The Afrikan Student Union (ASU) was formed in 1966 to advocate for the needs and interests of all UCLA students of Afrikan descent. Initiated by Afrikan American students, the organization’s founding ideology was shaped by UCLA’s influential Black Panther movement, the national Civil Rights Movement, and the urban rebellions that engulfed the Greater Los Angeles Area in the 1960’s. During that period, ASU played an integral part in developing and establishing the High Potential Program at UCLA. This program was designed to ensure that the University considered factors like community leadership and socio-economic background while making admissions decisions. For more than 20 years, the High Potential Program increased the number of qualified minority students admitted to the University.
Continuing to serve student needs, ASU established the Center for African American Studies in 1969 with guidance from various student groups and members of the Black Panther Party. Now known as the Ralph J. Bunche Center for African American Studies, the Bunche Center was created to guarantee that UCLA offered curriculum significant to students of color and that all students had the opportunity to study culturally relevant material. In the 1970s, ASU advocated for the development of the Academic Advancement Program (AAP), an undergraduate student retention program that still provides for underrepresented, low-income and first generation college students. Later in the decade ASU, along with AAP, created the Freshmen Summer Program (FSP), a six-week project that allows historically unrepresented admitted students the opportunity to live on-campus, take college courses, and prepare for the rigors of college life.
The 1980s brought the injustices of the South Afrikan Apartheid to the international stage. Immediately, ASU demanded the University divest from sponsoring organizations like Coca-Cola and Bank of America. While these corporations were financially supporting the inhumanities taking place in the African region, ASU was sponsoring rallies and demonstrations with other student organizations, demanding fair dealings in South Africa.
Later in the 1980s, ASU formed The Academic Support Program (ASP), the first student-led retention project specifically created for Afrikan students at UCLA. Finally in the mid-1990’s, ASU was one of the first organizations to respond to Proposition 209, the legislation that abolished Affirmative Action in the state of California. In turn, ASU formed one of UCLA’s first access projects, the SHAPE (Students Heightening Academic Performance through Education) Program. SHAPE continues to increase the percentage of UC eligible minorities by providing tutoring, counseling and mentorship to inner-city high school students.
Currently, the Afrikan Student Union combats the low admissions rates of Afrikan students at UCLA while continuing to advance the rights and overall quality of life for all students.
Through advocacy projects and the creation of special programs and events, we address the various concerns of these key populations. Additionally, we support the ongoing work of campus organizations that provide for the specific needs of Afrikan people. Collectively, these entities comprise ASU’s Harambee Council.
ASU creates social, intellectual, and political opportunities for students through community outreach, social networking, and political engagement while working to defeat problems that impact our communities.
ADMIT WEEKEND
As part of ASUs mission to advocate for the equality and higher education for the Afrikan youth,, ASU created Admit Day in 2004, which has been extended to Admit weekend. To celebrate their acceptance into this prestigious university, ASU invites the admitted African American students to the UCLA campus . This is to help them make a conscious decision and help them gain better understanding of student life on the campus. This experience provides an excellend introduction of college and residential life and introduces students to a plethora of Black student initated organizations and academic resources. Along with other UC campuses, this event has been proben to be essential to the yield rate of our minority students. In the context of the previous histories with Proposition 209 and the Infamous 96, the need for agressive recruitment has been expressed.
In addition to our attempt to increase the yeild of the incoming African American population, Admit Weekend is also to service the African American students on UCLA’s campus. It is important that we recognize the importance ofgiving back to the community and advocating for diversity.
HIGHER EDUCATION CONFERENCE
The Higher Education Conference seeks to provide students from our neighboring inner city schools with an engaging and uplifting perspective on seizing their right to higher education. The students are brought to UCLA’s campus for a day to participate in the conference.
Throughout the day students, teachers, counselors and parents will have the unprecedented opportunity to hold intuitive, collective and comfortable dialogue with other middle & high school students from nearby campuses, UCLA faculty, UCLA student organizations, college students and will also be participating in workshops addressing their needs and concerns regarding college academics, enrollment, admissions obstacles and preparation.
AFRIKAN BLACK COALITION CONFERENCE
The University of California Afrikan Black Coalition is an organization whose function is for black students at all the University of California schools to unite and solve issues concerning academic policy, social atmosphere at the campuses, and matriculation of black students to the University. Afrikan students have formed either an Afrikan and/or Black Student Union on each of their campuses. Thus, the name Afrikan Black Coalition denotes the unity between both the Black and Afrikan Student Unions that exist throughout the UC system. In February of 2011, the conference will be hosted at UCLA.
AFRIKAN PEOPLE'S GRADUATION
The monumental celebration that is UCLA’s Afrikan Graduation began in 1979 through the tireless work and dedication of 14 students that decided to create a commencement ceremony for students of African descent. Since then, Black Bruins have continued the tradition of recognizing themselves and their accomplishments by participating in this annual ceremony.
