SACRAMENTO, Calif.— The California Community Colleges’ ICanGoToCollege.com campaign is closing out the first season of its EDUCATE. ELEVATE. podcast with three special episodes on Brown v. Board of Education. The first two episodes feature a roundtable discussion by a distinguished expert panel of legislators, educators, and thought leaders on the state of education for Black and African American students.
The discussion was moderated by Dr. Abdimalik Buul, award-winning professor and visiting executive of educational excellence and the equal employment opportunity program for the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office.
“This critical conversation was prompted by the 70th anniversary of the Brown v. Board of Education decision by the U.S. Supreme Court, which ruled separating children in public schools based on race unconstitutional,” Dr. Buul said. “The work is not done. We must continue to address system inequities to help students face the challenges of today.”
The expert panel consisted of Shirley N. Weber, Ph.D., California Secretary of State; Dr. Luke Wood, President, California State University, Sacramento and a member of California’s Racial Equity Commission; Dr. Edward Bush, President, Consumnes River College and President and Co-founder of the African American Male Education Network and Development (A²MEND); Dr. Adam Clark, President, California Association of African American Superintendents and Administrators; and Pamela Haynes, member of the California Community Colleges Board of Governors and a Los Rios Community College District Board Trustee. Both Secretary Weber and Ms. Haynes experienced the segregation of schools before the Brown v. Board of Education decision and the subsequent integration while they were students in California.
“This decision was significant because it addresses the issue of what racism and separation does to people physically, emotionally and economically,” Secretary Weber said. “We’ve learned since then that the decision has been a mixed bag, as we’ve seen the disintegration of many things that were important to the Black community that we must continue to address today.”
The California Community Colleges presented the Brown v. Board of Education roundtable discussion as part of its ongoing commitment to address the racial inequities in higher education and how its policy initiatives, such as its Vision 2030 roadmap, are making a difference in educational outcomes for the Black and African American students the system educates today.
The California Community Colleges’ ICanGoToCollege.com campaign launched the EDUCATE. ELEVATE. podcast series to inspire current and prospective Black and African American students, particularly Black males, through thought-provoking conversations, to enroll or stay enrolled in a California community college. Topics include the benefits of California community colleges, services like Umoja and A2MEND designed to support Black students, and the availability of financial aid. The series also aims to increase student transfer rates to the University of California, California State University, private not for profit colleges and Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).
Episode 8 and 9 of the three-part EDUCATE. ELEVATE. podcast series on Brown v. Board of Education are available now. Part three is scheduled to be released in mid-June and will feature a panel of community college students reacting to the expert panel discussion and sharing their thoughts and experiences on where higher education in California is today.
The EDUCATE. ELEVATE. podcast series on Brown v. Board of Education and previous episodes on other topics can be viewed now through the ICanGoToCollege.com website, YouTube channel and social media pages.
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The California Community Colleges is the largest system of higher education in the nation, composed of 73 districts and 116 colleges serving 2 million students per year. California community colleges provide career education and workforce training; guaranteed transfer to four-year universities; and degree and certificate pathways. As the state’s engine for social and economic mobility, the California Community Colleges support Vision 2030, a strategic plan designed to serve our students, our communities and our planet. For more information, please visit the California Community Colleges website or follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter (X). To learn about the financial aid, career education and guaranteed transfer opportunities for current or prospective students at California community colleges, please visit the I Can Go To College website or follow the campaign on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter (X).
