A group of Black men with shared backgrounds come together, looking to empathize with one another and share their common experiences — This is BOND.
The goal for third-year public health student Jalen Williams, the vice president of Brothers of Nubian Descent, or BOND, is to spread the word to Black men on campus about what the organization is and what it aims to accomplish.
Williams said the club was created so that Black men at USC could have a safe space to talk about their personal experiences and grievances. In this way, he said, BOND is similar to SAVVY, an organization that works to create a safe space for Black women on campus.
"Getting Black men together on campus so we're all united, and then us also being able to talk to each other about what's going on in our lives and our feelings," Williams said. "Just being able to open up to other people since we all go through the same thing because, being Black men on campus, we all go through the same struggles most of the time."
Throughout the school year, BOND members host events to promote a unified atmosphere amongst students of color, including pool parties, midterm study sessions and meetings where members are taught how to dress professionally. The club partners with other organizations on campus for various events, including SAVVY, the Association of African American Students and Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc.
Fourth-year criminology and criminal justice student Devin Beaton, BOND's community service chair, is responsible for planning collaborations and community service projects via "Service Saturdays," which are monthly events where members visit sites such as Harvest Hope Food Bank and Habitat for Humanity to serve their community.
"My main goal is to find community service opportunities around Columbia and other places so (BOND members) can connect and then also pour back into the community," Beaton said.
Beaton said BOND emphasizes brotherhood between Black men by offering support for its members and giving them an opportunity to voice their feelings whenever they might need it.
"With this organization, I know I can automatically call somebody, and then they can just sit there and listen," Beaton said. "If I've got anything going wrong, I know they can sit there and just either help me or just hear me out. And that can be a really helping at times."
Fourth-year political science student Davon Beaton, the secretary of BOND and Devin Beaton's brother, said the club provides a safe space for members to talk about anything on their minds while also getting free food.
The club's meetings cover a variety of topics, which help members decompress as well as form meaningful connections with people they have common interests with, Davon Beaton said.
"Many of our meetings consist of learning how to budget, fun games to destress from the pressures of college and open dialogue about the struggles of being a Black male at a PWI (predominately white institution)," Davon Beaton said in an email to The Daily Gamecock.
Davon Beaton said the organization's primary goal is to reach more freshmen in light of the university's growing student population.
To help reach more students, BOND's social media chair, third-year information science student Shamar Winston, manages the club's social media profiles and oversees tabling for events, such as Hip Hop Wednesday and the student organization fair led by the Office of Multicultural Student Affairs.
Winston said inviting people to meetings and reaching out through word-of-mouth is also important for expanding the club over time.
"If you feel like you haven't really met anyone on campus yet or you haven't met your group of people, come out to BOND," Winston said. "You're going to meet someone who's interested in what you're interested in. And they look like you, so why not come make new friends?"
BOND typically meets every other Tuesday at 6 p.m., but the times and dates vary based on the availability of the executive board.