CITY COLLEGE— “I want a space for black and brown bodies to just be,” said Nysiem Yarborough, an organizer who goes by the title Ambassador for the Black Studies Department at The City College of New York. He and faculty and students gathered in a room on the second floor of Shepard Hall, dubbed The Lookout. The sounds of Stevie Wonder, Beyoncé, and other greats combined with the Black Studies mission to brighten a grey afternoon.
This was the room’s debut as the new entertainment space for the Black Studies Department. “The name embodies the space and our Harlem community,” said Black Studies Chairperson Dr. Jervette Ward. Four big windows face St. Nicholas Park, and Black Studies hopes students will use The Lookout to host club events and that faculty will use it for their courses, book events, parties and to enjoy each other’s company.
