Introduced by Danica Tisdale Fisher, Chair, UC Davis African American Faculty and Staff Association and Director of Summer Sessions
Current goals/areas of focus
The African American Faculty and Staff Association (AAFSA) is an important and necessary constituent group at UC Davis. Our members come from all areas of campus and are genuinely committed to working with campus leadership to create the kind of culture where all can thrive. For many, AAFSA serves as a safe and sacred space to build community, share challenges and problem solve.
Our organizational vision is: To be a leading advocacy organization for faculty and staff of the African Diaspora at the University of California, Davis. Our goals are to:
- Advocate for faculty and staff members at Davis
- Address key issues impacting the African diaspora communities
- Facilitate connections amongst the African diaspora on campus and surrounding communities
- Encourage recruitment, retention, mentorship and career advancement of AAFSA members and serve in an advisory capacity for senior university leadership on equity, diversity, and inclusion
- Help support the university in fully actualizing the principles of community and strategic plan
Notable achievements
UC Davis AAFSA has led advocacy efforts on behalf of pay and promotion equity; particularly for black women staff. We have worked in collaboration with other constituency groups on campus to increase awareness and find areas where we can align our outreach and advocacy. We have increased opportunities for networking and community-building amongst black faculty and staff on our campus. We have also partnered with the undergraduate chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. to honor black faculty and staff for their extraordinary achievements and service to the university.
How has participating in UC Davis AAFSA has impacted you?
Serving as chair of AAFSA has been a great professional and personal honor. It has allowed me to connect with black faculty and staff across the campus who have common concerns and interests related to equity and inclusion. Further, it has allowed me to advocate for my community and to work collaboratively with others on campus who strive to make UC Davis a great place to work for all of its employees.
Get in touch
UC Davis AAFSA typically meets once per quarter and hosts events on an almost-monthly basis throughout the year. UC Davis staff can find members tabling at new employee resource fairs or contact Danica directly at dtfisher@ucdavis.edu to be added to the listserv.