Sacramento State held a Forum on African-American student success on Oct. 5 in the University Union that focused on concerns about coming together as a community.

The theme of the forum was “Purpose, Passion and Pursuit: Achievement and Action.”

Marcellene Watson-Derbigny, associate vice president of Student Retention and Academic Success said this is the first time that Sac State has held this event and the hope is to hold it annually.

“The forum explored issues affecting student success, unity building, and the necessity of campus and community partnerships,” said Watson-Derbigny.

Gabrielle Hoskins, who works in the Academic Advising Center, said this event is a great idea for the whole campus and questioned how we can create a safe campus.

“My vision for that is we need students of all racial and ethnic backgrounds in on that conversation, we need students of all gender and sexual orientations and identities in on that conversation, people of all different socioeconomic classes backgrounds because in the end, we are a diverse campus community and if we’re trying to create community, we can’t create those barriers for ourselves,” Hoskins said.

The forum broke up into smaller panel discussions with individual forums about “platforms of critical dialogue.”

One of the breakout sessions was “In Need of Our Fathers: The Role of the Black Male in Achievement.” Jerry Blake, EOP retention coordinator, presented and said the role that father figures have on individuals which includes Ebonics, stereotypes and the topic of being a product of your environment.

“Individuals may have the opportunity to choose to not be a product of your environment,” Blake said.

The breakout sessions then led to a picnic and music in Serna Plaza to encourage community connection.