Black Thriving

A March Toward a More Equitable Campus Community

By David Sedillo

Students, staff and faculty who identify as being of African descent were led through a 90-minute forum in May 2022 by psychologist Jacquelyn Johnson, who had been invited to Cal Poly Pomona to conduct an assessment. The goal: to gain insight into the well-being of Black individuals on campus in 11 distinct categories.

The results were troubling. The report found that intervention for faculty and staff was needed in all 11 categories, including areas such as cultural representation, upward mobility and authenticity. Eight of 11 categories were flagged for students.

The message was clear: Black students, staff and faculty felt minimized, underrepresented and frustrated. Data points revealed overwhelmingly that Black individuals felt they could not show up as their authentic selves without fear of repercussions.

The evidence served as an immediate call to action that culminated in the Black Thriving Initiative (BTI), a campuswide and multi-year strategy that responds to anti-Blackness as an existential threat to the mission of Cal Poly Pomona. The initiative is the first of its kind in the California State University system.

BTI is built on four distinct phases: building capacity and consciousness, leveraging the mission, engaging (and re-engaging) Black communities, and transforming the culture. Within each is a list of strategies comprised of various action items.

“We must challenge ourselves daily to promote equity, justice, and inclusion in our classrooms, programs, units, meetings, budgets, promotions, interactions, policies and procedures. I believe with all of us working together that a brighter day is on the horizon,” says Jonathan Grady, senior associate vice president and dean of students, who leads the initiative.

Teshia Roby, associate vice president for learning and research, and Cynthia Pickett, presidential associate for inclusion and chief diversity officer, serve as co-chairs.

To kick off the initiative, about 140 students, staff and faculty attended a launch symposium in December in the Bronco Student Center, and more participated via livestream. There was a collective excitement to begin the work, with an acknowledgment of the challenges ahead.

To transform the campus culture, specific and measurable action is necessary. This includes continuous education for all members of the campus community, as well as the development of action plans and recommendations at the divisional level across campus, all built into the multi-year strategy.

“My biggest hope for the future is twofold. I hope for an environment where our Black faculty, staff and students are truly thriving at Cal Poly Pomona, and through that thriving, we are an example of how a community can come together to push through the tipping point of a movement that has long waited for this intentionality,” says Kaitlyn Sedzmak, chief of staff in the Division of Student Affairs and a member of the BTI working group.

To remain successful, the initiative will continue to invite involvement and collaboration from across the university, including students, faculty, staff, alumni, and CPP supporters and partners. This includes learning opportunity events, such as a movie screening and discussion during Black History Month, general feedback listening sessions and campuswide symposiums with guest speakers throughout the year.

Across the board, students, staff, faculty and alumni look to the new initative as a necessary step to make lasting and important change at Cal Poly Pomona.