B-CU Inducts Its Largest National Association of Blacks in Criminal Justice Student Chapter

Student organizations provide a myriad of benefits and enhance the B-CU campus community. Namely, they provide opportunities to engage around common interests and develop leadership skills. On April 17 2019, 24 students were inducted into the National Association of Blacks in Criminal Justice (NABCJ), B-CU Student Chapter, making it the largest induction in the organization’s three-year history. 

Carlye Holder, immediate past president of the national chapter and former Chief Executive Officer (Warden) of the Federal Bureau of Prisons delivered timely advice to the new inductees and current members during his address on April 17, 2019. NABCJ B-CU was started by the organization’s faculty advisor, Dr. Kideste Yusef, current Master’s of Criminal Justice Administration graduate student Blake Jackson, and B-CU graduates Khaliaah Johnson, Dyzhane Bellamy, and Wills Harreson Joseph in 2016.

The national organization was created in 1974, with the goal of achieving equal justice for Blacks and other minorities within the criminal and juvenile justice systems. Specifically NABCJ seeks to focus attention on relevant legislation, law enforcement, prosecution, and defense-related needs and practices with an emphasis on enforcement, corrections, and the prevention of crime. 

NABCJ has chapters in nearly every state and in several countries and has 15 active student chapters throughout the United States. Its members include criminal justice professionals such as those in law enforcement, institutional and community corrections, courts, social services, academia, religious and other community-based interests as well as criminal justice students and community leaders. 

Members of NABCJ B-CU have presented at the last three national conferences and are slated to conduct two workshops at this year’s national conference in Tampa, Florida. Four student presenters have been awarded funds to over conference registration fees. Last year, NABCJ B-CU was awarded best new student chapter at the conference in Houston, Texas. 

NABCJ B-CU’s current executive board includes Kiefer Jefferson-Grimes, president; Deja Lucas, vice president; Ayrionna Walley, secretary; Melissa Munisar, treasurer; Nijah Pearson, parliamentarian, and Gerod Walker, public relations chair. Blake Jackson currently serves as the organization’s graduate student advisor.