Black Student Union Executive Board Attends 21st Annual Yale Black Solidarity Conference
Post by Black Student Union
The Yale Black Solidarity Conference (BSC) has been a staple event for members of the Babson Black Student Union (BSU) for a number of years. We were pleased to attend again this year, thanks to the Undergraduate Professional Accelerator Fund. It was attended by the BSU’s executive board. This year’s conference theme was The Miseducation: Changing History As We Know It. This theme resonated with us because as black students, it is critical for us to understand our history and how that impacts us in the current day. In the wake of current day issues (mass incarceration, police brutality, etc.), it’s important to view such events and issues in a historical context. Day one of the conference focused on that aspect, with sessions such as Iconic Plantation to the Iconic Ghetto and Race and Politics of Punishment. These sessions were well attended by both us from Babson, and the other students in attendance. Almost all of the sessions were standing room only. On Saturday, the conference focused more on the latter part of the theme: Changing History As We Know It. Panels and workshops focused on taking ownership and how we, as students, can start creating our own legacy and changing our own history. Sessions included “Young and Black in Business: Black Start Ups Making a Way,” “Personal Branding with Google” and “Future of Blacks in STEM.” The conference was overall a great experience; there were over 500 students in attendance, and being in the presence of other black collegians was great to experience, given the small amount of black students at Babson.