By Taylor Johnson | OBSERVER Staff Writer
Bryce Mack lined up with 18 fellow high school graduates and 21 other students advancing to the next grade at District 55 on June 29.
Although it had been a month since he walked across the stage at Elk Grove Charter School in his cap and down to receive his diploma, he was excited to celebrate his achievement with his community and peers through the graduation celebration hosted by the Black Youth Leadership Project.
“A lot of us have had to overcome unique obstacles just to make it to graduation, so having a space where that’s recognized and uplifted means a lot,” Mack said. “It’s empowering, inspiring, and helps build a sense of pride and community.”
Black affinity graduations first began on predominately white college campuses in the early 1970s in California. One of the first ceremonies honoring Black graduates specifically at CSU Northridge in 1972 by its Afro American Studies Department, staff, and students away from campus.
According to CSU Northridge, in the formative years it was held as a post-commencement ceremony at different venues off campus and sponsored by corporate benefactors. By the late 1970s, the ceremony was officially moved to the campus, and in the early 1980s was held at the university’s student union.
Schools across California and the rest of the country later began implementing similar celebrations.
According to 40 Years and Counting, a publication documenting the history of UC Berkeley’s department of African American studies, the university’s Black Grad originated as a departmental graduation in the late 1970s as well. A faculty member hosted the event in his backyard for African American studies graduates.
UC Davis began celebrating a specific Black graduation in 1985 while Sacramento State celebrated its first in 1986.
Lorreen Pryor, CEO of the Black Youth Leadership Project, said the organization has held such graduations for about six years.
“We wanted to create a space of celebration for their accomplishments because we know that sometimes they don’t feel like they belong,” Pryor said. “We know that they don’t feel like their service is on the level of their peers, and so this is just us giving a gift back to the community.”
During its ceremony, the Black Youth Leadership Project gave out scholarships to students such as Mack, who received BYLP’s advocacy scholarship. The event also hosted raffles and trivia games.
Backlash from the federal government over DEI policies has caused many universities and school districts to cancel affinity graduations. Pryor said that BYLP will continue such celebrations and noted that it can’t be stopped by the federal government because it is private.
“I’m not worried about the administration,” she said. “I’m not worried about anybody else who’s trying to stop the brilliance that remains in our children. The fact that they have to survive school systems should say a lot about the folks in charge running them.”
Mack felt he had ups and downs with his identity at Elk Grove Charter School as there weren’t many people who understood his experiences or background.
“I sometimes had to work harder to be seen and heard, and there weren’t always enough resources or support systems in place for students like me,” he said. “But it also made me stronger and more determined to succeed. I’ve learned to take pride in who I am and where I come from, and I hope to inspire others to do the same.”
Last year in Elk Grove Unified, around 80% of Black seniors graduated. In Sacramento City Unified, roughly 72% of Black seniors graduated. Natomas Unified had 91% of Black seniors graduate.
In addition, 74% of Black seniors in San Juan Unified and 91% of Black seniors in Twin Rivers graduated last year.
This fall, Mack will attend CodeStack Academy, a specialized program focused on preparing students for careers in technology. There he will learn coding languages such as Python, JavaScript and Lua, as well as artificial intelligence.
He plans to major in cybersecurity and information technology because he’s passionate about technology and protecting people and organizations from online threats.
“With how much the world relies on digital systems, I believe cybersecurity is more important than ever. I want to help create safer online spaces and be a part of the growing field of tech innovation,” Mack said.
Support for this Sacramento OBSERVER article was provided to Word In Black (WIB) by the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative. WIB is a collaborative of 10 Black-owned media that includes print and digital partners.