NC State’s Black Students Board (BSB) recently separated from the University Activities Board (UAB), becoming its own organization in summer 2022. After its creation in 1950, the organization has come a long way to ensure Black students have a community at a predominantly white institution

Kelis Johnson, a third-year in African studies and director of BSB, describes the community BSB strives to create, and how the organization works with others to provide an inclusive place for students of color on campus.

“BSB plays a huge role on campus,” Johnson said. “[We] hold a space not only for Black students, but also LatinX students and students from different cultures. [BSB is] a place where people can just come in and they can just interact with different people.” 

Jada McKinney, a third-year studying chemistry and BSB’s marketing coordinator, said BSB’s inclusive community contributes to NC State’s environment as a whole.

“It builds a community, definitely among Black students,” McKinney said. “But also it makes the environment of NC State feel more accepting. Like everyone feels like they have a place that they belong. And when they come together, it’s all part of the Wolfpack.”

In order to create this community, BSB’s general body is made up of five committees and an executive board to coordinate and plan student events.

Ranging from the organization’s largest weeklong event, Pan-Afrikan Week, and other campus-wide events, to more personal gatherings, BSB offers many events for students to attend and find their footing both on campus and at BSB. Kamya Harvin, a third-year studying sociology and event coordinator for BSB, describes how the organization ensures a variety of activities are offered.

“We have about three events a month,” Harvin said. “So there’s one I do, or Mya [Williams, second event coordinator for BSB] does. And then we have our general body meetings. The two larger events are what me and Mya plan, and [they’re] usually bigger and campus-wide. And then our smaller general body meetings are more personable.”

Separating from UAB is not only a reflection of the growing recognition of BSB, but also the growth of the organization as a whole. To register as an official student organization meant a large amount of background work that would lead to BSB having a larger budget and room for more events compared to past years. Harvin said she hopes to use this larger platform to reach more students.

“In the past, events have been super focused on one type of target audience,” Harvin said. “And I feel like, at least with my events, I’m really trying to make something for everyone, because not every Black person is the same. And I feel like a lot of it can be repetitive. Because people just think Black people like one thing. They just think they want to go somewhere and there’s rap music there. And it’s fine, but I’m trying to make events that are broader and still fun, but something for everyone because, although we’re mostly Black … we’re still very different. And that doesn’t really mean we have to like one thing. So at least in my events, I’m trying to do different things.”

Of the many logistical details involved in separating, Johnson said she had the opportunity to alter a long-standing mission statement for BSB.

“[The mission statement] included a part that I was really bothered by that said, ‘to educate others about our culture,’” Johnson said. “That’s not what BSB is here for. It’s not to educate others. It’s here to build a community amongst Black students, and I think that needs to be shown in our mission statement. Because yes, if you’re not a part of our culture, come to our events and enjoy being a part of our community [and] get a sense of community. No one is there to teach anybody anything.”

This sense of community is a large part of BSB’s overarching goals and mission as an organization. Harvin explained how impactful the family of BSB is.

“Coming to college … you’re away from your family, and it can get very lonely,” Harvin said. “This is the largest campus in North Carolina, and it could feel like you’re the only one. So I think it’s really important for people to feel like they have somewhere that they can come. Even if it’s just a familiar face, I feel like it’s very important for everyone to feel like they are accepted or belong somewhere. … So it’s really important to at least try to build some type of family on campus.”

Even with this change, BSB still faces many challenges. Harvin said some of these challenges include the need to be creative while limited to a budget.

“Because UAB is so much larger, they have precedence over ideas,” Harvin said. “You really have to be extra creative, you really have to think outside of the box. … And I know, we’re trying to increase our budget. … If [an event] has been done before, it’s probably not going to happen again for a while. So that’s why it’s a lot more pressure to be super creative, while also working within the budget and having to be aware of the UAB and know that they have a lot more events than we do.”

The challenges are an inevitable part of the organization’s growing presence on campus — a part that is outweighed by the positive effects that accompany BSB’s recognition.

“We’re being recognized as important,” McKinney said. “I feel like now that we’re our own separate thing, we’re not just a committee underneath their board.”

Beyond the exciting changes and events planned for BSB, Harvin, Johnson and McKinney all credit BSB for giving them an outlet to be creative, connect with others and help others in building the community.

For more information on event registration and BSB announcements, follow its Twitter, TikTok and Instagram.