Centering scholarship, storytelling, and stewardship of Black legacy at UC Berkeley
The History of Black Lives at Cal (BLAC) Program is a multi-year initiative dedicated to documenting, preserving, and advancing the legacy of Black students, staff, faculty, and community members at UC Berkeley. Through research, storytelling, and cross-campus collaboration, the program works to ensure that Black history at Cal is not only remembered, but actively integrated into the university’s present and future.
This Thriving Community Snapshot highlights two graduate student leaders whose academic and professional work intersects with BLAC’s mission. Through journalism, law, and institutional research, they contribute to a broader effort to honor Black life, scholarship, and organizing at Berkeley.
Tell us about yourself.
Victor: I am a graduate student in the School of Journalism, documentary track. My work sits at the intersection of storytelling, community, and public accountability. I am interested in how media can document lived experience without flattening it, especially in Black and African communities, and how institutions can be made more legible to the people moving through them.
At Berkeley, I have worked in documentary production, community storytelling, and student spaces that support access and belonging. I have contributed as a videographer and editor on an Emmy-winning public media project, working across field production and post-production on stories with statewide reach. Alongside that work, I collaborate with campus and local organizations, using film and journalism as tools to listen first and represent people on their own terms. My time at Berkeley has pushed me to be more intentional about how I show up, tell stories, and support others navigating the institution.
Filmore: I am from Macon, Georgia, and a proud graduate of Fort Valley State University, a small Historically Black College & University in Georgia, where I majored in Mathematics and Computer Science. Before transitioning to the legal field, I spent a few years as a Data Science Engineer at Apple. I am currently a 3L at Berkeley Law, interested in civil and criminal law. Beyond my coursework, I serve as a Graduate Coordinator for Black Lives at Cal (BLAC), a multi-year initiative to celebrate, defend, and advance the legacy of Black people at the University of California, Berkeley.
What has participating in the History of Black Lives at Cal Program meant to you personally and/or professionally?
Victor: Participating in the History of Black Lives at Cal Program has given me language and context for experiences I was already carrying. As a Black student coming from outside the U.S., it helped me better understand the specific histories, struggles and forms of resistance that shape Black life at Berkeley, while also seeing where my own story connects and where it differs.
Professionally, the program reinforced my responsibility as a journalist and filmmaker. It reminded me that history is not abstract or finished, it lives in people, institutions and everyday choices. Being part of this program has pushed me to approach storytelling with more care, clarity, and accountability, especially when working within spaces that have not always been built with Black communities in mind.
Filmore: Coming from a community like Fort Valley State University, Black excellence and institutional contributions were self-evident and formed the very atmosphere of the campus. Transitioning to a PWI, I realized that these narratives are not always a given; they often require active defense and intentional preservation. Participating in BLAC has been one of my greatest honors because it allows me to research, document, and promote the stories of Black changemakers whose legacies might otherwise remain buried. Personally, this work has instilled in me a profound sense of courage. It has taught me that even in spaces where I may be in the minority, I possess the agency to make a lasting impact and ensure our history is recognized as an integral part of the university’s identity.
What have you learned about the Black History at Cal that you did not know before?
Victor: I learned how deep and sustained Black presence and organizing at Cal has been. Before this program, I did not fully understand how much of what exists today, such as student spaces, programs, and pathways, came from long-term advocacy, protest, and care work by Black students, staff, and faculty.
I was also struck by how much of this history lives in personal stories rather than official records. Learning about Black History at Cal showed me that progress here has often been uneven and hard-won, shaped by people who stayed engaged even when visibility or institutional backing was limited. That understanding has changed how I read the campus and my place within it.
Filmore: Through BLAC, I have uncovered a wealth of history, but the legacy of Professor William 'Bill' Banks and the Department of African American Studies stands out most to me. I learned that the department was truly trailblazing from its inception in the 1970s. I also learned that when the graduate program was established in 1997, it was only the third in the world to offer a Ph.D. in African American Studies and the first ever to focus specifically on the study of the African Diaspora. Understanding that Berkeley was one of the early birthplaces of this global academic framework was an eye-opening revelation about the history of this campus.
Berkeley is a large campus that can be challenging to navigate. Can you share a particular experience or resource that has significantly contributed to your ability to find your way around the university community?
Victor: One of the most helpful things for me has been finding community through people, not just offices. Early on, connecting with Black student spaces and international student networks gave me anchors on campus. Those relationships helped me understand how things actually work, who to ask, and where to go when something felt unclear.
Working across different parts of campus has also been important. Being involved in student leadership, campus jobs and collaborative projects forced me to move beyond my department and build relationships in different spaces. Over time, that made Berkeley feel less overwhelming and more navigable, not because I had everything figured out, but because I knew I was not navigating it alone.
Filmore: To navigate a campus as large as Berkeley, I found that curated communication is key. While the university as a whole can feel overwhelming, joining organizations aligned with my interests and subscribing to community-specific newsletters made the environment feel much more manageable. Resources like 'BlackGradNews,' the Cal Black Community newsletter, and various graduate student listservs have been invaluable.
What does "thriving" mean to you personally, and how have you experienced this during your time at UC Berkeley? What could support your thriving even more?
Victor: For me, thriving means having stability, community, and the space to focus on meaningful work without constantly feeling like I am catching up or proving myself. At Berkeley, I have experienced this through mentorship, peer support, and opportunities to apply my learning beyond the classroom.
Thriving would be supported even more by clearer and more accessible systems for graduate and international students, especially around funding, workload balance, and mental well-being.
Filmore: To me, thriving is the commitment to incremental growth: the drive to be better today than I was yesterday, and to ensure tomorrow is even more impactful than today. At Berkeley, I’ve experienced this through the diverse facets of my involvement, from helping conduct institutional history research with BLAC to engaging with the pro bono legal community at the Law School. These experiences have allowed me to sharpen my skills while giving back to the community that sustains me. To support this growth even further, continued and expanded investment in spaces like the African American Student Development (AASD) and the Fannie Lou Hamer Black Resource Center is essential. These programs provide the foundation that allows Black students to not just survive, but to truly excel.
What advice would you give to new members of our campus community to help them realize their hopes / dreams / thrive on campus?
Victor: Find your people early and do not try to navigate Berkeley alone. Community will carry you through moments when the institution feels overwhelming. Ask questions often, even when you feel behind, and use the resources that exist without guilt. Many of them are here because students before you pushed for them.
Be intentional about your time and energy. Berkeley offers endless opportunities, but you do not have to do everything to belong. Choose work that aligns with your values and protects your well-being. Thriving is not about moving fast or being visible everywhere; it is about building a pace and a support system that allows you to stay grounded and keep going.
Filmore: My primary advice is to lean into the sheer expansiveness of this university. It is easy to feel like just another number in such a large institution, but I encourage you to see that scale as an opportunity rather than a barrier. If you believe the campus is missing a specific resource, conversation, or community space, you have the power to bring that vision to fruition. Between grants, scholarships, and departmental support, the resources are there; you just have to do the legwork. You aren't here to simply move through the system; you can shape your own experience and, more importantly, build a legacy that improves the journey for those who come after you.
How has this experience connected you with the undergrad community and/or the community in general?
Victor: This experience has helped me connect across roles and generations on campus. Through shared spaces, conversations, and storytelling, I have been able to engage more closely with undergraduates, listen to their experiences, and share perspective from navigating Berkeley as a graduate student.
It has also reinforced the importance of showing up in community spaces beyond academic settings. Being part of this program created opportunities to connect around shared history and lived experience, which has made my sense of belonging at Berkeley feel broader and more rooted.
Filmore: The Law School can often feel like an isolated island, and it’s easy to stay on that island. My involvement with BLAC has been the bridge that connected me to the rest of the university. It pushed me beyond the law building and allowed me to forge a genuine community with a diverse range of people, undergraduates, graduate students from other disciplines, faculty, and staff, whom I would never have crossed paths with otherwise. These connections have deeply enriched my time at Berkeley, reminding me that oftentimes the most impactful work happens when you are rooted in the broader community rather than just your specific field of study.
What is next on the horizon for you?
Victor: I am focused on completing my documentary thesis and continuing to build work that centers community, accountability, and lived experience. After Berkeley, I plan to keep working at the intersection of journalism, documentary film, and public media, while pursuing opportunities that allow me to deepen my practice and mentorship of others.
What matters most to me moving forward is staying grounded in the kind of storytelling that is responsible, collaborative, and connected to the communities it represents.
Note: The History of Black Lives at Cal Program is supported by a collaborative team of graduate student leaders and researchers. While this snapshot features Victor Ochieng and Filmore Thomas IV, the initiative’s work is also shaped by the leadership and research contributions of Mango Jane Angar, Political Science Ph.D. candidate and Lead of BLAC’s Research Team. Although she was not available to participate in this interview, her scholarship and ongoing work remain an integral part of advancing the History of Black Lives at Cal.
Do you know someone whose work and impact should be highlighted in our Thriving Community Snapshots series? Nominate yourself or someone else by filling out this Thriving Community Snapshots: Nomination Form. We’d love to share more stories that showcase the vibrant and diverse contributions within our community!f
