About Umoja

Umoja (a Kiswahili word meaning unity) is a statewide community of educators and learners committed to the academic success, personal growth and self-actualization of African American and other students. The Umoja Community at Diablo Valley College joined with the statewide community in spring 2013.

The Umoja Community seeks to educate the whole student – body, mind and spirit. Informed by an ethic of love and its vital power, the Umoja Community will deliberately engage students as full participants in the construction of knowledge and critical thought.

African and African American intellectual, cultural, and spiritual gifts inform Umoja Community values and practices. The Umoja Community seeks to nurture knowledge of and pride in these treasures. The learning experience within the Umoja Community will provide each individual the opportunity to add their voice and their story to the collective voices and stories of the African Diaspora.

Students in the Diablo Valley College Umoja Community will study with instructors trained in and committed to Umoja principles. The linked courses provide a structure for our community, with core courses in Counseling, African American focused social science, and community-linked choices for students in English and Mathematics. Strong bonds with mentors, counselors, instructors, and fellow students are an integral part of the Umoja experience.

Read more stories about the Umoja Learning Community

Umoja Learning Community requirements

The Fall 2024 Umoja Learning Community classes for Cohort 13 (C13) are listed below. Additional requirements will be reviewed by the coordinators during the intake process. For more information, please contact the Umoja Coordinators at DVCUmoja@dvc.edu.

Umoja core classes are in person and will have required in-person field trips and on-campus activities. Dates/times will be announced in advance. Fall 2024 Umojafied courses will be offered in-person, online, and in hybrid formats. Some online courses will have synchronous class meetings, which will require students to participate during the required meeting times.

Beginning January 2, 2023, any student can access any campus facility regardless of their vaccination. Students with approved medical or religious exemptions no longer need to test on a weekly basis in order to come to campus. Students registering for Fall 2024 classes are not required to submit proof of vaccination or apply for an exception in order to enroll in in-person classes. For more information, go to https://www.dvc.edu/about/safety/health-advisories/covid-19-safety-faq.html. 

If you are interested in being a considered for Fall 2024, please fill out the interest form with your contact information to receive email updates and more information.

Apply now

Mandatory Umoja Classes

  • Career 110, Akeem Ajani, 3 units, MW 9:35-11:00
  • Comm Studies 120, Robert Hawkins, 3 units, MW 12:45-2:10

Optional Spring 2025 Umoja Classes

  • Engl 122L, H. Goen-Salter, 5 units, Tues 9:35-12:05
  • Engl 123, R. Clapper, 3 units, Tues 12:45-2:10
  • Human 115, M. Ferrara, 3 units, asynchronous online

Contact Umoja 

Email:   DVCUmoja@dvc.edu
Follow us on Instagram:   @DVCUmoja and @DVCPuma