African American Thriving Initiatives (AATI)

Who We Are

BLAC is an African Thriving initiative of the African American Thriving Initiatives and the Institute for the Study of Societal Issues, and is endorsed by the Department of African American and African Diaspora Studies. BLAC has been further sponsored by the Black Studies Collaboratory, the Black Recruitment and Retention Center, the Big C Fund, and the Office of the Chancellor. Our Team is composed of a graduate student researchers, undergraduate students, and a steering committee.

Takiyah Jackson

Director of Thriving, African American Thriving Initiatives (AATI)
African American Student Development (AASD)
Black Lives at Cal

Takiyah Jackson (she/her) is the Director of African American Student Development and the Fannie Lou Hamer Black Resource Center at UC Berkeley. She also co-chairs UC Berkeley’s African American Initiative Steering Committee and has been a leader on campus for the African American Initiative since it was actively launched in 2017.

Takiyah works with campus leadership to look at transformative strategies using an equity, inclusion, justice and belonging lens. As the leader of the Black community on campus, Takiyah works...

Michele McKenzie

Social and Cultural Studies Librarian
Black Lives at Cal

Michele McKenzie is the Social and Cultural Studies Librarian for UC Berkeley Library. She is the liaison for Anthropology, Linguistics, African and African American and African Diaspora Studies. Michele collaborates with the lead investigator for the Black Lives at Cal (BLAC) initiative to support special projects and students in the Undergraduate Research Apprentice Program (URAP).

Stephen Small

Professor and Director
Institute for the Study of Societal Issues (ISSI)
African American Studies
Black Lives at Cal

Stephen Small(link is external)(link is external) is Professor of African American Studies and Director of the Institute for the Study of Societal Issues (ISSI)(link is external)(link is...

Gia White

Administrative Director
Institute of European Studies
Black Lives at Cal

Gia White(link is external)(link is external)(link is external) is administrative director of Global, International and Area Studies(link is...

Bella Volz-Broughton

Undergraduate Research Apprentice

Bella Volz-Broughton (They/She) is a third-year undergrad studying African American studies. They are passionate about Black liberation and equitable education within the confines of American institutions. Their personal research focuses on uncovering the untold histories of UC Berkeley and how it relates to Blackness. Especially in regards to People’s Park and social activism on campus. They intend to open a holistic learning center which serves Black Youth rooted in a Black Feminist Epistemological framework.

Klutvert Mgbatu Tabot

Research Apprentice

Klutvert Mgbatu Tabot (he/him) is a fourth-year undergraduate student from Eastvale, California. He is majoring in Public Health with a passion for healthcare equity and community advocacy. Klutvert’s decision to attend UC Berkeley was driven by his commitment to making a meaningful impact within underserved communities and contributing to the legacy of Black excellence at Cal.

With aspirations of becoming a physician, he is dedicated to addressing healthcare disparities and promoting public health initiatives. As an undergraduate research apprentice for BLAC,...

Ciera Reed

Undergraduate Research Apprentice

Ciera Reed (she/her) is a second-year undergraduate student majoring in Sociology with a minor in African American studies and Journalism. Outside of academia, Ciera has always had a passion for activism and social work centralized around Black life. She realized the systematic barriers placed against Black people at a very young age, and has always planned on being a part of abolishing them. As an undergraduate research apprentice for BLAC, she combines both her interests to create content that highlights and educates people about Black life, particularly at Cal. Through BLAC, she is...

Skyelar Montgomery

Undergraduate Research Apprentice
Skyelar Montgomery (she/her) is a fourth-year undergraduate student from Virgina. She is majoring in Legal Studies, and minoring in African American Studies. Skyelar’s desire to attend UC Berkeley was predicated through her aspirations of pushing the needle for the Black community at Cal. She is deeply interested in post-conviction work within the carceral system, looking towards assisting those wrongfully convicted. As an undergraduate research apprentice for BLAC, she assists with expanding BLAC’s social media engagement and uncovering stories of the past, present, and future Black at Cal...

Jasmine Griffiths

Undergraduate Research Apprentice

Jasmine Griffiths (she/her) is a third-year undergraduate student at the University of California, Berkeley double-majoring in Integrative Human Biology and African American Studies. Jasmine’s participation in the Black Lives at Cal (BLAC) Research Initiative is deeply influenced by her interests in the Black experience in education and healthcare, and her desire to make a positive impact in both fields. Her past work has been centered around advocacy and creating and brainstorming curricula to highlight the ethics of care for underrepresented communities in medicine. After her...