91����

On any given evening, Kierra Powell ’26 can usually be found at the Conney M. Kimbo Black Cultural Center (BCC) — sometimes planning events, sometimes studying, and often just spending time with friends. A place that began as a quick stop on a pre-orientation campus tour quickly became a second home for Powell and her friends.

���ܰ����Բ� PC POP, the BCC was a part of our tour,” recalls Powell. “The space just kind of stood out to us; We found ourselves just hanging out there or doing homework or watching movies.”

Two years later, Powell serves as a program coordinator for the center, helping create the same sense of connection that first drew her in.

That feeling of belonging has been central to the BCC since its founding in 1970. Today, the center continues to evolve as a hub for community, identity exploration, and student leadership.

From everyday moments to campus-wide celebrations, the BCC offers something essential: a place where students can show up as themselves, build community, and shape their experience at 91����.

Student-Centered Approach

Student voices shape much of the BCC’s work. Through its advisory board, students help guide programming, assess campus climate, and identify emerging needs.

“We’ve been growing programming and engagement with support from our advisory board,” says Vrinda Varia, associate chief diversity officer for Intercultural Student Life. “The advisory board has been instrumental in giving us direct student voice in shaping what we’re developing.”

This approach reflects a broader philosophy: programs should be both community-informed and grounded in authentic identity exploration.

“It creates a hub for community development, identity development, and leadership development in an intentional, identity-informed way,” Varia says. “Being able to cultivate programs that support identity exploration in an authentic way is critical, and the BCC centers that work.”

At the same time, the center emphasizes openness. “All of our programs are open to everyone,” Varia notes, underscoring its role as an inclusive campus space.

Building Connection

The BCC brings its mission to life through a wide range of programs designed to foster connection and celebrate culture. One of the most visible is Black Joy Month — 91����’s approach to Black History Month — which blends education, celebration, and community-building.

Recent events included themed dress days, the Black Joy Dinner Reception, and Cooking with Conney, a faculty-staff engagement initiative centered on shared meals. In February, the program brought Tamara Beauboeuf-Lafontant, Louise R. Noun Chair in Gender, Women's, and Sexuality Studies, and Valeriya Woodard ’25, Public History Collective Post-Baccalaureate Fellow, to share stories of Mrs. Edith Renfrow Smith ’37, DHL ’19 with recipes from the Renfrow family cookbook.

Beyond February, the center sustains engagement year-round. Programs such as M.C.E.E.: Men of Color Empowered and Engaged and Garden offer consistent spaces for conversation, mentorship, and support. The BCC also partners with other campus centers, including a recent collaboration with the Stonewall Resource Center and the Center for Religion, Spirituality, and Social Justice featuring Reverend Terrence Mayo.

Some initiatives draw on culturally familiar settings. Barbershop Talks brings Black male students together in the BCC’s barbershop and salon space — informally known as Crowned — for conversation and community-building, often alongside grooming services. The environment encourages openness and reflects the center’s commitment to meeting students where they are.

A “Third Space” on Campus

For Powell, the BCC fills an essential role in campus life.

“I think of it as a third space here at 91���� because you have your academic spaces and you have your room, but what’s in between that?” she says. “Where’s a place that you can actually talk to people, meet people, and build a community?”

While the BCC is rooted in supporting Black students, its reach extends across campus.

“It is open to all students at 91����,” Powell says. “That community building extends beyond the Black community … to just talk to each other, come together, and uplift Black voices.”

Honoring Legacy, Looking Ahead

The BCC also connects current students with generations of 91����ians. Powell recalls as especially meaningful.

“Being able to have us all in one space and just be around that energy … it was really cool to hear their experiences,” she says. “Seeing the way they’ve paved the way for Black students that are here now.”

That sense of continuity reflects the center’s broader significance. As Powell describes it, the BCC represents “the preservation of Black 91����ians’ existence here on campus” and the College’s commitment to “actionable social change.”

Under the leadership of Jenee Spencer, director of Intercultural Affairs, Black Student Specialist, the BCC continues to grow alongside the needs of the community. “Looking ahead, I am so excited about the ways students continue to connect through celebration of culture, leadership, service and Black Joy," says Spencer.

On May 1, the center will host the People of Nia Graduation, celebrating graduating seniors and their contributions to campus life.

As programming expands and student leadership deepens, the BCC remains an essential part of the 91���� experience — a place where students can show up fully as themselves.

For Powell, its impact is clear.

“I would say that it positively impacted my experience in the ways that I’ve been able to see myself grow — personally, academically, and professionally in the ways that I handle leadership,” she says.