Seventeen students from East Stroudsburg University\u2019s Black Student Union\u00a0(BSU)\u00a0traveled to Yale University from Feb. 5\u20137 to attend the 2026 Black Solidarity Conference, the largest undergraduate conference hosted at Yale and the longest-running, Black-led\u00a0Ivy League conference in the country.<\/p>\n
Drawing\u00a0hundreds of\u00a0students from across the\u00a0country\u00a0each year, the Black Solidarity Conference\u00a0brings together\u00a0undergraduates from diverse racial,\u00a0religious\u00a0and ethnic backgrounds to engage in dialogue centered on issues\u00a0impacting\u00a0the African Diaspora, according to\u00a0the conference’s website.\u00a0Through keynote sessions, panel discussions, small-group conversations and social events, students are immersed in leadership development, cross-cultural\u00a0engagement\u00a0and critical reflection.<\/p>\n
For ESU\u2019s delegation, the opportunity marked a\u00a0sought-after\u00a0return to tradition.<\/p>\n
The Black Student Union had attended the conference in years past, but due to COVID-19 disruptions and limited funding, the organization was unable to\u00a0participate\u00a0for several years. That changed in 2025 when Nakeem Facey took on the role of BSU president and made it his mission to revive the experience.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn 2025, I promised to restart the tradition of attending the conference by any means possible,\u201d Facey said. \u201cMy\u00a0first year\u00a0attending was an experience I wanted to share with all students of color and minorities.\u201d<\/p>\n
Last year, funding limitations allowed just four students to attend. This year, through extensive planning,\u00a0fundraising\u00a0and collaboration, the group expanded its reach to 17 delegates. Facey credited his executive board \u2014 Amiah Riddick, Damaj Ellis, Jaequan Gillis, Jaden\u00a0Gillis\u00a0and Hazel Gutierrez \u2014 along with partnerships with\u00a0fellow ESU organizations\u00a0Mana: A National Latina Organization and The\u00a0Warriorettes, for making the trip possible.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn the beginning of the school year,\u00a0our club account was in the negative,\u201d Facey said. \u201cTo\u00a0find our motivation and persevere through all the obstacles made my heart grow 100 times bigger. I am extremely proud of the E-Board as well as the delegates.\u201d<\/p>\n
While at Yale, the\u00a0group\u00a0participated\u00a0in career networking events featuring employers such as Amazon and\u00a0J.P. Morgan and\u00a0were able to network\u00a0with peers from\u00a0other universities.<\/p>\n
Facey said that beyond professional opportunities, the conference offered something deeper: affirmation and community.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis conference is important to me because it gave us a reason to have hope that the world will one day feel equal and equitable,\u201d Facey said.<\/p>\n
The most memorable moments\u00a0weren\u2019t\u00a0confined to a single session, either, he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe one moment that stood out to me was when everyone that attended was together \u2014 casually chatting, getting some of the best food we ever tasted or even attending the\u00a0[rap artist]\u00a0Zeddy Will concert\u00a0that the conference provided us,\u201d he said. \u201cWe as an organization grew stronger and the experience we shared will be a story I hope to one day share with my children.\u201d<\/p>\n
Facey\u00a0said\u00a0the momentum\u00a0will\u00a0continue long after graduation.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis conference put new outcomes and perspectives that I thought were never achievable\u00a0into\u00a0my mind,\u201d he said. \u201cI am a new man after this experience. I am a new leader. I am a new student.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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