Last month, students from the LPC Umoja program spent the weekend at the 20th annual Umoja Conference in Los Angeles. The organizers say the conference aims to “enhance the cultural and educational experience of African Americans and other students.” This year’s conference theme was “Voices of the Future.”
The future certainly seems bright at Las Positas. LPC’s Umoja Program received the 2024 Umoja Program of the Year award. Program Coordinator Savannah Richardson accepted the honor on behalf of the whole program.
The award recognizes the program’s efforts in fostering a supportive and inclusive learning environment for Black students and other students of color while highlighting the program’s dedication to student success. LPC aims to be a home for all students, providing an environment where they can thrive. The Umoja program has done its part to fulfill that goal.
“It validates all of the hard work that’s being put in by both the students and the rest of the campus community that works with Umoja,” Martin Nash, the English Umoja Coordinator, said. “It goes to faculty, coordinators, counselors, administrators…there are a lot of people behind the scenes who put in a lot of time and effort.”
Nine students, in addition to Richardson and Nash, attended this year’s conference. Both Richardson and Nash described the experience as “invigorating and transformative.”
“Umoja is very intentional about the workshops and seminars they provide you,” Richardson said. “We talk about race, culture, systemic issues and different biases we all have and how they can be addressed.”
Students can submit nominations for awards, and when asked if she expected to win, Richardson said, “A student mentioned that they had submitted a nomination, so I thought maybe I could win. And so when I actually won in my name for our entire program, it was a very special feeling.”
When accepting the Program of the Year award, Richardson addressed the attendees.
“It’s truly a privilege to be in community with you all,” she said. She highlighted the challenges of growing up in a predominantly white area: “…it’s hard to find yourself, especially when you have people asking you who you are and where you came from. And you’re not answering questions to their satisfaction.”
According to Nash, having whole cohorts, interactive activities facilitated by Savannah, and Umoja being an active part of the campus community contributed to receiving the award. As the only white member of the Umoja Program, Nash recognizes the importance of self-reflection and growth.
“I have a bunch of work to do, personally and professionally,” Nash said.
The conference was a learning experience for Nash. One of the workshops he attended was killing the inner white supremacist. He discussed how, during these workshops, there was discussion on how US education is built on systems of white supremacy.
Nash wants to implement the knowledge gained from the conference into his classroom. One example is that he used some African writers in a critical thinking class he teaches.
He reiterated how supportive the Umoja program is for students. The program’s courses allow students to learn about African American and African cultures.
“We can re-center educational systems to be more inclusive and to acknowledge and center the work that’s been done by scholars and thinkers from who walks in line,” he said when discussing how to make education in the US less Eurocentric.
While the award validates the hard work, the Umoja program hopes this is just the start. The goal continues to be the same—to provide an inclusive space for all that generates success at LPC.
Top photo: Savannah Richardson accepts the Program of the Year Award on behalf of LPC. She is the coordinator of the school’s Umoja program. (Photo courtesy of LPC Umoja)
Sabrina Hossain is the Social Media Editor for The Express. Follow her on X, formerly Twitter @WritersBlock678.
