Honoring Lived Experience

We Come Together
With Good Hearts

Reflections from Ascend's
Black and Native Family Futures Fund

Jarvis Christian University student parent Brianna Lopez and her son being honored at the Black and Native Family Futures Fund Closing Convening. (Photo by Stephen Jaffe)

Jarvis Christian University student parent Brianna Lopez and her son being honored at the Black and Native Family Futures Fund Closing Convening. (Photo by Stephen Jaffe)

When I began my role at Ascend a little over two years ago, one of my first tasks was to help launch a strategy focused on increasing student parent access and success at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs). I was a student parent myself, and prior to joining Ascend, I had supported student parents as a practitioner at a community college, through a practicum at a public university, and by volunteering at a nonprofit. Although I had studied HBCUs and TCUs in my Master’s in Higher Education program, I had never worked at one or engaged in research specifically focused on HBCUs or TCUs, so I realized there would be a steep learning curve. Yet, I had no idea how impactful this experience would be for me professionally and personally.

During Ascend's Black and Native Family Futures Fund (BNFFF), I had the pleasure of collaborating with eight amazing HBCUs and TCUs as well as our wonderful consulting partners Center for Native American Youth, Teamer Strategy Group, and James Bell Associates. From the point of conception, we recognized that although we had student parent expertise, we needed to work alongside HBCU and TCU experts to ensure cultural competency. Planning and implementing the Fund was a deeply collaborative process with input from our consulting partners each step of the way: establishing milestones, creating technical assistance curriculum, developing tools, planning the evaluation, designing site visits and convenings, and more. As a result, I was gifted with a unique opportunity to engage in two years of experiential learning about HBCU and TCU institutional cultures.

In addition to learning from our consulting partners, I learned from student parents, staff, faculty, and leadership at the participating institutions. My learning occurred through monthly technical assistance calls, quarterly virtual convenings, site visits, an in-person closing convening, and other ad hoc support. Working directly with institutional stakeholders was critical to my understanding of how theory plays out in practice at their colleges and universities.

Additionally, traveling to each HBCU and TCU allowed me to build deeper relationships with campus stakeholders, gain context about their surrounding communities, and better understand each institution’s unique culture. HBCUs and TCUs are not monolithic, and this was evident during the site visits as our BNFFF Partners vary in characteristics like institutional size, geographic diversity, public versus private, religious affiliation, and affiliated tribal identity. 

During this journey, my heart was filled by the hospitality our BNFFF Partners showed us during our visits and the passion they demonstrated for making a positive impact in the lives of their student parents and communities through postsecondary education. I witnessed first-hand HBCU and TCU institutional cultures rooted in family, community, and holistic supports through children not only being allowed on campus but welcomed; programming intentionally planned for the whole family; and community-level strategies to support student parents and their children both with academic and non-academic needs. In April, it was such a pleasure to welcome BNFFF Partners to our office in Washington, DC for the closing convening and honor them for their institutional accomplishments and collective impact.

With the BNFFF’s close, I am excited to take lessons learned and apply them in my future work as well as share culturally informed promising practices with stakeholders from all postsecondary institutional types this fall.

Because when student parents succeed, their families and communities succeed too.

Center for Native American Youth Associate Director of Youth Programs Cheyenne Brady and her daughter during the closing convening (© The Aspen Institute: Photo by Stephen Jaffe).

Center for Native American Youth Associate Director of Youth Programs Cheyenne Brady and her daughter during the closing convening (© The Aspen Institute: Photo by Stephen Jaffe).

Grambling State University Site Visit

Grambling State University Site Visit

Stone Child College Site Visit

Stone Child College Site Visit

Stillman College task force attending the closing convening (© The Aspen Institute: Photo by Stephen Jaffe).

Stillman College task force attending the closing convening (© The Aspen Institute: Photo by Stephen Jaffe).

Blackfeet Community College Site Visit

Blackfeet Community College Site Visit

Bowie State University student parent and task force member Janeen Brown singing Lift Every Voice and Sing during the closing convening (© The Aspen Institute: Photo by Stephen Jaffe).

Bowie State University student parent and task force member Janeen Brown singing Lift Every Voice and Sing during the closing convening (© The Aspen Institute: Photo by Stephen Jaffe).

Diné College Task Force attending the closing convening (© The Aspen Institute: Photo by Stephen Jaffe).

Diné College Task Force attending the closing convening (© The Aspen Institute: Photo by Stephen Jaffe).

North Carolina A&T State University task force members and Ascend staff visiting United Way of Greater Greensboro during their site visit.

North Carolina A&T State University task force members and Ascend staff visiting United Way of Greater Greensboro during their site visit.

We come together with good hearts.

As guest speaker, Jeremy Guinn, said during the closing convening: "Cante’ waste’ nape ciyuzapelo is a greeting of the Lakota people that can be shared to affirm a positive relationship: With a good heart, I shake your hand."

When this greeting was shared, it instantly connected us - our eight HBCU and TCU partners gathered with good hearts and warm handshakes to reflect on our experiences and learn from each other. This sentiment also captured the broader Fund experience of deep collaboration among Ascend, consulting partners, and institutional partners.

United Tribes Technical College Director of the Intertribal Reseach and Resource Center Jeremy Guinn speaking during the closing convening (© The Aspen Institute: Photo by Stephen Jaffe).

United Tribes Technical College Director of the Intertribal Reseach and Resource Center Jeremy Guinn speaking during the closing convening (© The Aspen Institute: Photo by Stephen Jaffe).

We asked our partners about their experiences participating in the Black and Native Family Futures Fund.

Stillman College student parent and task force member Symone Carlton attending the closing convening.

Stillman College student parent and task force member Symone Carlton attending the closing convening.

How would you describe the impact of participating in the Black and Native Family Futures Fund?

"From the start I was excited and encouraged. I still have the same feeling. This was a great opportunity for our student parents who need continued support with the families they are raising. The support from the Ascend team was excellent."
Rachel Wippert, Assistant to Academic Affairs, Blackfeet Community College
"Designing and implementing the Warrior Student Parent Program has definitely given the college an opportunity to open its eyes to the unique needs of our students with dependents, as well as bring to the table more discussion of our student diversity and a sense of belonging."
Glennita Haskey, Vice President of Student Affairs, Diné College
"I would have to describe this impact as being a wonderful and dynamic experience that has brought us together more as a team to help us reflect deeply in our 'why.' I believe strongly because of Ascend’s supports and structures, they have and will continue to strive to support our student parents on a greater level."
Kishia James, Director of Counseling, Jarvis Christian University

Blackfeet Community College Campus

Blackfeet Community College Campus

Student parents and grandparents attending the closing convening (© The Aspen Institute: Photo by Stephen Jaffe).

Student parents and grandparents attending the closing convening (© The Aspen Institute: Photo by Stephen Jaffe).

How do you hope your institution will continue to engage student parents?

"By continuing to give student parents a voice and express their needs, allowing them to offer ideas and ways to help them be successful in college."
Jolin Sunchild, Financial Aid and Student Services, Stone Child College
"I hope my institution will continue to engage student parents on a personal level, helping them overcome issues that might occur, and support them when it comes to physical, emotional, mental, or financial problems."
Stefon Jackson, Student Leader, Grambling State University
"By continuing to pursue opportunities that will create sustainable practices on campus."
Breona Hayes, Director of Title IX Compliance, North Carolina A&T State University

Stillman College Campus

Stillman College Campus

Jarvis Christian University Student Parent Coordinator and student parent Faith Johnson and her daughter being honored at the closing convening (© The Aspen Institute: Photo by Stephen Jaffe).

Jarvis Christian University Student Parent Coordinator and student parent Faith Johnson and her daughter being honored at the closing convening (© The Aspen Institute: Photo by Stephen Jaffe).

What have you most enjoyed about participating in the Black and Native Family Futures Fund?

"I have enjoyed the expanded leadership through Ascend at the Aspen Institute's Black and Native Family Futures Fund. This is the first role of my career after obtaining my bachelor’s, and I feel the support from Ascend was more than efficient and substantial to mold me into a better individual and advocate in the social justice/better treatment of diverse individuals."
Faith Johnson, Student Parent Coordinator and Student Parent, Jarvis Christian University
"Everything! Our experience with the Black and Native Family Futures Fund is directly tied to the creation and development of a successful CCAMPIS proposal. The tireless support provided was matchless. We have not experienced this level of support from any other funder."
Carol Alexander-Lewis, Director, Child Development Center, Grambling State University
"The involvement across campus. The students will always appreciate the assistance, guidance, and support. Great job on the support from all the collaborators and Ascend staff."
Jody Guardipee, Grants Coordinator, Blackfeet Community College

Diné College Shiprock Campus

Diné College Shiprock Campus

Blackfeet Community College Counselor Linda Sue Racine symbolizing a heart at the closing convening (© The Aspen Institute: Photo by Stephen Jaffe).

Blackfeet Community College Counselor Linda Sue Racine symbolizing a heart at the closing convening (© The Aspen Institute: Photo by Stephen Jaffe).

Our deep gratitude to our Black and Native Family Futures Fund Partners