Black Minds Matter: Establishing Black-Serving Institutions (BSIs) in California’s Higher Education Landscape

California is home to the fifth-largest population of Black people in the United States, approximately 2.8 million individuals. However, when Black Californians seek access to 
our state’s colleges and universities, they face undue bureaucratic and financial barriers. Furthermore, once they enroll, they experience institutions that are ineffective at serving them. This institutional underperformance is evident across all three public segments of higher education, as each falls below average in supporting Black students’ attainment.  This Equity Alert explores a legislative proposal to create a California Black-Serving Institutions (BSI) Program intended to improve how Black Californians experience and succeed in higher education.