The Building Leaders and Creating Knowledge (B.L.A.C.K.) Community is a residential program that incorporates Black/African American/African cultural knowledge and experiences with academic support in a living community. This community provides a welcoming place for students to engage in discourse about the Black community on campus and at large, receive mentorship, and develop understanding of leadership and personal identity.
Through a partnership with African American Student Affairs (AASA), students can expect workshops, group study sessions, organized opportunities to volunteer in the community, and excursions off-campus. Students who participate in this community have access to staff from AASA for mentoring and advising, can earn course credit through the AASA Internship Program, and can take advantage of multiple opportunities to build relationships with local and campus community leaders.
Benefits of the B.L.A.C.K. Community
- Receive guidance and support for your transition to college from students and faculty who have lived the experience
- Participate in off-campus projects and service-learning experiences within the Tucson community
- Engage in resume-building/ professional development programming, as well as networking opportunities to enhance career and academic skills
- Be a part of an environment that emphasizes academics and leadership while maintaining a strong connection to Black/African American cultural and ethnic identity, history, and each other
- Live in a culturally affirmative living space and be engaged to think about identity—past, present, and future—to help develop an understanding of purpose and mission here at the UA and beyond
- Make new friends and be guided toward success
- Located in Pima House
How to Apply
- Submit a housing application in My UAHome
- Pay the non-refundable housing application fee
- The community application process, inside your housing application, opens in December. Space is limited.
NOTE: You must have a housing application on file to be considered for this community. Additionally, preference is given to applicants who are able to register for the common course (TLS 495-001) and participate in an early move-in program.
For more information about living in this community, email housing@arizona.edu.
Application Criteria:
To be considered for admission into the B.L.A.C.K. Community, you must meet the following-criteria:
- Answer all questions on the application.
- Have an interest in exploring Black identity development as indicated through responses to the questions on the application.
Participating in Building Leaders and Creating Knowledge Community
The B.L.A.C.K. Community is an engaging living environment. In the community, students have access to unique resources and programs designed to support their transition to college. It’s expected that students living in the community take advantage of the array of academically enriching activities offered to members of the community – space is limited, so sign up quickly!
Contact Information
For more program information, contact:
African American Student Affairs
AASA@arizona.edu