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday. All you need is your student ID to checkout. Food is often plentiful as they average about 198 student visits per day. Another resource is the Bulldog Pantry, located across campus on Shaw and Sierra Madre that distributes fruits, vegetables, bread,
and canned goods every other Saturday from 9:00 a.m through 10:30 a.m. The Cross Cultural and Gender Center, located east of the Kennel Bookstore often has pizza and snacks readily available as well. Food insecurity is common so do not feel alone or ashamed. If anyone you know seems to have low morale, do not hesitate to ask them if they have eaten yet or if they’re eating enough everyday. Help yourself and others to the resources made available on campus and look out for your peers if you are able. Nutrition is vital to us all.