The Deerfield Black Student Alliance (DBSA), originally known as the Deerfield Black Student Coalition (DBSC), is one of the oldest student alliances on campus, founded by four black Deerfield students in the late 1960s: Ev Bowens ’70, Dennis Brownlee ’70, Tim Geer ’70, and Greg White ’70.
In the Scroll’s June 1970 issue, editors Malcolm DeBevoise ’71 and Steven Wickes ’71 conducted an interview with the four founders of the DBSC about their intentions behind forming the coalition. In this article, White described his initial experiences in the Deerfield community, saying, “When [the Black students] first got here, we were discouraged from grouping together…[w]e were told that our job was to integrate and assimilate. We could integrate Deerfield, but still, we must become white, in a sense.” Bowens then explained the reason behind the formation of the DBSC, saying, “[A] big part of the black movement is for blacks to really understand themselves as a people. The coalition brings us together so we can relate to one another.” Agreeing with Bowens, Geer added, “I think one of the roles of the coalition has been to emphasize the fact that you are black in a white community. And to be yourself, and not adopt someone else’s values.”
Today, the Deerfield Black Student Alliance continues to create safe spaces for Black students to embrace and celebrate their culture at Deerfield. Isaac Bakare ’24, co-chair of the DBSA, said, “The DBSA maintains an emphasis on ensuring that Black students feel comfortable being themselves, and don’t feel as if they have to adopt white mannerisms or behavior to feel accepted at Deerfield.”
Bakare highlighted the importance of alliance meetings as a place to discuss shared experiences, upholding the DBSA’s mission of bringing students together to discuss shared experiences, including those revolving around intersecting identities. Describing his own experiences within the DBSA, Bakare said, “I joined the DBSA to have a space in which I could find people that I relate to about my race, an important part of my identity, which means I could speak without having to explain myself as much. There are certain experiences that I don’t need to explain because they share those experiences.”
The spirit of collective self advocacy also continues to be emphasized by the DBSA. Commenting on the goals of DBSA meetings, DBSA Secretary Simi Lawal ’23 said, “The DBSA is a way for new Black students, especially underclassmen, to find their voice at Deerfield right away. There are a few Black students who don’t come to DBSA meetings but I try to reach out to them because being in these meetings, they find a lot of companionship, support, and encouragement to raise their voice when they have concerns. Personally, having that kind of support system sort of reminds me of home.”
For Deerfield students who want to understand ways in which they can be allies of the Black community, the DBSA offers an opportunity to hear perspectives that they wouldn’t otherwise be exposed to. DBSA Member Chloe Ramirez ’24 said, “The DBSA strives to give voices that would normally be silenced a platform to share their experiences and connect with each other through those shared experiences. We keep it an open space while allowing people who aren’t Black to learn about and try to understand the Black and Latinx experience, which is an important part of being an ally. It’s a space to hear Black and Latinx students’ voices at Deerfield.”
The DBSA, along with other Deerfield student alliances, creates a safe space built on shared experiences on campus. These spaces empower students to develop a sense of belonging and enhance their cultural understanding.