Black Life Advisory Group Listening Exercise

Participants in the chancellor’s Listening Exercise with the Black Life Advisory Group on May 22, 2025 expressed a range of hopes and aspirations for the future.

Themes of empowerment, growth, and community building emerged repeatedly throughout the discussion. Some individuals emphasized the need for increased visibility and representation of Black voices within the institution. Others highlighted the importance of providing resources and opportunities for Black students and faculty to thrive.

One audience member expressed hope that the event would lead to tangible changes, such as increased support and visibility for Black-centered courses and initiatives. Another speaker underscored the importance of creating an environment where Black staff feel empowered to contribute their best work.

In all, the discussions reflected a desire for an inclusive and equitable future for Black Bruins at UCLA.

Themes

• Community Building: Creating a strong sense of community and belonging for Black students and faculty was noted as a key priority. 
• Black Voices: A speaker expressed hope for increasing the number of Black faculty and staff, as well as enhancing the visibility and representation of Black voices.  
• Access and Opportunity: Ensuring equitable access to opportunities, resources, and support for Black students was mentioned as essential.
• Black Student Success: Supporting the academic and personal success of Black students was a central theme. 
• Budget: Securing adequate funding and resources to support initiatives and programs supporting Black students, faculty and staff was discussed as a concern.  
• Fundraising: There were comments about fundraising opportunities to support Black life, in particular securing full-ride scholarships for deserving students. A recommendation was made to identify and designate a university official to serve as a key driver of major gifts. The importance of investing in Black alumni donors was discussed.
• Black Bruin Resource Center: The importance of the Black Bruin Resource Center was emphasized, and many wanted to remove the fundraising burden from this important entity.  
• Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) One speaker asked about the chancellor’s commitment to UCLA’s EDI values. Discussions also touched on navigating recent challenges brought on by changes in federal policy and how the new administration plans to manage these changes and challenges. Despite the challenges, there was also a sense of hope for a more inclusive and equitable future.
• Cross-Campus Unity: The importance of campus unity and the value-added partnerships were emphasized. Also discussed were the Black campus community’s partnerships with the administration, volunteers, various industries, campus development, and other parts of the campus.
• Black Arts and Culture: Recognizing the power of the arts and culture in fostering Black identity and expression was a focus.