By Gabriel Oliveros Jr.
Sister Swap, held by the Helen Rucker Center for Black Excellence, was the first clothing drive of the fall semester for the center.
Students were encouraged to arrive at Friday night’s event ready to exchange clothing, partake in thought provoking conversations and grab some sweet treats. Free house baked cookies, brownies and steaming hot chocolate were available for those in attendance.
Austin Pozos, a fourth year humanities and communications major with a concentration in liberal studies, mentioned the center is here to help people in any way they can. Pozos said, “The Helen Rucker center is named after Helen Rucker, in the community she was an activist. She’s still here with us today, she was a teacher. She did a lot for the black community here in Marina, Seaside and Monterey County.”
Music was blasting on the speakers and a fashion show was shown on the huge flat screen in the background. Some students chose to play board games and others were playing card games such as Uno to pass the time. The crowd was mostly women of color, who were conversing about their experiences growing up with particular struggles.
Raimi Elenes Mitchell, a fourth year environmental studies major with an emphasis in community education and the event coordinator said her favorite part of the event was witnessing the students partaking in the conversation circle speaking on topics such as fashion, style and what it means to them.
About twenty people showed up toward the end of the first hour, which was the most engaging of all. People of all genders and colors are welcome to attend any of the upcoming events presented by Center in the future. Recently postponed, The Cut-Up Barbershop Talk has been rescheduled to Oct. 23.
“I see students struggle a lot with getting out of the dorm. I feel like it’s very much a challenge to add on to an already busy load with friends and school,” Mitchell said. “But here with the [Rucker Center], we can help you if you are not able to find that community.
“We can build you that community here, and we just give you something to do. I would say we really helped a lot of younger freshmen, but also people who are transfers and maybe people who just haven’t been around a lot. Get out of the dorm, get into society, get into CSUMB culture and really connect with others.”