On the 22nd of February 2021, the Associated Student of Skyline College along with the Center for Student Life and Leadership Development held an online event – a panel discussion to celebrate the closing of ASSC’s Black History Month 2021. The event took place on Zoom and was kicked off by a brief introduction from Student Life Manager Alvin Gubatina. The discussion was then led by ASSC Senator Anthony Tran who introduced our four panelists.
Our distinguished panelists were: Dr. Jennifer Taylor Mendoza (Vice President of Instruction), Pcyeta Stroud Director of the Bay Area Entrepreneur Center (BAEC), Professor Kenyatta Weathersby (Mathematics Instructor at Skyline College) and Dr. Chad Coates (Skyline College’s new Umoja-ASTEP Faculty Coordinator). After brief introductions of each panelist, imperative discussions were raised. The topics included mainly a focus on each panelist’s educational barriers, foundational support or resources that were vital to their success. Other in depth and personal questions were posed such as understanding when they had their earliest memory of realizing their skin color mattered, overcoming struggles and on how our campus can do better to celebrate and connect with our Black community. Panelists shared tremendous stories and thoughts on the discussion points stated above to a great extent.
The event then concluded with a Q&A and giving opportunity to participants to ask questions to the panelist as well as sharing their thoughts. Great ideas, thoughts, suggestions and questions were raised on this session of the event including life expectancy in the African American community, diversity in faculty and staff, counseling as well as reaching students through virtual learning.
If you’d like to watch the whole event online and learn more about each panelist, the full video link is attached below, it is on the ASSC YouTube Channel here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rQPpa49zzP0&feature=youtu.be.
Article by Ryan Samn