1. Substance, Support, and Societal Perceptions of the Black Community
GENERAL BODY MEETING #4
Presented by Lattiesha “lalA” dark
Special events coordinator
Does everyone identify as African-American or Black?
Survey questions
1.Do you believe all the Black organizations on campus are supportive of each other?
2. Do you believe that we need to be supportive of each other in order to progress in life?
3. Are you engaged enough in your community to make an impact and further your own understanding of your community and what needs to be done to get us to the next level?
Is a determining factor of whether you attend an event or not due to it being “lit” or a part of “the hype”
4. How much would you say that you contribute to the progression of your organization or community?
5. Do you believe that your organization benefits you in your progression at JMU and within the real world?
6. Does it matter more about what you are supporting or who?
These questions will be asked at the end, they are open ended
Why did you join BSA?
What other organizations are you involved in?
Why did you join them?
What are some suggestions on how we can better our organization and how we can better support other organizations of color on campus?

2. Objectives
By the end of this presentation, the general body members, spectators and Executive board of the Black Student Alliance should be able to:
Evaluate personal and societal perception’s within one’s community
Demonstrate a greater awareness of one’s identity and importance of the recognition of community involvement
Demonstrate a better appreciation for the Black community and how it benefits oneself
Articulate and understand the need for direct support of the Black community

3. Substance
What words or characteristics come to mind when you hear the word “substance”?
Is there substance within the Black community as whole? At James Madison University?
How can we, as an organization, promote substance?
Is it all about being “lit”?
Are we only a part of the “hype”?
I asked someone to join Esteem and recommended that they should come out and join and their response was “Is it lit”.
A guy wrote me on IG asking me about “Activity Hour” “Is the activity hour gonna be lit” “come find out” idk if its worth it…”
I want to be a ___ because I’m pretty and I want to be a ____ because I’m hard.
People join organizations for the wrong reasons all the time…
Don’t go to BSA because its boring
I’m not joining “this organization” because I don’t like _____
I’m not going because they’re wack and no one is going to be there anyways
I just wanted to be Greek
They did too much for me so I left
Why are you in that organization, it’s wack

4. Support
What does it mean to you to "build up” and “lift up” your community?
How can you better support our Black communities?
JMU
Hometowns
#BlackLivesMatter movement
Nationally
Remember that you have to be supportive, in order to be supported.

5. Societal Perceptions How does society view us?
Do these views become a part of how we see ourselves?
Do you think that we can change negative perceptions and stereotypes placed upon the Black community? How would we go about that?

6. THANK YOU!