




Black History Month, observed each February, is a time to celebrate the achievements, contributions and resilience of Black individuals throughout history. At CSUN, it offers students a chance to reflect on their identity, honor their heritage, and explore how their experiences on campus shape their understanding of Black history. CSUN Newsroom spoke with Matadors from diverse backgrounds who shared personal reflections on what the month means to them, highlighting themes of empowerment, pride and community. Their stories underscore the significance of cultural identity and how CSUN’s supportive environment encourages students to embrace their past while shaping their future.
D’oni Demerrill, 24, “I am Black.”

For Demerrill, a senior marketing major, Black History Month is about unity, shared history and celebration. “I really like the community that I have when it comes to being Black. I feel like I have a lot of people that are with me … because we all come from somewhere in Africa … That kind of brings us all together, especially here at CSUN,” she shared. CSUN’s Black House has played a significant role in fostering that connection for her. “The events that I have gone to, they’re really nice. Everyone was so comforting, it made [me] feel I belong here at the school.”
The marketing major emphasized that Black History Month is not just about looking back but about celebrating achievements that often go unrecognized. “We have a lot of history [that] a lot of people don’t normally know too much about … I feel like the history aspect of [this month] is really important. Our accomplishments are definitely brought to light,” she explained.
Her experience at CSUN has been defined by the strong support she has found among her peers. “[The Black House] is a way for us to just all get together and for us to all connect, and we also guide each other,” she explained. “We celebrate each other’s wins and it’s just really nice to have each other’s back.”
As she looks to the future, Demerrill hopes her legacy will be one of self-discovery and patience. “It’s OK for us to take our time to figure out who we truly are. Figure out our history, our culture, and then use that to guide us to what we truly want to be … it’s not a race, it’s OK, we can breathe.”
Her heritage in one word: “Belonging.”
Isaiah Taylor, 21, “I am African American.”

Taylor, a junior majoring in mechanical engineering, views Black History Month as an opportunity to pay tribute to those who paved the way. “Celebrating Black History Month is honoring those that came before me and paved a path for me to be able to do the things that I can do now. Guys like Bill Russell or Wilt Chamberlain who played basketball through a time where racism was still prominent or guys like Martin Luther King who fought for us to be equal people,” he explained.
That legacy fuels his own motivation to succeed. “It’s empowered me in the sense that I need to uphold the greatness and excellence that they put forth and started and keep that tradition going and that’s what I’m doing by being here at CSUN and being a college student,” he said. “They fought to give me this right and I am trying to uphold it and take advantage of it.”
Coming to CSUN was an eye-opening experience for the mechanical engineering major. “Where I’m from there’s not too many African American people, so being at CSUN and seeing a lot of African American people and being able to make a lot more African American friends is a real eye opener for me,” he said. “We come from different walks of life, and I get to see the ones that struggled a lot more, the ones that had it a lot better than others, and I get to see the different ways that we can interact.”
Taylor hopes to leave a lasting mark at the university. “For my legacy at CSUN, I hope to be one of those people that made it through,” he said. “I want to have some type of imprint where I did something that’s going to stay here for a minute, and I’m still trying to accomplish that.”
His heritage in one word: “Monumental.”
Melonie King, 39, “I am Belizean American.”

As a senior psychology major and transfer student, King has found Black History Month to be a time of reflection and self-care. “Being mindful and in my community and thinking of the things that I can do for the bigger picture, but at the same time resetting, taking care of myself … making sure that I’m not too overwhelmed by the things that are happening,” she explained.
Her experience at CSUN has been shaped by strong mentorship and opportunities to uplift others. “Working at the USU, the affirmation that I’ve gotten just to be myself in this space and also provide programming for students … has been very transformational, especially as an older student and as a transfer student,” she said.
King hopes to be remembered for the way she has impacted others. “I hope my legacy would be to be remembered for the positive way that I made people feel,” she said. “Doing things like Rainbow Graduation … [some] patrons start out here very shy and become more involved with the community, making more friends, and then seeing them graduate.”
Her heritage in one word: “Connected.”
Phoenix Douglas, 20, “I am Black.”

Sophomore art major Douglas sees Black History Month as a celebration of those who have helped shape his journey. “It means celebrating everyone in my life who has put me in this moment. The opportunity to go to college and express myself through art and pursue my passions,” he said. “It’s for my family who have gone through so much, through segregation and discrimination to put me in this moment, in this opportunity. It is for the figures in my community, like Martin Luther King, who have advocated for me to have the right to come here.”
CSUN has provided a space where he can explore his identity. “I had grown up in a very white-dominated community and area for the majority of my life, now being able to explore through different groups and different communities on campus. I can be more connected with my culture and who I am,” he said.
His goal is to inspire future generations of Black artists. “I’m inspired by many Black artists who have come before me and I want to continue on that path,” he explained. “I hope that my legacy will honor the people and strive to push people, that look like me, in more creative fields. Hopefully, I can be one of the people that other young black people and young black students can look up to.”
His heritage in one word: “Resilient.”
Quinn Island, 20, “I am Black and Indigenous.”

For junior Africana studies major Island, Black History Month is a reminder of the ongoing effort to ensure representation year-round. “I do see more Black representation in that month, and it can be kind of a double-sided coin because there should always be some Black representation going on,” they shared.
Island has been deeply involved in advocacy and leadership at CSUN. “I’m vice president of QSOC (Queer Students of Color), I work at the Pride Center, and I’m on a subcommittee in the USU for justice, equity, diversity and inclusion,” they said. “I’ve been really focused on [those things] because I know [CSUN] is going to be temporary for me, but I am working to make it better for people coming after me.”
Island’s commitment to activism is shaped by their ancestors’ strength. “The fact that I exist, despite Native American genocide, despite enslavement … it reminds me that even if I don’t feel the strongest, I know the people before me were really strong … so I have to follow in their footsteps.”
Their heritage in one word: “Resilience.”
(Additional reporting by Cristina Espinosa and David Ajtun)