Black Student Union presents…”If Black People are Free, We All Get Free”
presented in the Little Theater on December 14, 2016
This month’s ASB Speaker Series event, Black Student Union invited three young Black activists in the Bay Area to speak to the students about issues regarding the Black freedom movement and how students and educators, both Black and non-Black, can show up for Black lives.
Blake Simons – Blake is native of the Bay Area and a recent UC Berkeley grad. Blake has been an active member of the Black Student Union at UC Berkeley. Currently he is the co-director of the African American Student Development Office at UC Berkeley. Activism run’s in Blake’s family. Some of his family were members in the Black Panther Party along with the Black Liberation Army.
Alana Banks – Ab is a Bay Area native and recent UC Berkeley grad. Ab has been active in National Panhellenic Council as a member of the Sigma Gamma Rho sorority incorporated. As a Cal student, they represented the Black and Queer communities as an ASUC Senator. Ab is the current co-director of the African American Develop Office at UC Berkeley.
Spencer Pritchard – BHS Student Teacher in training at UC Berkeley School of Education. Co- staff sponsor of BHS BSU and participant in many campaigns at UCB.
Questions addressed:
- Introductions and background
- What can Black people do to come closer together and build more trust, more organizations, among other related topics?
- What can allies do to tangibly support Black organizers?
- What freedom movements have impacted or inspired you today?
- Do black people deserve reparations? Why or why not?
- Where can we go from here in era of Trump and Black Lives Matter?