Community Action (5:00PM - 6:15PM)
After exploring who we are as individuals and who we are in relation to one another, a natural progression is to consider who we should be, in relation to the campus collective and the larger African-American community. It has been said that “if you change nothing, nothing changes”...and because change is currently the only option, a burden of transformation now falls upon our generation. These workshops have been specifically designed to provide black students with a forum to discuss the needs of the black community, to formulate viable ‘action’ strategies, and to take the initial steps toward societal revolution.
A Critical Look at California Correctional Facilities and Prison Policy: Where Do We Begin and What Do We Do? (155 Barrows Hall)
Facilitator: Marlysa Thomas (University of California, Berkeley)
Have you ever wondered why the prison system is the way it is today? You are not alone, and so the prison system is the topic that will be analyzed and discussed in this workshop, This presentation will specifically examine the current correctional facilities of California, scrutinize the state’s current prison policy, identify those who are most affected by it, and determine tangible ways to fight the injustices of over-representation in these facilities.
Campaigns of 2012: Obama, Romney, and Kony (160 Dwinelle Hall)
Facilitator: Eliazar Chacha (Alumnus, University of California, Berkeley),
Facilitator: Darrin Norwood (University of California, Berkeley),
Facilitator: Victor Sandifer (University of California, Berkeley),
Facilitator: Justin Marschke (University of California, Berkeley)
Obama? Mitt Romney? Joseph Kony?!?
You may be asking yourself why these gentlemen would even be in the same sentence together, let alone comprising the content matter in a single workshop. This workshop will explain the connection between these men, and will offer numerous insights about the impact of political campaigns - including why we respond to them in the way we do. The Invisible Children 2012 video, which has recently become a viral sensation (over 26 million views only four days after its initial release), will be aired and subsequently discussed, with a specific focus on the influence technology has had on how we identify with political and international conflicts. Are You In??
Caucus for Change (160 Dwinelle Hall)
Facilitators: Various
The Black Community is facing its share of struggles across every major institution in the United States: education, employment, government, law and media are just a few of the societal systems that indirectly and directly oppress African-Americans. It will take a concerted effort to facilitate the type of multi-dimensional change that can effectively eradicate these systems of oppression. This series of caucuses will ask participants to explore, within their fields of interest, the current problems that are most impacting Black America and to develop practical solutions which can be implemented to enact change.
Architecture Caucus - 156 Dwinelle Hall
Business Caucus - 123 Wheeler Hall
Education Caucus - 166 Barrows Hall
Engineering Caucus - 174 Barrows Hall
Entrepreneur Caucus - 122 Wheeler Hall
Fashion Caucus - 209 Dwinelle Hall
Grass Roots Organizing Caucus - 122 Wheeler Hall
Health Caucus - 160 Dwinelle Hall
Journalism Caucus - 126 Barrows Hall
Law Caucus - 130 Wheeler Hall
Community Betterment: From Dream to Action (160 Dwinelle Hall)
Facilitator: Monica Hastings-Smith (University of California, Berkeley)
Facilitator: Yafeu Tyhimba (University of California, Berkeley)
In this workshop, "Black Like Me" Director and Oakland native Yafeu Tyhimba will describe how, after seeing and feeling a strong need for self-awareness and self-love in his community, he literally dreamed a solution and brought the dream to fruition. This process of converting dream to action is, by no means, a step by step process; it is more of a check-in regarding your own dreams and level of commitment. How committed are you? Participants will also have the opportunity to play the African Diaspora history game that Yafeu Tyhimba created as high intentioned edu-tainment.
Death Penalty Reform (185 Barrows Hall)
Facilitator: Ericka Beckles (University of California, Merced)
The Death Penalty is one of the most controversial topics on the national stage right now. Participants in this workshop will discuss the current status of the Criminal in-Justice System, examine state budget allocations toward prisons, and collectively formulate a feasible action plan to help reform the disparities which - perpetuated by the prison-industrial complex - exist in our society,. The workshop will be co-facilitated by a member of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Northern California, a group which is currently spearheading a campaign to cut the corrections budget and death penalty.
Interconnecting Generations of Black Men (24 Wheeler Hall)
Facilitator: Baba Achebe
There has been a distinctive lack of dialogue and connection between the current generations of Black men. Relevant to our conference theme, this workshop will center around the role that black males can and should assume in creating a ‘torch’ to pass on to future generations. Multiple generations of Black men will talk about the struggles and triumphs they have encountered on their journey to discovering what it means to be both a Black man in America and an activist in the Black community. This beautiful conversation will inspire the creation of tangible goals to uplift our community.
Occupy: The Movement (151 Barrows Hall)
Facilitator: Marco Amaral!(University of California, Berkeley)
Facilitator: Destiny Iwuoma (University of California, Berkeley)
In this workshop, you will be able to hear about the movement from the perspective of an Occupier! Get the real scoop on the Movement from two active protesters who were part of Occupy San Francisco, Occupy Berkeley, Occupy Oakland and, of course, Occupy Cal. Is the Occupy Movement still relevant? Is it losing momentum? Join the conversation.
Prison Industrial System (182 Dwinelle Hall)
Facilitator: Barbabra Bonaparte
The prison industrial system has had and continues to have an enormous effect on the Black community. It affects the Black family, Black economics, and simply Black life. There are ways in which the prison industrial system has been purposefully designed to increase the incarceration rates of Black and Brown people; this workshop intends to to delve into the motivation for the perpetuation this system. Discussion will revolve around the historical context, current state, and alarming statistics of the prison system, and will culminate in a ‘brainstorming’ about how we can cut the ties that bind our Black community to the prison industrial system.
Recycling Black Dollars (100 Wheeler Hall)
Facilitator: Marcel Jones (University of California, Berkeley)This workshop will provide an overview of the status of black economics and share programs which have been created to promote economic group-empowerment. Participants will be challenged to develop tangible economic plans that can be implemented in different areas around the state, similar to the newest initiative of Berkeley’s Black Student Union: The Black Finance Guild.
A Critical Look at California Correctional Facilities and Prison Policy: Where Do We Begin and What Do We Do? (155 Barrows Hall)
Facilitator: Marlysa Thomas (University of California, Berkeley)
Have you ever wondered why the prison system is the way it is today? You are not alone, and so the prison system is the topic that will be analyzed and discussed in this workshop, This presentation will specifically examine the current correctional facilities of California, scrutinize the state’s current prison policy, identify those who are most affected by it, and determine tangible ways to fight the injustices of over-representation in these facilities.
Campaigns of 2012: Obama, Romney, and Kony (160 Dwinelle Hall)
Facilitator: Eliazar Chacha (Alumnus, University of California, Berkeley),
Facilitator: Darrin Norwood (University of California, Berkeley),
Facilitator: Victor Sandifer (University of California, Berkeley),
Facilitator: Justin Marschke (University of California, Berkeley)
Obama? Mitt Romney? Joseph Kony?!?
You may be asking yourself why these gentlemen would even be in the same sentence together, let alone comprising the content matter in a single workshop. This workshop will explain the connection between these men, and will offer numerous insights about the impact of political campaigns - including why we respond to them in the way we do. The Invisible Children 2012 video, which has recently become a viral sensation (over 26 million views only four days after its initial release), will be aired and subsequently discussed, with a specific focus on the influence technology has had on how we identify with political and international conflicts. Are You In??
Caucus for Change (160 Dwinelle Hall)
Facilitators: Various
The Black Community is facing its share of struggles across every major institution in the United States: education, employment, government, law and media are just a few of the societal systems that indirectly and directly oppress African-Americans. It will take a concerted effort to facilitate the type of multi-dimensional change that can effectively eradicate these systems of oppression. This series of caucuses will ask participants to explore, within their fields of interest, the current problems that are most impacting Black America and to develop practical solutions which can be implemented to enact change.
Architecture Caucus - 156 Dwinelle Hall
Business Caucus - 123 Wheeler Hall
Education Caucus - 166 Barrows Hall
Engineering Caucus - 174 Barrows Hall
Entrepreneur Caucus - 122 Wheeler Hall
Fashion Caucus - 209 Dwinelle Hall
Grass Roots Organizing Caucus - 122 Wheeler Hall
Health Caucus - 160 Dwinelle Hall
Journalism Caucus - 126 Barrows Hall
Law Caucus - 130 Wheeler Hall
Community Betterment: From Dream to Action (160 Dwinelle Hall)
Facilitator: Monica Hastings-Smith (University of California, Berkeley)
Facilitator: Yafeu Tyhimba (University of California, Berkeley)
In this workshop, "Black Like Me" Director and Oakland native Yafeu Tyhimba will describe how, after seeing and feeling a strong need for self-awareness and self-love in his community, he literally dreamed a solution and brought the dream to fruition. This process of converting dream to action is, by no means, a step by step process; it is more of a check-in regarding your own dreams and level of commitment. How committed are you? Participants will also have the opportunity to play the African Diaspora history game that Yafeu Tyhimba created as high intentioned edu-tainment.
Death Penalty Reform (185 Barrows Hall)
Facilitator: Ericka Beckles (University of California, Merced)
The Death Penalty is one of the most controversial topics on the national stage right now. Participants in this workshop will discuss the current status of the Criminal in-Justice System, examine state budget allocations toward prisons, and collectively formulate a feasible action plan to help reform the disparities which - perpetuated by the prison-industrial complex - exist in our society,. The workshop will be co-facilitated by a member of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Northern California, a group which is currently spearheading a campaign to cut the corrections budget and death penalty.
Interconnecting Generations of Black Men (24 Wheeler Hall)
Facilitator: Baba Achebe
There has been a distinctive lack of dialogue and connection between the current generations of Black men. Relevant to our conference theme, this workshop will center around the role that black males can and should assume in creating a ‘torch’ to pass on to future generations. Multiple generations of Black men will talk about the struggles and triumphs they have encountered on their journey to discovering what it means to be both a Black man in America and an activist in the Black community. This beautiful conversation will inspire the creation of tangible goals to uplift our community.
Occupy: The Movement (151 Barrows Hall)
Facilitator: Marco Amaral!(University of California, Berkeley)
Facilitator: Destiny Iwuoma (University of California, Berkeley)
In this workshop, you will be able to hear about the movement from the perspective of an Occupier! Get the real scoop on the Movement from two active protesters who were part of Occupy San Francisco, Occupy Berkeley, Occupy Oakland and, of course, Occupy Cal. Is the Occupy Movement still relevant? Is it losing momentum? Join the conversation.
Prison Industrial System (182 Dwinelle Hall)
Facilitator: Barbabra Bonaparte
The prison industrial system has had and continues to have an enormous effect on the Black community. It affects the Black family, Black economics, and simply Black life. There are ways in which the prison industrial system has been purposefully designed to increase the incarceration rates of Black and Brown people; this workshop intends to to delve into the motivation for the perpetuation this system. Discussion will revolve around the historical context, current state, and alarming statistics of the prison system, and will culminate in a ‘brainstorming’ about how we can cut the ties that bind our Black community to the prison industrial system.
Recycling Black Dollars (100 Wheeler Hall)
Facilitator: Marcel Jones (University of California, Berkeley)This workshop will provide an overview of the status of black economics and share programs which have been created to promote economic group-empowerment. Participants will be challenged to develop tangible economic plans that can be implemented in different areas around the state, similar to the newest initiative of Berkeley’s Black Student Union: The Black Finance Guild.
