Emory Black Student Alliance House
Location: 22 Eagle Row “The Emory Black Student Alliance is honored to have the ability to provide this residential opportunity to our community. Through all kinds of fellowship, food, and events - hosted by us and the other Black student organizations - we collectively hope to continue the work to strengthen the community, build to self-sufficiency, and educate each other.” - BSA Executive Board One of Emory’s most commonly used safe spaces for black students on campus is the Black Student Alliance (BSA) House, founded in 1986. The house was originally located at 716 Peavine Creek, and this house torn down and replaced with an open-air pavilion that will serve as an event space. In 2015 the location of the BSA house was moved to one of the houses on Eagle Row, where the fraternity and sorority houses are located. This move allowed BSA house residents to be closer to main campus. This current house is much bigger than the Peavine Creek house, and provides more space for students to live. The BSA house was “created in order to maintain Black identity and cohesiveness on the Emory University campus, promote recognition of a conscious African American culture and heritage, and serve as a place for the study and evaluation of Black ideals and goals.” The house was designed to be a space for black students to come together, share, support each other, and learn about themselves. The BSA house serves a similar purpose to “The Stairs” in Carter-Andrews’ article about spotlighting and the importance of safe spaces in schools. Since its creation the BSA house has carried out its mission by holding discussions, hosting black professionals and scholars, Barbeques, Function Fridays, movie nights, Kwanzaa celebrations, Black History Month events, and more. Even though the housing is only open to rising sophomores, juniors, and seniors, the events are always open to all students.
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During my time at Emory thus far, I have noticed black students go to the BSA House, and its affiliate, the Emory Black Student Union (EBSU) to do homework, destress, or relax with friends. Many students have shared how powerful and comforting having this space is for black students on campus. A first year student in one of my classes described feeling most at home at Emory in the EBSU.
The BSA housing is not limited to only African American students on Emory’s campus, however, participation in Black Student Alliance events and programming is expected of residents. Also those that live in the house are expected to agree with and respect the mission of the house. This housing option is fairly popular among black students at Emory, as many black students apply to live in the BSA house at some point during their career at Emory. Sources: http://emorywheel.com/social-pavilion-to-replace-former-bsa-house/ https://www.emory.edu/HOUSING/UNDERGRAD/bsa.html http://www.blackstarmag.com/alumni-1/2015/10/21/new-faces-same-spaces |