Stanford's Black Graduate Student Association

This Wednesday!

Stanford BGSA and BSU presents Fish Friday! Come study, relax, and dine at the Black House this Friday March 3rd at 5:00 pm!

Henrietta Lacks was born in 1920 in Roanoke, Virginia. Cells stolen from her body without her knowledge were used to form the HeLa cell line, which has been used extensively in medical research since that time. Lacks' case has sparked legal and ethical debates over the rights of an individual to their genetic material and tissue. If not for her, much of the research we see in modern science would not exist. Hela cells have been used to understand better how viruses work. They have played a crucial role in developing polio and COVID-19 Vaccines. Experimentation on African-Americans is not a new phenomenon, and Henrietta is just one example of this. She passed from cervical cancer in 1951. May her legacy and impact live on!

Zora Neale Hurston became a fixture of New York City's Harlem Renaissance due to her novels like "Their Eyes Were Watching God" and shorter works like "Sweat." She was also an outstanding folklorist and anthropologist who recorded cultural history, as illustrated by Mules and Men. Unfortunately, Hurston died in 1960, before a revival of interest led to posthumous recognition of her accomplishments. Nonetheless, she is regarded as one of the most influential Black figures of her time.

Maria P. Williams is the first Black woman to write and produce a movie. The film "The Flames of Wrath." was released in 1923, starring Maria herself. Not much is known about Maria Priscilla Williams. She and her husband Jesse L. Williams started the Western Film Producing Company and Booking Exchange in Kansas City, Missouri, sometime around 1920. Maria was a social activist and a teacher, and she had previously published a book, "My Work and Public Sentiment," in 1916. Press reports from 1923 announced "The Flames of Wrath" as a five-reel mystery written, acted, and produced entirely by Black people, and described Maria as secretary and treasurer of the Western Film Producing Co., a Negro corporation of Kansas City. Williams and her husband also worked at a movie theater. Their film company distributed her film to Black cinemas in the southeastern U.S.

Pinchback was born to a formerly enslaved person and her former enslaver. As a young man, he worked on steamships traveling the Mississippi, Red, and Missouri rivers, first as a cabin boy and then as a steward. When the American Civil War broke out, he served as an officer in the Union army. During Reconstruction, he entered Louisiana politics, becoming a state senator in 1868. He replaced Louisiana's lieutenant governor in 1871 after the lieutenant governor died in office. He then served as acting governor of the state between Dec. 9, 1872, and Jan. 13, 1873, during impeachment proceedings against the elected governor, Henry Clay Warmoth.
Pinchback won election to the House of Representatives in 1872 and the U.S. Senate in 1873. But white southerners challenged the results, and he was never permitted to assume either office. He then published his weekly newspaper, The Louisianian, which he oversaw from 1870 to 1881.

Born in Eboe, what is now Nigeria, Olaudah Equiano was sold into slavery and later freed. His autobiography, The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, or Gustavus Vassa, the African, was written by himself in 1789 and became known as one of the most famous narratives of an enslaved person at that time. With its strong abolitionist stance and detailed description of life in Nigeria, it was so popular that in his lifetime it ran through nine English editions and one U.S. printing and was translated into Dutch, German, and Russian at the turn of the 21st century.

Carter G. Woodson was a scholar whose dedication to celebrating the historic contributions of Black people led to the establishment of Black History Month, marked every February since 1976. Woodson fervently believed that Black people should be proud of their heritage and all Americans should understand the largely overlooked achievements of Black Americans. While we all know Black history should be celebrated all year, it is important for us to take this month to reflect on all of the greatness our people and culture bestows upon this world. Let's celebrate!

It's that time of the year! Happy Black History Month from your Stanford BGSA family!

In celebration of Black Liberation Month, this Jeopardy game will highlight Black History in areas like Education, Music, and more! Join us for free food, fun and prizes as we celebrate the great contributions of Black folks across the globe. https://stanforduniversity.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_3I2Q30HcUZby7BA

Study Jamz are back for 2023! Head to EVGR-B 171 and start accomplishing your winter quarter goals. There will be snacks, tea and food from Back-A-Yard.

This Thursday! Relax and recharge with SBBO 🖤

On November 5th, BGSA has our first hiking outing of the year. It is a great way to clear your head, de-stress, and meet new people. The hike will be about 2-3 hours, medium-level intensity. We are looking for drivers (GAS WILL BE REIMBURSED) and snacks will be provided! RSVP in bio 🌞🌲🌿🥾

Happy (almost) Fall Quarter! Please Join BGSA and next Wednesday, September 21st from 5:30-7:30pm PST for F.U.B.U @ The Black House, our annual Black graduate student welcome event. We will be in person, at the Black Community Services Center (418 Santa Teresa Street).

Come connect with campus programs and meet new and current Black graduate students! ❤️Light refreshments will be provided.

Spots for our annual Black Sands Retreat Memorial Day Weekend at Grover Beach in San Luis Obispo, CA have opened up!

Black Sands is a great way to get off campus, make new connections, and clear your head! Trust me it is an experience you do not want to miss- quality memories with quality people.
P.S. even if you have a lot of work to do, you can get it done there.

Leaving campus: Friday (5/27) late afternoon
Arriving on Campus: Monday (5/30) Late morning

If you are still interested in going or changed your mind, TODAY IS YOUR LUCKY DAY!!

Respond to any of our emails or DM and Will connect you to our organizers!

On the behalf of the Black Community Services Center, which is affectionately referred to as the Black House, I am excited to invite you to the our first Wine Down Wednesday to be held on Wednesday, May 11th, 2022 from 5 PM to 7 PM on the Black House Deck.

Get some wine and meet other Stanford Black Graduate students across campus!

LINK in BIO

Santa Clara County has hired consultants to evaluate the county's relationship to the police, and they want to hear from Black Stanford UNDERGRADUATE AND GRADUATE students about our experiences on campus.

Please join us at the Black House on May 2nd, 2022. 5:30 pm for a discussion and collective visioning session. Now is our time to make our voices heard!

We will have SNACKS!! We hope to see as many of y'alll there as possible!

Name: Oasis - Black Women's Rooftop Brunch Retreat
Date/Time: Saturday April 30th, 2022, 11-2pm
Location: CERAS 5th Floor Rooftop
RSVP Required: RSVP in the bio (Deadline: Wednesday April 27th, 11:59PM)

We warmly welcome all Stanford Black graduate womxn (female, femme, non-conforming, non-binary, trans) to an afternoon rooftop brunch retreat celebrating community, culture, and self-care. Space may be limited - please RSVP early.

Our amazing members braved the potential rain this past Saturday for our final group hike of the year!

5 miles ☑️
Quality people ☑️
Beautiful scenery ☑️

Stay on the look out for what BGSA has in store for you this quarter, the board is leaving with a BANG 🤯

Join us this Thursday for the start of our weekly Study Jamz!

Coffee, tea, and snacks will be provided.
Just bring you, yourself, and your work!

It’s finally spring 🌸🌺💐🌞🌺

Time to step out, bask in the sun, and reconnect! Join us this Friday!

Link in bio

We have a big announcement: Black Sands is ON!

Black Sands (formerly Black Ice) is BGSA's annual retreat. For those who may not be familiar- Black Ice is our annual wellness retreat in the mountains. BUT THIS YEAR, we are going to the beach-each, let's go get a wave ☀️ 🏝 🌊

Black Sands will be an opportunity for you to get off campus, reconnect with the wider Black graduate community, find a moment to relax in nature, and engage in candid dialogue around issues pertinent to the Black community.

So clear those dates and tell your friends. Registration to open soon!

Join us for our last but first in person study hall of winter quarter this Sunday!

Dinner provided for those that RSVP
Link in bio

TONIGHT!! Join BEGSA AND BGSA for our annual Wine, Cheese, and Trap Night at Kennedy Great Room at 7pm!

Last night’s Black History Month Costume Party was a good ass time!! The BGSA fam got to link up to some good music and good vibes.

We had some of our amazing members come thru and show out! Which one was your favorite costume?!

Winter quarter Hiking with BGSA!

Hiking is a great way to escape campus and spend some quality time with your people! Make sure to take time to convene with nature as this quarter wraps up!

has some dope events for us next week to end BHM on the right note!! Make sure to come thru and connect with you community 🤍

I- Community Check in: Join us with your mental health and wellbeing coaches and let us know how the community is doing during our month. This check-in will act as a virtual space for the you to be heard, as it pertains to wellbeing while at Stanford. We just want to give space for y'all to be open and honest about how you're feeling and what we can collectively do to make that happen.
Join here!
II- Black Business Pop-up: Oh we know you like to shop ... Have no fear! On Sunday February 27th 11am to 3pm, the Black Community Services Center will be hosting its first ever Pop Up Shop this Black Liberation Month. The Health=Wealth:Joy Pop Up will be highlighting the importance of black health, the beauty that is black joy, and the impact of black entrepreneurs near and far. So do not hesitate to come to the Black House and support members of our community. Invest your coin in black business on campus and in the Bay Area. And remember to all year round.

Celebrate the end of black history month at BGSA's BHM Costume Party! Come dressed as a positive,
historical or current figure in Black History, such as Frederick Douglass, Katherine Johnson,
Rihanna, Lebron James, and more! We'll have music, food, drinks, and fun!
Costumes are highly encouraged but optional, come celebrate BHM either way.
The most popular and creative costume wins a prize!