Mission
The mission of the Bruce D. Nesbitt African American Cultural Center is to provide a network of programs and support services promoting the individual, social, cultural, and academic well-being of University of Illinois students. Grounded in the theories and lived experiences of the global Black and African Diaspora, we develop sustainable initiatives that explore Black cultures, histories and identities across the United States, the Caribbean, Africa and beyond via critical dialogue, heritage exploration and the performing arts. We educate all Illinois community members on the richness and diversity of Black life from a global perspective, challenging them to critically assess their role as global citizens and to consciously advocate for a respectful, inclusive campus environment and community.
Goals
- To serve as a vehicle for self-expression and leadership enhancement to students through workshops, seminars, drop-in hours, and performing arts groups.
- To promote campus-wide understanding of the unique contributions of Black communities across the United States and the African Diaspora to the life and culture of the campus, the nation, and indeed the world.
- To encourage within students of the Black and African Diaspora a growing sense of pride and dignity based on their rightful cultural heritage, and to assist them in acquiring a growing cultural awareness grounded in the global Black experience.
- To collaborate with student organizations on the Urbana campus whose missions and values align and complement the mission of the center.
- To provide opportunities for all students to engage in the vital cultural and social experience of meeting, interacting with, and learning from students of diverse backgrounds.
- To facilitate meaningful relationships and networking opportunities between students of the Black and African Diaspora and Illinois alumni.