African American Network
About AAN — Working Together for Our Students
The African American Network (AAN) at Foothill College serves as a dedicated community of advocacy and support for students, faculty, and administrators of African descent. With a mission grounded in mentorship, leadership, community, love, advocacy, support, equity, and allyship, the AAN amplifies the Black perspective and builds bridges to student success, self-actualization, and institutional influence across the campus.
Our MissionOur mission is to foster a sustained presence of advocacy and belonging for students, faculty, and administrators of African descent at Foothill College. By amplifying the collective Black perspective, we will build bridges for the educational success and self-actualization of Black students, while asserting an impactful voice of advisement for the Foothill-De Anza College Community. |
Our Values
We value community, love, advocacy, support, equity, and allyship. These principles guide our efforts to uplift and empower the African American community at Foothill College.
- Effectively build pathways to educational, professional, and personal growth.
- Act boldly in the service of inclusion and justice.
- Inspire and enable honesty, trust, and confidence through open communication and collective action.
- Act as a catalyst for success and achievement.
- Build community alliances based on respect, trust, and transparency.
- Engage students, staff and faculty using an Ubuntu (I am because we are) philosophy which is rooted in the interconnectedness of love, belonging, and compassion.
- Acknowledge that we are a relational people rooted in spirituality, creating an environment that cultivates and fosters wellness and appreciation of the whole being – mind, body, and spirit.
- Create community building events that inspire and educates the campus on Pan-African cultures, philosophy, history, and art, such as Harambee and Black Heritage month.
- Our collective presence on campus is to advocate for and advise in decision making as it pertains to black students and employees at Foothill College.
- We will advocate for programming and institutional commitments that affirm black student empowerment and sustained Legacy of black influence in innovation on campus.
- We will participate in support of activities that align with the mission of the AAN.
- Our perspectives are rooted in the Black experience which is inclusive of the specificity of its historical presence and diasporic nature.
- Our advocacy is inclusive of black intersectionality including but not limited to LGBTQIA, gender expression, ability and disability, religious beliefs or disbeliefs, immigration and economic status.
- Our efforts are local and specific to Black students at Foothill College with an understanding of the interconnectedness to Global efforts for social justice.
- We embrace allyship with those whose identity, perspective and humanity has been decentered, marginalized, and oppressed.
- We recognize and support the efforts and commitment of the Foothill College campus community toward equity.
- We support and celebrate tangible institutional changes that address the interrelated systemic elements and bias that create advantage and disadvantage that result in uneven outcomes for students given equal opportunity.
Contact UsAfrican American NetworkMs. April Henderson (Ms. April) hendersonapril@foothill.edu |
