UHS is committed to providing affirming and racial trauma-informed care for all of our black student communities. We encourage you to explore our resources for your holistic wellness and care.
UHS Resources for Black Students
Message from UHS Leadership
University Health Services understands that historical mistreatment of Black people has led to the potential for great mistrust of the medical community.
Tragically and unforgivably, the medical profession has in the past had a hand in a number of inhumane practices including savage treatment during slavery, the infamous Tuskegee experiments on Black men, and the inhumane experiences of Black women being sterilized against their will and often without their knowledge.
To truly serve a diverse population, medical, mental health, and public health practitioners must at a minimum operate with cultural competency, and the ability to interact effectively with people of different cultures to help ensure that all community members’ needs are addressed. We strive to go beyond that and practice cultural humility, maintaining a willingness to suspend what we think we know about a person based on generalizations about their culture and instead being open to what they themselves have determined is their expression of their heritage and culture. We make a lifelong commitment to self-evaluation and self-critique; to redressing historical power imbalances in the patient-practitioner relationship; and to developing mutually beneficial relationships with communities.
We strive for continuous improvement through our equity and inclusion strategic plan, our ongoing cultural competency training specifically tailored to clinicians, multicultural training for all career staff, and by engaging directly with UC Berkeley’s Black community. Our doors are always open: please tell us what we can do better: telltang@berkeley.edu(link sends e-mail).
Medical Services
Students can use the medical services at UHS just as they would at their regular doctor's office and urgent care center. Our facility is fully accredited, and staffed by licensed and board-certified physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, nutritionists, and nurses.
Manage your health online, anytime, anywhere, with the eTang patient portal. Schedule appointments, transfer/refill prescriptions, send secure messages, see lab results, order STI and pregnancy tests, and more!
Health Coaching
Professional health educators provide free lifestyle and behavior guidance to increase academic and personal success on topics like time management, procrastination, resilience and stress management, exercise, and sexuality.
Let's Talk Consultations for Black & African-American Students
Let's Talk Drop-In Consultations with a Black Counselor
View the full list of Let's Talk Drop-In Consultations with UHS mental health counselors.
Group Counseling and Workshops
View the most recent schedule on our group counseling webpage. Please call (510) 642-9494 to join. If you are interested in joining after the listed start date, please give us a call as there may still be openings or new groups starting.
Identity Support Groups:
Or explore our groups based on other identity support or skills you want to develop.
Mental Health Counseling
In addition to academic stress, many Black/African American students may experience stress related to navigating systemic and institutional racism, familial responsibilities, housing, financial insecurity, challenges in friendships or relationships, intersectional identities, or a sense of belonging on campus. Undoubtedly, any of these concerns can negatively impact one’s motivation, ability to focus, mood, self-esteem, sense of self-worth, and overall wellness.
Moreover, experiencing or witnessing racial injustice can lead to a range of difficult emotions, such as shock, fear, sadness, anger, grief, helplessness, or guilt. Culturally affirming and trauma-informed counseling is free and available for all UC Berkeley students. We have a dedicated counselor on staff who coordinates mental health support for Black/African American students on campus.
Whether you’re experiencing one of the concerns mentioned above, or have something else on your mind, we encourage you to contact our office if you (or someone you know) would like to get started with a counselor or for more information: (510) 642-9494. No concern is too big or too small to meet with a counselor.
Meet Our Student Mental Health Counselors
Student Mental Health Counselors
Jai Jones, LCSW (they/them)
Licensed Clinical Social Worker
Black Mental Health Coordinator
Darius Taylor, LCSW (He/Him)
Licensed Clinical Social Worker
Tobirus Newby, LCSW (he/him)
Licensed Clinical Social Worker
Adisa Anderson, PhD (he/him)
Licensed Psychologist
Claytie Davis III, PhD (he/him)
Licensed Psychologist
Campus Resources
African American Student Development Center (AASD)
African American Student Development Center (AASD)(link is external) - AASD coordinates academic development activities and services that address the specific needs of African American students on campus. Activities include the Annual Student Orientation, Staff-Faculty and Peer Mentoring Programs, the Howard Exchange Program, The BlackBoard Resource Calendar, Kwanzaa, Black History Month, community service/serving learning opportunities, academic support, advising and referral, internships, freshman orientation classes, and more. Maintains a comprehensive list of Black/African-American student organizations(link is external) on campus.
Associated Students of the University of California (ASUC)
Associated Students of the University of California (ASUC)(link is external) - The ASUC is the student governing board that advocates for our student's best interests by providing an inclusive environment for student development and learning that builds on UC Berkeley’s academic experience.
Black Organizations at UC Berkeley
Black Organizations at UC Berkeley(link is external) - A comprehensive list of Black and African Diaspora
Black Student Union (BSU)
Black Student Union (BSU)(link is external) - The BSU at UC Berkeley serves as the unifying body for Black organizations and the Black student body on campus.
Council on Students of Color and Multicultural Engagement
Council on Students of Color and Multicultural Engagement(link is external) - The Chancellor’s Council on Students of Color and Multicultural Engagement is a standing committee reporting to the Chancellor, comprised of UC Berkeley undergraduate and graduate students, staff, and faculty. The committee identifies, analyzes, and partners with the Chancellor on proposing tangible and productive changes to address the needs and concerns of students of color on campus – both graduate and undergraduate – recognizing their fundamental connection to community issues and contexts. It is charged with helping to discover and eliminate institutional barriers to success on campus while drawing on the leadership, innovation, and knowledge of students of color for the continued transformation of both UC Berkeley and society at large.
Disabled Students' Program (DSP)
Disabled Students' Program (DSP)(link is external) - The Disabled Students' Program promotes an inclusive environment for students with disabilities. We equip students with appropriate accommodations and services to achieve their individual academic goals. We are dedicated to supporting students and collaborating with the campus community to remove barriers to educational access and embrace the University’s values of equity and inclusion. We believe that an accessible environment universally benefits everyone.
Fannie Lou Hamer Black Resource Center
In response to disciplined organizing by UC Berkeley’s Black Student Union and its set of demands for institutional change, a new Black student resource center has been established on campus – the latest progress in UC Berkeley’s African American Initiative. The Fannie Lou Hamer Resource Center, named after the Black voting rights activist and civil rights leader, will serve the academic, social, cultural, and political needs of the campus’ Black community. The center addresses a critical call by students for a safe convening environment and creates space and opportunity for Black students and organizations to organize and engage in academic, social-cultural, leadership, community development, and networking activities. The space will also enhance exchanges with faculty, alumni, and community stakeholders. The center is located in the Hearst Field Annex east of Sproul Hall.
Gender Equity Center
The Gender Equity Resource Center fondly referred to as GenEq, is a UC Berkeley campus community center committed to fostering an inclusive UC Berkeley experience for all. GenEq is the campus location where students, faculty, staff, and alumni connect for resources, services, education, and leadership programs related to gender and sexuality. The programs and services of the Gender Equity Resource Center are focused on four key areas: Women; Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer+ (LGBTQ+); Sexual Harassment & Sexual Violence; and Men.
Multicultural Community Center (MCC)
The MCC strives to integrate student-driven and community-oriented management, decision-making, and visioning in everything that we do. The MCC facilitates students’ greater involvement in multicultural-related education, collaborations, and cross/inter-cultural community building by providing: an educational space for the critical study and practice of multiculturalism, a welcoming and inclusive space for students, an alternative space for cultural expression and identity exploration and by building community among Berkeley’s diverse students.
Organization of African Students
Organization of African Students - The Organization of African Students at UC Berkeley is a space to learn, share, and engage in the opportunities and challenges of the African continent.
Zawadi
Zawadi(link is external) - Black LGBTQ Community at Berkeley
Other Resources
The Loveland Foundation(link is external) - The Loveland Foundation is committed to showing up for communities of color in unique and powerful ways, with a particular focus on Black women and girls. Our resources and initiatives are collaborative and they prioritize opportunity, access, validation, and healing. We are becoming the ones we’ve been waiting for.