By Madison Slocum, February 17, 2026
It’s orientation day. Students and parents are directed to their assigned groups. With a smile and high energy, Erianah Benjamin finds her community so she can introduce herself and the resources Cal Poly Pomona offers for Black students.
Benjamin said during events she actively tries to find her people and make Black students know there is an empowering community for them at CPP.
Creating a community for Black students on campus creates a system of support, identity, representation and success, according to Benjamin. Their success displays representation and role modeling for younger generations of children and students and letting everyone know their voices matter and will be heard. With Black students making up less than 5% of the student population at CPP, the leaders ensure Black students are supported.
As president of the Black Student Union for two years, Benjamin helps guide her community to feel heard, and she describes herself as energetic, strong and loving.
“It’s not dark here,” Benjamin said. “It’s love, its laughter, it’s joy and it’s OK to be happy here.”
President of Associated Students Inc. Amiyah Ellsworth is proud to be the first Black woman in her position at CPP. Ellsworth said she wishes she had this type of representation as a little girl to see what it looks like to step out of one’s comfort zone. Ellsworth first realized she was making a difference at CPP when an executive director told her and her best friend, “Ladies, you’re making history.”
Her advice to CPP students is to uplift and hold each other because together, they can reshape the community.
“There is no original experience,” Ellsworth said. “We have been through similar things, so hold onto each other.”
Tireni Oyenusi, the president of the National Society of Black Engineers said he never saw himself as a leader until he realized younger students look to him for direction and see him representing the Black community.
When he joined the NSBE, there were only about 10 people. But NSBE has more than doubled the number of members since then.
His advice to younger students is to remember to share their successes and their failures equally.
Lead career coach at CPP’s Career Center DeVoneia Jordan has been on campus for eight years and has been able to share perspective as someone who has seen changes within the community on campus. Compared to eight years ago, Jordan believes Black students feel a stronger sense of belonging, are more engaged and are figuring out how to utilize resources offered by CPP.
“Every step forward is a step to advancing,” Jordan said.
Jordan said students did not have a place on campus before and often felt left out and overlooked. But, as staff, she makes sure all students’ voices are heard and supported because it helps them thrive.
Jordan advocates for students in several ways by having an open-door policy, allowing them to always feel welcome. She also is advocating to get the Martin Luther King Jr. placard restored outside the Black Resource Center because she knows it will lead a path to restore his hope and vision.
“Community is family and representation is empowering for all students on CPP’s campus,” Jordan said.
There are ongoing inequities on campus students feel need more resources, Benjamin said. There have been times when the BRC and BSU were threatened to be closed, and members of the programs looked to Benjamin for help.
Jordan also said although students have more community, there is still room for more growth on campus. If the community continues to grow and have the resilience they have had throughout the past couple of years, they will continue to get louder and stronger.
“Black faces belong in high places,” Ellsworth said.
