Finding community at Somerville

Somerville Place is a special-interest community for Black USC students established in 1995. Named after John and Vada Somerville, USC’s first Black graduates and alumni of the school of dentistry, Somerville Place (frequently shortened to Somerville) is a safe haven for Black students. The goal of this community is to foster the academic success of Black students while being around like minded individuals. This year, freshman Somerville is held in the Pardee Tower Dorms and sophomore Somerville is located in Century Apartments. Somerville is a year-long program that you can apply for while applying for housing and many members of freshmen Somerville choose to take part in sophomore Somerville. This year’s freshmen community has 37 girls and 23 boys. The girls and boys live on separate floors, but are extremely close and mingle daily. As a member of Somerville, I know that I made the right choice in where I chose to live because the community and support here is amazing. When I went around asking my peers to talk about their Somerville experience, everyone was eager to answer my questions and some even went as far as texting me their responses if I missed them. Everyone here was extremely supportive of this project even though most of the time interviews turned into group conversations that turned into funny experiences that we have had with each other. Overall, I’m extremely grateful for this community and I’m happy to share our story.

How did you find out about Somerville and what made you sure that it was the right living decision for you?

Lensa Hamda: I actually found out about Somerville before I found out about USC. I just saw a lot of Black students on TikTok talking about Somerville and junior me was like OMG, I didn’t realize I could live with Black people if I went to a PWI. I did a lot of research on USC and I knew I needed to live with Black people because I’ve heard horror stories before about people living with white roommates. I knew that if I went to a PWI, the least I would need was a space away from my white male dominated major that I could call home with people I look like.

Jolaiya Aldridge: I learned about Somerville because one of my criterias for going to school was to be able to live on a Black floor and USC had that opportunity. My major is white dominated, all of my teachers are white, it’s a PWI. So it’s important to surround myself with Black women. I was always the only Black kid in my class (in high school), and I was always explaining things and no one could relate to me. I wanted a space with people who had similar experiences to me.

Olivia Clarke: I found out about Somerville through a YouTube video of Black students talking about their experience at USC. They mentioned Somerville so looked it up. I just wanted to come home to Black people, that was really it.

Emani Byrd: I found out about Somerville from a group chat of Black students who had just been accepted and talked about living options. I determined it was the best living situation for me because I went to a high school without many Black people. So I wanted an environment that would support me.

Drew Liddell: I didn’t initially apply into Somerville, I just got placed here, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. Somerville is a family, that’s the best way I can describe it. In our classes we don’t see many Black people, but everyday you get to come home to see your family and we’re like brothers and sisters or cousins. And it’s nice to be able to come home to people who understand how you’re doing and it facilitates conversations I don’t think I would’ve had in any other environment.

Saba Gebeyehu: My roommate told me about Somerville the summer before we got out here. I already had doubts about finding a Black community here because I figured my classes would be predominantly white, and it was a good decision because they were already living together so it was easy to find community.

Jerne Ward: I found out about Somerville when I was applying for housing over the summer and reading the housing options on the online housing application. I immediately knew I wanted to apply to Somerville because I grew up in a white community and USC is a pwi, so I knew a community of Black individuals would be invaluable to my experience and personal growth as a student. I’m also in WBB, which is an international study abroad program, so I knew that I would only truly have the opportunity to live in a Black community my freshman year. The comfort and friendship Somerville has brought me have been invaluable, and I’m super glad I decided to apply over the summer.

How has Somerville enhanced your social experience at usc?

Drew Liddell: The Black network is very strong at USC, and Somerville gives you access to everyone’s network so you’re automatically in the Black community.

Emani Byrd: Somerville establishes a group of people who you’re automatically connected to just because of proximity, then you become friends with everyone individually and realize you have a lot in common with a lot of people.

Olivia Clarke: There’s a variety of Black people who each have different backgrounds, sexualities, and literally anything else you can think of. But everyone here is extremely supportive of our differences, it’s really nice to be around people you don’t have to filter yourself around.

Chase Jeter: Somerville is a community to me, and when I crossed everyone came to my neophyte presentation. Everyone congratulated me and it was nice to know that our friendship didn’t expire outside the building.

Azariah Kebede: We’re always looking for each other and we always find time and ways to hang out. It’s really impromptu. When we get home from a long day it’s nice having so many accessible friends who are always down for a good time.

Allen “AJ” White: I remember talking about anime on the first day and I thought it was cool I could talk about geeky stuff with a lot of other Black people. I think that set a precedent for what the rest of the school year was going to be like.

What types of events does Somerville have that make it unique?

Jolaiya Aldridge: There was one time all the girls went into our RAs room and just talked about life and gave each other compliments. It was really nice to hear, and we always felt comfortable in her space.

John “JD” Davilier: There will be different events that we can sometimes plan with the building but people will also just plan to do a lot of different stuff individually which can be a lot of fun.

Azariah Kebede: We don’t really have any organized activities. Everything is community started and community run. Everyone is open to hanging out with each other so we naturally gravitate towards one another, but this makes it more special because everything is very spur of the moment and it makes it more meaningful because it’s such an individual moment. It’ll be a concept such as “let’s go to the beach” or “let’s go to the dining hall” and it’s always a different mix of people where no experience is ever truly the same. And because of this spontaneity and genuinity within our connections we build longer lasting truer relationships.

Does Somerville help alleviate some of the pressures of being at a PWI?

Lensa Hamda: YES, I am so happy I can do my whole hair care routine in the bathroom. I can wash, blow dry, braid, etc, and I don’t get any looks! They say hi and bye but they don’t judge, they know the struggle.

Olivia Clarke: It definitely does, it provides me with a community that understands my specific experience and it also helps me find people at the same point in their college experience. We get to talk about certain stressors that we all experience. Rather than talking to a senior who looks at stuff in hindsight. Also everyone here is really fun so whenever I’m stressed I just leave my room.

Justice Navarra: Yes, my high school was predominantly white so having a group of people with similar experiences and personalities is cool to have.

Solyana Michael: Yes, it does, because I feel like I’m always around the Black community and my social life revolves around my Black friends so I don’t feel like I’m at a PWI. It’s more comfortable.

John “JD” Davilier: Somerville definitely helps alleviate the PWI struggles, it’s good to be able to have people to talk to when you feel out of place or whatever and it kind of feels like a mini hbcu experience.

Dovely King: I feel like it alleviates the cultural dissonance that I would’ve had when it comes to roommates. Things like hair or things I say, coming from an inner city community, aren’t met with questions or confusion so it’s way more comfortable for me to be around this. And having a roommate that understands me and my struggles, and our struggles within a PWI makes me feel like I’m in a community of people. There’s representation because you can see yourself in everyone around. And there’s an unspoken kinship and family from the jump and I feel like I wouldn’t be happy anywhere else.

Melie Hailemeskel: it does help alleviate the stress of being at a PWI because being surrounded by a group of people I identify with makes me feel at home and it’s good to know there’s people I can share my experiences with

Araeya “Rae” Reed: Yes. Honestly seeing Black faces on my floor everyday - specifically faces of Black women - reminds me that I’m not alone against this double fight of keeping up with my studies and navigating my way through an institution filled very little with people like me.

Why would you encourage a future Black usc student to live in somerville?

Azariah Kebede: You build a family. You’re building a family with people who have similar experiences with you at least in the most basic form. So we built that familial bond and it’ll carry you not only when we live together but even past that.

Jalen Short: I would recommend it to anyone that’s either coming from a predominantly Black school and wants to feel at home, or someone coming from a non Black school looking to have Black experiences for the first time. It’s good coming home to a family.

Chris Wilbon: It’s easier to build connections because you need a safe space in a new environment.

Quentin Dean: I would recommend it because it’s a creative, supportive, new space and it gives you a necessary boost with a family aspect.

Solyana Michael: I would encourage them to live here if they wanna find a sense of community. Being at a PWI can be harmful to your self image so being surrounded by people who look like you can help.

Tiyana Wong-Greene: It gives you guaranteed community and support because YOU WILL GO THROUGH IT. It’s built in friendships and you won’t build these friendships elsewhere because we wouldn’t have met in different majors. It’s not forced, and we feel comfortable at home. We don’t stress when talking to roommates or worry about possible micro aggressions. I’m grateful for it and the genuine people.

Saba Gebeyehu: It’s a good sense of community, and if you’re worried about not meeting Black people, it’ll help with your experience

Melie Hailemeskel: I would encourage future Black students to live here to make friends and navigate USC with a group of people. It makes moving to a different city much easier.

What’s your favorite memory from Somerville?

Jalen Short: In October the RA’s arranged a capture the flag game. It went on for hours and was a lot of fun, then we ate Chipotle after it was a solid day.

Chris Wilbon: The first week in the lounge was so fun. Even when we went to parties we would pull up deep wherever we went. When we did everything together it showed what Somerville could be.

Azariah: I think we all remember the first week, but the day to day meshes together to just the feeling of being here and being around each other. When a majority of us are here, that’s the epitome of what Somerville is.

Jessiyah Ewing: my favorite memory is in the beginning when we all moved in and by the end of the day we would meet in the lounge and socialize. It didn’t have to be a big event, it was the idea of coming together and enjoying each other’s company. It made me realize I belonged here.

Kharee Hoggs: When we showed out for people performing at Ground Zero, I liked to hear performances, but I loved Blacking spaces out and it made me feel like we had a community.

Andreya Guest: After winter break I brought my Nintendo Switch to my dorm and everyone played Super Smash Bros with us. I brought it as a way for everyone to play games and bond with each other because I thought it would be fun. It was the simplest way to have fun during covid when going out wasn’t super safe. I was able to include 8 players and we would have so many people in the room either playing or watching and it was a good bonding experience. Even people I didn’t really talk to who knew how to play the game let me into their lives and allowed me to get to know them better.

Some of the words I heard most when conducting interviews were community and family. I think that unity is so important for Black youth especially at a PWI, and I cannot wait to be sophomore Somerville next year!

Correction: We have changed the title of the article from “Finding Our Tribe at Somerville” to “Finding community at Somerville” because, after publication, we found the previous title insensitive to the significance that the term “tribe” has to the Indigenous community.