SBVC Relaunches B.R.O.T.H.E.R.S Program
B.R.O.T.H.E.R.S. is back at San Bernardino Valley College. Founded in 2015 as an all-male FYE cohort, B.R.O.T.H.E.R.S. (which stands for Brothers Reaching Out To Help EVERYONE Reach Success) is a student action group that strives to improve the college experience and academic success of Black male students at SBVC. Resources include entrepreneurial workshops and learning more about financial literacy and mental health awareness.
After going through some restructuring, B.R.O.T.H.E.R.S. is relaunching, and "the goal is for it is to exist as more than a club, but as a community within the college community, where our members can interact and fellowship amongst themselves, while developing the skills to experience success in the college setting, excel in areas of social and professional health/well-being, and make meaningful connections as it relates to working towards attainment of their objectives while at SBVC," Keenan Giles, EOPS/CARE counselor, said.
It was important to Giles that B.R.O.T.H.E.R.S. relaunch "for the simple fact that the narrative of the Black male student has not changed," he said. "We remain the lowest-performing demographic across the board statistically, which has effectively gotten worse throughout the past pandemic period. With an increased pool of resources, intentional institutional support, and the forced pivot we have all had to go through, the timing is perfect to reinvigorate the momentum and make attempts at effecting change."
While B.R.O.T.H.E.R.S. is specifically intended for Black male students, "that does not mean exclusively," Giles said. "Statistics show that when efforts are made to address the needs of those most in need, everyone benefits." Any SBVC students interested in joining are asked to contact Giles, Dr. Robert Brown, or EOPS Outreach Specialist Alan Erving.