Behind the Creation of Black Voices of UCSD

What is BVofUCSD?

Black Voices of UC San Diego (BVofUCSD) is a student-led initiative dedicated to uplifting and advocating for Black students at UC San Diego. It serves as both an educational platform and a safe community space, aiming to inform, empower, and foster open dialogue about race, identity, and anti-racism. Through curated resources, student perspectives, and campus engagement, BVofUCSD amplifies Black voices while promoting active allyship and institutional accountability.

How did BVofUCSD start?

BVofUCSD was created in 2020 in response to the national reckoning with systemic racism and anti-Black violence that followed the murder of George Floyd. During a time of intense social unrest, compounded by a global pandemic that disproportionately affected Black communities, I recognized a gap in both support and awareness on campus. Alongside a team of passionate peers, I co-founded BVofUCSD to provide a centralized, accessible resource for education, storytelling, and advocacy. It was built from the ground up to create long-lasting impact, even as the broader media focus on racial justice began to fade.

What was my role in the initiative?

As the Co-founder and Project Director, I played a central role in launching and leading this student-driven initiative from concept to campus-wide impact.

In this position, I directed all operational and strategic aspects of the organization—collaborating with fellow Directors, mentoring Coordinators, and serving as the main point of contact for university stakeholders and community partners. I oversaw and contributed to all departments, from research and event planning to communications, outreach, and administration, ensuring that every initiative aligned with our mission of fostering an inclusive, anti-racist campus environment.

My leadership involved setting organizational goals, managing cross-functional teams, leading meetings, and guiding the development of educational content, campaigns, and events. As a founding leader, I worked to establish sustainable structures, recruit and train new members, and ensure the continuity and integrity of the project as it evolved into a recognized student organization.

Mission & Structure

The purpose of Black Voices at UC San Diego is to serve as a resource that addresses both the historical and present-day issues impacting Black students. Our mission is to educate the campus community on racism and privilege, highlight opportunities for allyship, and provide tools for meaningful engagement and reflection. Through digital content, events, and collaborative projects, BVofUCSD strives to deconstruct harmful biases, foster informed conversations, and cultivate an inclusive, anti-racist campus culture.
Black Voices operates under a collaborative leadership model composed of Directors and Coordinators, working together to sustain and grow the organization.
Directors oversee the strategic planning, development, and operations of the organization, each leading a specific department such as Events, Outreach, Research, or Communications.
Coordinators support Directors by assisting with research, outreach, event planning, social media, and general administrative tasks. Each Coordinator works under the guidance of a Director in their focus area, contributing to weekly meetings and the execution of core initiatives.
The conception of the website emerged from a need to centralize support, education, and dialogue around race and equity at UC San Diego, especially in response to the emotional and educational labor often placed on Black students. Designed as a digital hub for anti-racist education and community engagement, the site aims to ease access to vital DEI resources, amplify student voices through anonymous testimonials, and equip all campus members with the tools to practice active allyship.

Funding & Support

Developed in response to the disproportionate burden Black students face in educating others about racism and allyship, our initiative will centralize access to anti-racist tools, campus programs, and identity-based support networks. Designed as a sustainable, inclusive hub, Black Voices fosters community-wide dialogue and empowers students, staff, and faculty to actively participate in cultivating a more informed, empathetic, and equity-minded campus climate.
Recognizing the growing scale of our initiatives—from educational outreach and volunteer engagement to ongoing website development and event planning—we identified the need for additional resources to support our evolving operations. Our team developed a comprehensive presentation outlining the goals, outcomes, and future plans of the project, emphasizing how our work aligns with campus-wide DEI objectives and student engagement priorities. By clearly communicating our vision and the tangible progress we had made, we were able to demonstrate the value and necessity of continued investment in Black Voices.
Funding primarily supported early-stage development of our website, in employing student leaders to conduct and write accurate, transparent research and articles. Funds were also allocated toward outreach efforts—including tabling and flyering—to build awareness and onboard student volunteers. Finally, funding helped sustain and grow BV through marketing campaigns, campus events, forums, and fostering the launch of BV’s website.