Black students, staff and faculty across the diaspora dressed in black and gold “pop-out” attire to celebrate Stanford’s new Black freshmen and transfer students at last Friday’s 28th annual Black Frosh Convocation.
The event, hosted by the Stanford Black Student Union (BSU), aimed to uplift and inspire incoming Black students. It included speeches from upperclassmen, freshmen and faculty speakers, musical performances and presentations by the historically-Black American Divine Nine sororities and fraternities.
This year’s Black Frosh Convocation took place against the backdrop of a decline in Black student enrollment. Following the Supreme Court’s affirmative action ban, Black student enrollment decreased by 44% from 9% of the class of 2027 to 5% of the class of 2028.
BSU co-president Jaeden Clark ’27 opened the night by recognizing the “effects of the affirmative action ban.”
“The Black freshmen class is half of what it was when I was a freshman a mere two years ago,” Clark said. “I was left wondering why we had half the number of people RSVP for convocation. Why do we only need half the number of round tables this year? Half the number of plates and utensils?”
Speaker Nifemi Bankole ’27, the second person from his South London high school to attend Stanford in 21 years, emphasized new Black students “deserve to be here.”
“I always like to say if you’re going to dream, dream big. if you’re going to dream big, dream even bigger,” Bankole said. “The representation you provide doubles up as an example to others as to what they can achieve, in addition to setting new paradigms to what Black people can accomplish.”
Laolu Oguneye ’28, the freshman class speaker, said it was an “incredible feeling” to be able to meet and inspire his fellow classmates. Oguneye emphasized his and his classmates’ strength and intelligence.
“We’re all perseverant people” with a “strong sense of coalition and brotherhood and sisterhood,” he said.
Among the attendees were Asha Morgan-Joseph ’28, who plans to major in Human Biology, and Iamanni Jackson ’28, who plans to major in Aeronautics and Astronautics. In their short time on campus, both say they have found community in Black student spaces at Stanford.
Morgan-Joseph said she does not live in Ujamaa (Uj) — the Black diaspora theme dorm on campus. However, she considers herself an honorary member, also known as a “C-winger,” and enjoyed being with the Black freshman community at convocation.
“I really loved convocation as a ‘C-winger’ who doesn’t live in Uj,” Morgan-Joseph said. “I appreciate all of the work they do to include everyone and I think they do a wonderful job of that.”
Jackson appreciated seeing “so many other Black students at Stanford” through convocation, she said.
“I feel like it can be easy to feel alone here as a Black person,” Jackson said. “Knowing that I had this community behind me really helped to boost my confidence and spirit.”
The night ended with performances by Everyday People — Stanford’s Hip-Hop, Soul, R&B and Motown acapella group — and Miles “MiLES” Selles ’27, an independent R&B artist.
Selles said he enjoyed performing at Black Frosh Convocation and hoped his performance was “bringing the community closer than it already is.” When asked what message he aimed to leave the crowd with, he said, “Even when things are difficult, we will all be alright.”
“Tonight is not just a celebration of our presence, but a reminder that even when they try to cut us down, we rise taller…We will continue to fight for every inch of space we deserve,” Clark said. “We will not just survive these times — we will flourish, we will lift each other up and we will fill every room, every space and every heart with the undeniable power of our community.”