Amplifying Black Communities (ABC)

Held in the Spring semester, BLOOM is an annual music festival hosted by the Earth Tones, the first 5C Black Acapella Group. Step into a world: Of color, of love, of Black music. BLOOM is for the YEARNERS, the SOUL-SEARCHERS, the ROMANTICS, the SUN-SEEKERS. BLOOM is an entirely new RHYTHM, inspired by our connection to the natural world. A NEW NARRATIVE, for your hearts, for your ears. Earth Tones was established in 2022 with three main objectives: showcasing the talent and storytelling of black artists across genres, uniting Blaremont over a shared love in music, and most importantly, creating space within A Capella for Black students. Being a part of Earth Tones means being part of a greater community, the group takes pride in representing a segment of the Black community at the Claremont colleges and using their voices to share the music of extraordinary black artists.

The Alkebulan Garden (at Lopez Urban Farm) was created for the express purpose of providing a safe place for all Black people of the African diaspora in the Inland Southern Communities and Los Angeles County to learn about, and reconnect to their ancestral crops and food, and agricultural practices. It is a place for preserving African seeds, as well as seeds that are culturally relevant to the people of the diaspora. Alkebulan is the oldest known name for the continent of Africa, the Garden of Eden and Mother of Mankind.  Workdays are every Saturday morning 10am to 12pm. Students will weed, prepare the soil/land for planting, do some digging, mulching, planting seeds, pruning plants, and harvesting produce. Students will take time to learn about the plants, the soil, the culture and of course, connect with nature, and build community. Students may paint signs for the garden, and take time to enjoy the food that has been harvested. Students may attend cultural workshops and events happening during workday time. Occasionally, the Alkebulan Garden may hold events in collaboration with Lopez Urban Farms,  or may table at events. 

The African American Museum of Beginnings is a  community museum that inspires and educates all on the history, culture, and arts of African and African Americans through exhibits, programs, and community engagement. Students can support the museum through efforts involved in expanding the curatorial needs of the museum, assisting in organizational logistics, and providing publication support among other tasks.

Recent collaborations have included visits to The University of Redlands Black Student Union and the creation of a CA high school Black Student Union contact database. Additionally, a College Access showcase for students who are members of the Black Student Union at San Dimas High School was provided to 30 students, which included a campus tour, a lunch/real talk, merchandise gift, admissions and financial aid workshop, and a personal statement writing workshop.