Black History Month Spotlight: Fatoumata Dioubate ’24

Dioubate takes pride in her family roots in Mali in West Africa and carries her culture wherever she goes. She is also the co-president of the Black Student Union (BSU) and co-founder of Harmonyx, the first all-Black a cappella group at the 5Cs.

How did you get to where you are now?

I wouldn’t be where I am without my community’s support. Every step of the way someone told me that I could do it despite the challenges of existing as a Black person in America. I struggle with perfectionism and prioritizing my mental health when I experience burnout. When you’re someone with my background, you spend so much time trying to not only succeed but, in many ways, survive a system that was not meant for you. Checking in with yourself can sometimes fall off the back burner. However, as I have gotten older, I have become better at listening to my body when it needs a break.

In BSU, if we can meet the needs and support at least one person, that is a huge win. The challenges we face as Black students everyday are often overlooked, but as a community we do our best to make sure everyone feels seen and supported within our community.

This year, I helped start the first all-Black a cappella group, Harmonyx, to uplift Black voices and encourage Black performers to come to the a cappella world. There are many a cappella groups at the 5Cs, and I was one of five Black people still participating in them at the beginning of this semester. Every time I talked to someone in my community, they said, “Those spaces weren’t meant for me.” So, I took it upon myself to help change that. The other founders and I are still in the other groups, but Harmonyx feels like a safe space, another version of BSU, except that it is centered around music. We make a cognizant effort to showcase Black artists and Black music in turn, uplifting our own community and encouraging more students of color to participate in a capella.

Tell us about your experience as an Amplifying Black Communities programs assistant at Pitzer’s Community Engagement Center (CEC).

It was through the CEC, where I work as an Amplifying Black Communities program assistant, that I was able to create the a cappella group. I love working for the CEC because they encourage our projects, and they truly allow us to use our jobs as an avenue to help support the Black community. I work alongside BSU co-president Nejat Ali ’23 and BSU Executive Board member Ayman Omar ’24 to bring what we feel that our community needs. We also do outreach outside of BSU, such as neighboring high schools.

We went to Adelanto High and did a presentation about the types of colleges and the Common App to offer the students support on their college application process. Later, the high school students spent the day at Pitzer, where they got to meet other BSU members and ask everyone questions about college life, the application process, and more.

What does Black History Month mean to you? 

Ignoring the obvious issues with society trying to have a designated month where everyone pays attention to a group of people, Black History Month is a time for celebration. The Black community is strong, resilient, full of rich culture, and beautiful. We celebrate for all of those who came before us, and we prepare for all those who will come after. The Black community is celebrating our culture not just this month but every day.