SOCA BLACK CELEBRATION  MONTH

​​SFU Students of African and Caribbean Ancestry Presents our 2021 Black History Month Celebration!
The month of February is a time when Black people all over the world take a moment to acknowledge the countless achievements of Black people and to celebrate our history. This year, SOCA has a lineup of events for the month, and we would like to invite you to join us!
Here is our schedule for the month (also pictured below): 

​Week 1: Kick Off Week
Black Trivia: Feb 5, 2021 @ 7pm (Zoom)

Week 2: Black Art Week
Afro-Dance Workshop with Flourish Adeogun: Feb 13, 2021@ 12pm- 1:30 pm (Zoom)

​Week 3: Movie Nights
Tune into our Movie Nights: Feb 19 &20, 2021 @7pm.

​Week 4: Panel Discussion
#BlackMindsMatter - A Panel Discussion on Mental Health: Feb 27, 2021 @4 pm - 5:30 pm

SOCA THIS WEEK ISSUES:   Newsletter

SOCA WON OUR FIGHT FOR SPACE IN THE SUB!

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VICTORY - Victory! After years of fighting, the Board votes to offer space to the Rotunda Community! 
"9 MAR 2020 — After two years of fighting eviction, SOCA is happy to announce that we are in the final stages of our efforts to have a safe space for Black folks on campus.

Thank you to all members and allies supporting our cause.
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Afia Poku, SOCA President (2019/20):
“It is a relief for SFU Students of Caribbean and African Ancestry that the multi-year battle to save Black space on campus has ended. Securing operational space is an assurance of our longevity, allowing us to continue building a sense of community on and off campus. Black space is vital for connecting students navigating experiences unique to Black students.”

“While Configuration 3 is a compromise for all parties involved, we are grateful that this is still collective growth in square footage for both of SOCA and Embark.

“We truly appreciate our members and allies who have advocated with us since 2018, or joined to support in the activism along the way.”

News Article
​Student groups blast SFU student union over eviction from meeting spaces

Student groups blast SFU student union over eviction from meeting space - Global News
Student Groups Condemns SFSS for Institutionalized Racism - The Peak
Recap of the Rotunda Space Discussion - The Peak
​Victory - Groups offered space in the New Student Union Building
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Timeline of Events: Timeline​
The groups have also called on SFU’s administration to intervene.

SOCA Provides Resource for our Members

The Students of Caribbean and African Ancestry grew out of a movement on campus to advocate for the issues of black students on campus in 1994. In 1997 we were allocated space and became a central hub for all students to learn about their various perspectives of African and Afro-Descendant Peoples.

/ Library
/ Video Catalog
/ Movies
/Microwave
SFU Students of Caribbean and African Ancestry (SOCA) is an equity-seeking group focusing on raising awareness on issues relevant to people of African and Caribbean Descent in Canada and abroad. 

Feel free to drop by the Black Community Services Centre in the Student Union Building, check out the library, or if you are willing to volunteer with SOCA, send us an email at sign up here or send us an email at sfusoca@gmail.com .

Get  Involved

A Community Building Experience
Students can get involved with SOCA in a myriad of ways. Whether it be helping with the Library and keeping our books up to date, or performing with us as a singer, dancer, poet or any other skill you would like to share with us.
We organize various events that highlight the varied cultures related to people of African and Caribbean Descent and foster community building among our membership along with other members of the Rotunda Community on Campus.

Organizational Values

Welcome To SOCA
  • INCLUSIVITY
  • REPRESENTATION
  • COMMUNITY-BUILDING
  • SOCIAL JUSTICE

HOW TO GET INVOLVED:

  • ​SIGN UP TO BE A VOLUNTEER: FORM
    ​As a volunteer-run space, office volunteers are crucial to keeping SOCA open six hours a day if possible. By keeping office hours and working to maintain a healthy environment, office volunteers facilitate people socializing, talking about issues affecting the black community, organizing events and more. There is a volunteer mailing list that changes every semester with who are current SOCA volunteer. Very useful for requesting volunteers for tabling, keeping the office open, etc, asking for each other’s contact info, as this is a generally more involved group of SOCA people. (soca-volunteers@sfu.ca.)
  • JOIN A COMMITTEE
    Will help organize short or long-term projects. There is no obligation to be a committee member, although committee work is approved by executive. Examples of committees: Cultural Events Committee, BCSC committee, Social Justice and Advocacy Committee, the library team, SOCA Dancers, Soccer team 
  • DROP IN THE BLACK COMMUNITY SERVICES CENTRE
    Not everyone will want to be main volunteer or executive, but everyone is open to using the resources of the Black Community Services Centre. As such, anyone can come and share in discussion, read the books, watch documentaries, play games etc. Creating that home away from home and a place for education.
Welcome to SFU Students of Caribbean and African Ancestry, Simon Fraser University’s Black Community Support Group. The SOCA Black Community Services Centre is a welcoming space for people of the varied African and Caribbean Heritages and their descendants.

Why Join SOCA

Racism and Discrimination affect everyone. Therefore, no matter what your racial or ethnic makeup, everyone is welcome to advancing the fight of anti-oppression and fighting systemic racism. We welcome our non-black allies to join us in fighting for the right to exist without discrimination, racism or prejudice.

SOCA is a student group devoted to creating a safe space for students of African and Caribbean descent and allies on campus. SOCA also partners with a number of organizations such to develop programming and events which promote awareness and the expose the campus community to issues significant to the African and Caribbean Diasporic communities at SFU. 

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