Africana Studies

Alumni & Giving

For more than 52 years the Department of Africana Studies courses have helped foster the curiosity and empower students with a knowledge base that will afford them an in-depth understanding of an African and African American centered perspective. If you support this mission, we invite to make a donation to our department. We thank you for your generosity.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Alumni Profiles

Jacquil Constant ’02 (RTVF/PAS), a filmmaker

Bio

Jacquil Constant was born in Brooklyn, New York to Haitian immigrant parents and moved to Hollywood when he was six years of age. Very early on Jacquil was exposed to the world of filmmaking and through films such as Malcom X, realized that the medium of film could serve as his creative outlet without limits.

Throughout his career Jacquil has worked for networks such as MTV, BET, and VHI in various capacities including production, post-production and casting of reality television shows. In 2006, Jacquil established his own production company, Constant Production, which has various music videos, short films, and commercials to its credit. Today, Constant Production is focused on developing documentaries, feature films and television scripts. In 2010, Jacquil was granted an internship at the Cal State Northridge’s University (CSUN) Advancement Marketing Communications Department. There he has had the opportunity to film campus events and produce marketing videos such as “First Generation Student Voices” that are regularly spotlighted on CSUN’s website.  Jacquil also works with CSUN’s Pan African Studies department filming various events and producing documentaries.

Jacquil is currently an Interdisciplinary Studies graduate student at CSUN. His educational focus has allowed him the freedom to work on both of his passions—film production and the history of black culture.  Jacquil will be producing an art documentary on Haiti’s emerging art community for his graduate thesis and will be graduating in 2012. He completed his undergraduate degree in Film Production with a minor in Pan African Studies at CSUN in 2002.

Shanté Morgan-Durisseau ’90 (Journalism/Afro-American Studies)

She is a journalist and editor; founder of Nguzo Saba, the first independent black student newspaper at CSUN; the first African-American woman to serve as chair of the Ventura County Commission for Women; founding president of the CSUN Black Alumni Association; http://csunshinetoday.csun.edu/faculty-and-staff-news/shante-morgan-durisseau-joins-economic-roundtable/

 

Bio

Shanté Morgan-Durisseau is a managing editor of newspapers at California State University, Northridge and owner of Morgan Communications, a full service communications firm specializing in print, broadcast and radio media campaigns. Prior to taking her position in 2007, Ms. Morgan-Durisseau worked as a journalist reporting on issues ranging from Hollywood typecasting to urban sprawl. She was the regional political and urban affairs correspondent for Copley News Service where she won accolades for her coverage of Los Angeles’ mayoral race, Republican and Democratic National Convention, O.J. Simpson trial, Rodney King civil rights trial, the Reginald Denny riot-beating trial, riot rebuilding efforts as well as the region’s catastrophic fires, floods and earthquakes. She has also taught journalism at California State University, Northridge and California Lutheran University.

Ms. Morgan-Durisseau has a master’s degree from the USC Annenberg School of Journalism. She graduated in 1990 from California State University, Northridge with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and Afro-American Studies.

She is the first African-American woman to chair the Ventura County Commission for Women, which is a governmental body she was appointed to by the Ventura County Board of Supervisors. She is president of the Ventura County Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. and founding president of the CSUN Black Alumni Association.

James Henry ’91 (Afro-American Studies), college counselor and professor

Bio

James Henry graduated with a bachelor’s degree in African American Studies in 1991 From California state university Northridge.  He was BSU president in 1989 and pledge Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity Incorporated in 1986.  He received an Interdisciplinary Masters Degree in educational policy and leadership and African American studies in 1994 From CSU, Northridge.   Mr. Henry also has a social science teaching credential and has been an academic advisor with the in the Educational Opportunity Program for past sixteen years.  He has taught several courses in Pan African studies at Los Angeles Valley College, Mission College, Ventura and CSU, Northridge.  He has been teaching University 100 for the past sixteen years and is currently pursuing his doctorate in Higher education at California Lutheran University. He is the current advisor for both Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity incorporated and the Black Student Union and serves as Vice president of the Black Alumni association.

James Golden ’07 (Pan-African Studies)

He is a poet, author and 2012 NAACP Image Award Winner in poetry;
http://csunshinetoday.csun.edu/community/pan-african-studies-department-celebrates-anniversary/