The
Black
Cultural
Center
is
a
place
on
campus
that
has
stood
the
test
of
time
and
continues
to
be
a
reminder
to
all
students
that
there
is
room
for
Black
and
minority
students
to
live
as
their
most
authentic
selves
with
each
other.
The
first
conversation
about
the
establishment
of
a
Black
Cultural
Center
(B.C.C.)
on
campus
was
in
November
of
1969.
Since
then,
it
has
continued
to
be
recognized
as
a
place
of
sanctuary
and
security
for
Black
and
minority
students
on
campus.
On
college
campuses,
especially
at
majority-white
institutions
like
BW,
environments
specifically
catering
to
different
cultural
backgrounds
are
important,
believes
Heaven
Roberts
'17.
"People
deserve
to
have
a
place
where
they
feel
comfortable,
safe,
and
be
their
[sic]
true
selves
around
other
people
who
understand
them
and
their
experiences,"
Roberts
said.
The
B.C.C.
gives
BW
students
a
chance
to
be
in
a
space
where
they
do
not
have
to
conform
to
the
dominant
culture
or
conceal
the
characteristics
that
make
them
unique.
The
center
has
become
a
key
point
of
unity
for
Black
students
at
BW.
Derrick
Simpson
'19
said
he
formed
most
of
his
friendships
at
the
B.C.C.
"As
a
freshman
in
college,
seeing
that
there
was
a
house
for
Black
students
was
impactful."
The
B.C.C.
not
only
gives
Black
students
and
other
minorities
a
place
to
connect
with
people
like
themselves,
but
it
also
conveys
a
message
that
these
small
yet
powerful
communities
exist
at
BW
and
should
not
be
overlooked.
Courtney
Robinson,
a
program
manager
for
the
Center
for
Inclusion,
said
that
the
B.C.C.
"allows
students
to
have
direct
access
to
us,
build
stronger
relationships
with
students
and
be
more
in
touch
with
what
is
going
on
around
campus."
Current
student
senior
Austin
Watkins
hopes
that
students
continue
to
make
an
effective
use
of
the
space.
Watkins
said
he
hopes
students
will
"come
together,
make
connections
and
network
with
students
of
different
backgrounds."
Article
reprinted
with
permission
from
The
Exponent,
an
online
and
print
news
source
operated
by
Baldwin
Wallace
students.
