STUDENT AFFAIRS | Thirty first-year students from around the nation, and the globe, joined the rich 20-year history of The Learning Community’s (TLC) commitment to Black excellence. On Saturday, Aug. 15, this year’s cohort kicked off their 12-day virtual summer program, when students build community, understand their resources at LMU, and explore their Blackness through relevant happenings and experiences within the Black community.
TLC is a Black leadership program focused on supporting first-year students of African descent at LMU. It offers students the opportunity to expand their ethnic and cultural awareness, deepen their understanding of programs and resources present to facilitate academic success, and gain a greater understanding of the mission and traditions of LMU.
The theme of this year’s program is “Unapologetically Black: Now and Forever.” For the second year, TLC is led by AnaLexicis Bridewell ’13, interim program coordinator, and Ryan Hopkins ’20, program coordinator, ethnic and intercultural initiatives. Bridewell participated in the program as a first-year LMU student and remained connected to the program throughout her years as a student and as staff in 2016. Bridewell said she’s most excited this year “to see how students’ passions and talents meet the world’s greatest needs, especially right now.”
One of the goals of the program is to create a sense of family and belonging for students. Bridewell created virtual programming to make sure each student knows how important they are and the impact they can create by utilizing their voices and actions. Ultimately, creating the change they want to see in the world and supporting the Black community while doing so. The virtual summer program offers students various activities to engage students, create knowledge of campus resources, and acknowledge the 20-year legacy that they are now a part of as student-ambassadors for the Black community.
This year’s virtual summer program includes:
- Community-building engagements: a family game night, timeline share outs, and celebratory brunch with a live DJ;
- Spirituality exploration: prayer breakfast with Jazlyn Turner and understanding the role of the Black church in the Civil Rights Movement with Professor Kim Harris;
- Black community and social justice components: a listening session to understand how the students see the world today and a discussion on Black Lives Matter and police reform;
- Identity development: an educational leadership class with Bridewell, Henry Ward, senior director of EIS, and an African American Studies course with Professor Brad Stone;
- Health and wellness: a series of fitness classes taught by talented instructors, presentations on how to take care to approach skin care, nutrition, and physical health in college, and talk with Tracy Shaw, Ph.D., from Student Psychological Services on how to maintain a healthy mentality while facing two pandemics;
- Welcome to L.A. series: since most students won’t be able to come to L.A., TLC is bringing L.A. to them.
- A painting class – we will be painting the scenic L.A. area and discussing the various landmarks and their significance.
- Watch and talk on gentrification and its impact on the Black L.A. community.
- And a very special guest from the entertainment industry.
All student participants received a TLC Starter Pack designed to make sure students not only felt special but had what they needed for the virtual experience this summer. Each TLC Starter Pack included:
- A personalized card welcome card;
- This year’s common book;
- A resistance band for exercising;
- Art supplies for our hands-on activities;
- A personalized Erin Condren notebook for reflection and note-taking;
- And the limited-edition TLC 2020 T-shirt.
“With everything going on in the world today in regards to racial injustices against the Black community and our fight toward equity,” said Bridewell. “I want our incoming student leaders to really understand that their Blackness, in the various ways they define it, is valuable and should not be dimmed in any setting or space they occupy.”
Bridewell plans to host a series of virtual events throughout the academic year so that students can continue to build community. “My goal is to stay true to my definition of connection, which has nothing to do with physical distance,” said Bridewell. “It is really about meeting the students where they are and providing them space to facilitate growth on a personal level in their journey with each other.”
View the 2020 TLC Lookbook here, to meet the students. For more information, visit lmu.edu/tlc or follow TLC on Instagram.
