Want to join or learn more about BASE? Simply schedule an appointment online and we’ll be in contact with you!
What is BASE?
Aligned with FLC’s Values and Commitment to Equity, BASE (Black Academic Success & Engagement) was intentionally created to advance the academic achievement, leadership development, and overall well-being of students of Black and African descent. This initiative honors the diversity within the African diaspora embracing all cultural affiliations and national identities and serves students across Folsom Lake College, including the Rancho Cordova and El Dorado Centers.
Through a wide range of resources including tutoring, dedicated counseling, professional development opportunities, peer mentorship, health and wellness support, and community engagement activities (such as workshops, college field trips, cultural conferences, and film discussions). BASE seeks to cultivate a safe, affirming, and culturally relevant environment for students of Black and African descent. Our program is designed to support students in reimagining and achieving their academic and personal aspirations, while also providing targeted assistance with successful matriculation to four-year institutions. Above all, BASE is committed to ensuring that every student we serve knows they belong at Folsom Lake College and beyond.
By delivering consistent, equitable resources and a culturally enriching academic experience for students of Black and African descent, we envision increased enrollment, enhanced retention, and, most importantly, higher transfer and graduation outcomes including the successful completion of Certificates and Associate degrees at Folsom Lake College. Through BASE, we aspire to serve as a beacon of academic diversity and excellence, one that honors the breadth of intersectional identities within the African diaspora while promoting cultural visibility, social respect, and a deep sense of humanistic belonging.
BASE Resources/Services
- Educational/Leadership Conferences
- Academic & Professional Workshops/Activities
- Math Tutoring Support
- Study Sessions
- Peer Mentorship
- Dedicated Counseling
- Cultural Celebrations
- College Campus Visits/Field Trips
(adapted from the Umoja California Statewide Community)
"We acknowledge and thank the people of African ancestry who were stolen from their homelands and brought to this country and whose free labor played a major role in the formation and economic wealth of this country. We also honor the contributions of African American ancestral scientists, inventors and entrepreneurs whose contributions were stolen or never acknowledged due to white supremacy. We honor and will not forget the thousands upon thousands of lives lost at the hands of enslavers, vigilantes, law enforcers and other forces of hatred in this country, generation after generation for the singular crime of being black, indigenous or other people of color. We affirm and uplift those of African ancestry living in this country today as living testaments to the strength, love, faith, and fortitude of a resilient people."
Sankofa is a word from the Akan people of West Africa (present day Ghana). It’s literal translation means, “It is not taboo to go back and fetch what you forgot.”
An Associate Degree Awarded by a California Community College with a minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.5 or higher, that meets any one of the following requirements
- The degree is an Associate in Arts for Transfer (AA-T) degree or an Associate in Science for Transfer (AS-T) degree. These degrees were designed to provide a clear pathway to a CSU major and baccalaureate degree and they represent strong preparation for upper-division coursework in a range of majors.
- The degree includes the completion and certification of the lower division
Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC) used by California Community College students to prepare to transfer to the University of California and California State University systems; or, - The degree includes the completion and certification of the lower division California State University General Education Breadth pattern; (OR)
- A minimum of 30 transferable semester units with a minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.5 or higher.
Courses that students can take at Folsom Lake College that are centered around African American studies
ETHNS 320 Introduction to African American Studies
- Units:3
- Hours:54 hours LEC
- Prerequisite:None.
- Transferable:CSU; UC
- General Education:Local GE L4; Local GE L6; Cal-GETC Area 4; Cal-GETC Area
This course introduces students to Ethnic Studies and the diverse institutional, cultural, and historical issues relating to the past and present life circumstances of African Americans within the United States. This course is interdisciplinary in nature and presents an overview of the cultural, economic, historic, social, and political issues in the life of African Americans in the United States. It will expose students of all ethnic backgrounds to the issues germane to the experience of African Americans in the United States.
ARTH 328 Survey of African Art
- Units:3
- Hours:54 hours LEC
- Prerequisite:None.
- Transferable:CSU; UC
- General Education:Local GE L3; Cal-GETC Area 3A
This course covers the visual arts and architecture of Africa. Topics include cultural and philosophical background of African arts, materials and techniques used, and the impact of African art to Western art.
SOC 321 Race, Ethnicity and Inequality in the United States
- Units:3
- Hours:54 hours LEC
- Prerequisite:None.
- Transferable:CSU; UC
- General Education:Local GE L4; Cal-GETC Area 4
- C-ID:C-ID SOCI 150
This course uses the sociological perspective to examine the relationship between race, ethnicity, and inequality in the U.S. and covers topics including: prejudice, discrimination, ethnocentrism, individual and institutional racism, privilege, assimilation, civil rights, and other related issues. This course includes an analysis of the social and historical contexts of major racialized and ethnic groups in the U.S. and how these contexts impact current conditions and experiences.
Common Black College App
The Common Black College Application helps break the cycle of poverty in the lives of hundreds of thousands of students from around the world. To date, over 350,000 students have completed the CBCA.
Extended Opportunity Programs & Services (EOPS) and Cooperative Agencies Resources for Education (CARE)
EOPS and CARE extend the opportunity of attending higher education to those from educationally and economically disadvantaged backgrounds.
Disability Services & Programs for Students (DSPS)
Disability Services & Programs for Students (DSPS) assists students with disabilities in becoming successful and independent learners who achieve their full potential and become actively engaged in the campus community.
Celebration of Excellence and Achievement for Students of African Descent
The annual Celebration of Excellence & Achievement for Students of African Descent (COEA) recognizes students who are receiving degrees/certificates and/or transferring to four-year universities.
Contact
Hours
Monday through Thursday:
8:00 am to 4:30 pm
Friday:
By Appointment Only
Location
FL1-151B (Across the hall from the Library, Inside the Welcome Center)