2019 Black History Month at USD

FEBRUARY 2019

bhm

@USD

“Only in the darkness can you see the stars.”

— Martin Luther King, Jr.

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ashley barton A time to celebrate Greetings! Welcome to 2019’s Black History Month at USD. We are so excited for this time to celebrate and recognize greatness, excellence and legacies that live within the black community on and off our campus.

This year, we will continue to celebrate black history through diverse campus events and programs developed by passionate student leaders, administrators and faculty. Our theme this year is a quote by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.: “Only in the darkness can you see the stars.” These words speak to the strong qualities within the black community: resilience, leadership and excellence.

We encourage you to attend and participate in what I am sure will be great events to learn, discuss and celebrate.

In solidarity, Ashley C. Barton, EdD Director, Black Student Resource Commons

“The Black Student Resource Commons provides a place that the black student community can call home.�

content dezell lathon

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gail baker

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kheperah ray

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natasha ridley

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faculty 10

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[STUDENT]

dezell lathon Reaching for the stars The talent and creative force within DeZell Lathon ’19 (BA) aren’t just evident, but overflowing. The 22-year-old native of Jackson, Mississippi — a theatre arts and performance studies major — is a campus powerhouse who’s involved with the Black Student Union, Student Support Services, USDtv, and, of course, his own department.

“I found my creative voice here,” Lathon says. “Before I came to USD, I knew I wanted to act, direct and write, but I didn’t know where my esthetic lay. Coming to a liberal arts institution and having to take classes that have nothing to do with my major really opened my mind up to other things.”

One example of how his worldview has evolved is a theology class that left a big impact.

“What it taught me was that religions are more closely aligned than what we believe. At their root, they all say the same thing: ‘Don’t be mean! Treat people with respect. Be kind.’ That’s something we can all get behind.”

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[VICE PRESIDENT AND PROVOST]

gail baker Doing what needs to be done USD’s highest-ranking black administrator, Vice President of Academic Affairs and Provost Gail Baker has more than 30 years of experience in higher education.

“When I think of leadership, I think of service,” she says. “I think about being willing and able to do what needs to be done on behalf of the institution, group or team that you are representing. It’s all about service, and being able to give whatever talents you have to the cause.”

In addition to her work in academia, Baker has worked in journalism as a reporter and editor for the Chicago Daily Defender newspaper, and has won four Emmy Awards.

“Every experience I’ve had along the way has helped prepare me to be a leader, but I’m still learning,” she says. “Every day, I try to learn something, stretch a little, be a better leader. As far as black history is concerned, I’m proud of it, it is who I am. It’s part of what I bring to this role” 4

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[STUDENT]

kheperah ray Focused on innovation Electrical engineering major Kheperah Ray ’19 (BS/BA) wants to make his mark on the planet.

“I’m interested in helping globally, in seeing how I can develop different things around the world,” says Ray. “There aren’t too many African-Americans in technology, and I really want to help change that.”

Ray has been actively engaged, both on- and off-campus, which has really paid dividends. He was president of the USD chapter of the National Society of Black Engineers and was absolutely blown away by the annual convention.

“It’s a magical space,” says Ray. “You can meet a CEO in an elevator and have an actual elevator pitch, and meet workers from places like Google, Twitter or Pinterest.”

On the brink of graduation, he’s fired up and ready to go.

“Most of the focus of my adult life will be toward educating youth through technology and providing them the space and resources to be as creative as they dream to be.”

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[ A LU M N A ]

natasha ridley Finding release in dance When it comes to what’s important in life, Natasha Ridley ’16 (MA) is clear: “I can’t live without art. I find freedom in dancing. For me, it’s another way of expressing emotion. Instead of using words, movement is a release.” In her work as a dancer and choreographer, Ridley combines traditional modern dance techniques with classical ballet; she’s also heavily influenced by the raw emotion of traditional African-American storytelling through dance.

“Art keeps me in a safe space,” she says. “It makes me really happy.”

A licensed financial assistant, Ridley enjoys problem-solving, calling herself an “organized creative.” This side of her personality worked well when she came to USD to earn a master’s degree in leadership from the School of Leadership and Education Sciences.

She sees a clear relationship between art and her graduate work: “The two go together. While leadership studies don’t always leave a lot of space for creativity and innovation, when you start to add the arts, you can come up with all sorts of different ideas.”

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black faculty

“Because of them I can now live the dream. I am the seed of the free, and I know it. I intend to bear great fruit.”

— Sojourner Truth

Empowering our students COREY BARNES

Philosophy ANTHONY BELL

Chemistry and Biochemistry ROY L. BROOKS

School of Law JAMALL CALLOWAY

Theology and Religious Studies JASON CAMPBELL

Economics BRANDON CARLISLE

Psychology CHRISTOPHER CARTER

Theology and Religious Studies ODESMA DALRYMPLE

Industrial and Systems Engineering CARLTON FLOYD

English

CORY GOODING

MYCHAL ODOM

Political Science and International Relations

English

ZACHARY GREEN

Communication Studies

SOLES, The Nonprofit Institute KRISTOPHER HALL

SOLES, Marriage and Family Therapy AARYNN JONES

Art, Architecture + Art History MIKAYA LUMORI

Electrical Engineering SYLVIE NGILLA MCGRAW

French

ERIC PIERSON CANDICE PRICE

Mathematics JOI SPENCER

SOLES TIFFANY STEWART

Chemistry and Biochemistry T. J. TALLIE

History JILLIAN TULLIS

CHANNON MILLER

Communication Studies

History

MICHELE WATKINS

JESSE MILLS

Theology and Religious Studies

Ethnic Studies

MARY JO WIGGINS

ANGELA NURSE

School of Law

Sociology

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events Resilience, leadership and excellence Join us at these Black History Month events as we celebrate and recognize greatness, excellence and legacies that live within the black community on- and off-campus.

For the most recent calendar of Black History Month events at USD, go to www.sandiego.edu/bsrc.

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FEBRUARY 1 Black History Month Kick-Off Black Student Resource Commons Noon – 2 p.m.

Plaza Mayor

FEBRUARY 13 Science in Beauty (Self-Care) SOCSTEM 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

[LOCATION TBD]

FEBRUARY 21 Black Cinema Series: Do the Right Thing Humanities Center 6 – 8 p.m.

Warren Auditorium

FEBRUARY 7 Speak On It: Black and LGBTQ+ Intersection United Front Multicultural Commons and Black Student Resource Commons 12:30 – 2 p.m.

Student Life Pavilion, Room 419

FEBRUARY 14 Grad Life and BGSA: Living Single Trivia Night Grad Life Commons and Black Graduate Student Association [TIME TBD] [LOCATION TBD]

FEBRUARY 22 Jesus vs. America: The Effects of White Religion Black Campus Ministry 2 – 3 p.m.

Student Life Pavilion, Room 410

FEBRUARY 7 Grad Life Dialogues: The Intersections of Race and Generational Status Grad Life Commons and the Black Graduate Student Association [TIME TBD] Grad Law Commons FEBRUARY 7 Black Cinema Series: Prom Night in Mississippi Humanities Center 6 – 8 p.m.

Warren Auditorium FEBRUARY 12 Afri-Dia Fest Black Student Resource Commons and African Student Union 12:30 – 2 p.m.

Plaza Mayor

FEBRUARY 15 Nothing Bundt Feminism: Black Feminist Thought Women’s Commons and Black Student Resource Commons Noon – 2 p.m.

Student Life Pavilion, Room 420 FEBRUARY 16 Lead and Empower Her Women’s Conference Military and Veterans Programs 8 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.

Hahn University Center Forums FEBRUARY 19 The Langston Hughes Project Torero Program Board 5 p.m. – 8 p.m.

Hahn University Center Forums ABC FEBRUARY 21 B.A.E.: Black Art Exhibit Night Black Student Resource Commons 4 – 6 p.m.

Student Life Pavilion, Room 410

FEBRUARY 25 Dr. Monique Morris, author of Pushout: The Criminalization of Black Girls in Schools USD’s Copley Library 7 p.m.

Mother Rosalie Hill Reading Room, Copley library FEBRUARY 26 History of Black Hair Black Student Union 12:30 – 2 p.m.

[LOCATION TBD] FEBRUARY 28 End of Black History Month Luncheon Black Student Resource Commons Noon – 2 p.m.

Plaza Menor FEBRUARY 28 Black Cinema Series: Moonlight Humanities Center 6 – 8 p.m.

Warren Auditorium

Black Student Resource Commons Student Life Pavilion, Room 410 University of San Diego 5998 Alcalรก Park San Diego, CA 92110 bsrc@sandiego.edu (619) 260-4173

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