On September 25, Fullerton College student leaders were invited to join the 2020 Virtual Student Leadership Retreat. The event was sponsored by the Hornet Leadership Retreat Program Student Life and Leadership with Umoja.

The virtual retreat was scheduled to include a variety of different hosts speaking on leadership and other advice to help students carry new leadership skills to their clubs and programs.

It began at 9 a.m. with the section Welcome and Introductions and an explanation of Student Life and Leadership. Shortly after, Associate Professor and Chair of the Ethnic Studies Department Dr. Amber Rose González proceeded with the section Honoring Native Land: A Call to Acknowledgement.

Tracey Wallace, Fullerton College Alumna Class of 2013, exposed a lot of students to the Black National Anthem for the first time with her rendition of “Lift Every Voice and Sing.”

Brandi Avila, Manager of the Umoja Community Program, and Spencer Butler, Coordinator of Umoja, took a moment to open the space, explaining how the retreat was a safe space and a brave space.

Following this advisory, Funmilola Fagbamila, lecturer of Pan-African Studies at Cal State Fullerton, shared Keynote Address: Cultivating Leadership Skills followed by a brief break.

All students were given $15 DoorDash gift cards and advised to have their lunch delivered by 12:15 p.m.

Students then went into separate breakout sessions while Avila proceeded with Reclaiming Love in Leadership: A Talk About Love, Empathy, and Compassion as a Means to Courageous Conversations & Culturally Centered Leadership.

This was followed up by a virtual lunch period and a live talent show hosted by Butler.

The day of inspiration and motivation was ended with a time reserved for students to “share out” before Avila and Butler closed the Zoom meeting.