Diaspora (Commonwealth Union) _ The tragic deaths of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, and others at the hands of law enforcement five years ago ignited a global awakening within Black communities, reinforcing the urgency of the Black Lives Matter movement. This renewed energy not only fueled activism but also inspired lasting institutional change, such as the establishment of the Center for Africana Studies (CAS) at UC Merced. With a mission to foster appreciation and understanding of African and African diasporic identities, the center has become a vital space for intellectual exploration, cultural connection, and community engagement.
“The idea for the center had been in discussion for years, but after George Floyd’s murder, it became an imperative,” said co-director and history professor Muey Saeteurn, who specializes in the experiences of rural Africans and their role in nation-building. “The Black Lives Matter movement brought it to the forefront, compelling campus leadership to prioritize its creation.”
A critical mass of scholars focused on Africa and its diaspora had already reached the Department of History and Critical Race and Ethnic Studies within the School of Social Sciences, Humanities, and Arts. Among them were Saeteurn and CAS co-director Professor Sabrina Smith, an expert on African-descended populations in colonial Mexico. Their collective expertise laid the foundation for the center, which initially took shape as the Black Collective before officially launching as CAS in the summer of 2023.
“UC Merced is home to a diverse student body, including a significant number of African and African-descended students in both undergraduate and graduate programs,” Smith noted. “Through CAS, we provide a dedicated space for critical discussions, intellectual growth, and meaningful cultural exchange extending beyond the campus and into the broader community.”
For students like history major Virginia Mateo, CAS became more than just a center; it became a calling. After taking Smith’s course on the African Diaspora in Latin America in 2023, Mateo discovered an opportunity to intern at CAS through a Student Success Internship program.
“Their mission statement resonated deeply with me,” said Mateo, a Pomona native. “I interned for two semesters and by the end of my junior year, I was invited to join the center as a staff member.”
Now a student assistant, Mateo is instrumental in outreach efforts, maintaining CAS’s website, designing promotional materials, and managing social media channels to amplify the center’s initiatives.
CAS has already left a lasting impact by hosting and co-sponsoring influential events, bringing renowned scholars and artists to campus. Notable gatherings include a discussion led by UC Merced professor Nicosia Shakes on her book “Women’s Activist Theatre in Jamaica and South Africa” and Kevin Dawson’s “Open Water: Afroaquatics and History” session at the American Historical Association’s annual meeting.
In partnership with the Division of Equity, Justice, and Inclusive Excellence, CAS also co-hosted Distinguished Professor Robin D.G. Kelley, the Gary B. Nash Endowed Chair in U.S. History at UCLA. His lecture, “The Responsibility of Black Studies in the Face of Fascism and Genocide,” drew an audience of over 400 attendees, sparking critical discourse on historical and contemporary threats to education, activism, and justice.
Another landmark event occurred in November when CAS collaborated with the School of Social Sciences, Humanities, and Arts to welcome Zimbabwean filmmaker and activist Tsitsi Dangarembga to campus. Honored with the 2024 Alice and Clifford Spendlove Prize in Social Justice, Diplomacy, and Tolerance, Dangarembga engaged with graduate students in a storytelling workshop, offering insights into her creative process and inspiring the next generation of scholars.
For Ph.D. student Bethany Padron, CAS has been transformative. Specializing in performance studies through a Black feminist lens, Padron explores themes of liberation in poetry, blues music, and informal art forms. Through CAS, she received a travel grant that enabled her to conduct research in New Orleans, where she examined the resilience and cultural shaping of Black women within the African diaspora.
“Initially, I questioned why I was chosen to lead a book club on Tsitsi Dangarembga’s ‘Nervous Conditions,’” Padron recalled. “But through that experience, I realized how studying African literature connected me to my own ancestral roots. It shifted my perspective to a more global understanding of Black identity.”
Similarly, Mateo benefited from a CAS travel grant, which allowed her and three classmates to journey to Oaxaca for a week-long archival research project on slavery and African-descended communities in Mexico. “As someone of Mexican heritage, it was deeply personal to explore the African diaspora in Latin America,” she shared. “This experience reaffirmed my passion for historical research and inspired me to pursue a Ph.D. in Latin American history.”
Beyond supporting individual research endeavors, CAS continues to serve as a cornerstone of intellectual and cultural enrichment at UC Merced. By championing the narratives and contributions of African and African-descended communities, the center ensures that the study of the African diaspora remains a vibrant and evolving field.
“CAS is doing critical work to deepen our collective understanding of Africana studies,” Padron emphasized. “It’s not just for Black students its impact extends to everyone on campus, enriching the entire academic community.”
As it forges ahead, the Center for Africana Studies remains committed to its mission: to educate, inspire, and connect scholars and students with the rich histories and cultures of Africa and its diaspora, paving the way for a more informed and inclusive future.
