Black American Awareness Committee (BAAC) at Collin College

Black American Awareness Committee (BAAC)

The BAAC supports the quest for knowledge and academic excellence. The BAAC programming and events support Collin Colleges' core values of dignity, respect, and integrity. The committee is committed to creating a welcoming environment and treating all individuals with dignity and respect.

"Education must enable one to sift and weigh evidence, to discern the true from the false, the real from the unreal, and the facts from fiction." Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. 

 

Based on Collin College's core values of dignity and respect and the Black American Awareness Committee's purpose to preserve, promote, and share information about the experiences of Black Americans and our ancestry, this statement serves as notice of our efforts to actively engage our students and community with a safe space to share issues and concerns impacting us all individually and collectively as they reflect our society. We have a responsibility to be part of the solution, to challenge situations contrary to our institutional core values, and to engage in conversations focused on dignity & respect for all individuals.

 

The goal of this committee is to suggest, encourage, and participate in events and discussions that recognize and celebrate inspiring stories of Black achievement and the positive impact of unified engagement worldwide, facilitating positive outcomes for all communities.  As such, the Black American Awareness Committee (BAAC) seeks to educate and learn based on our rich history.

 

Furthermore, this committee aims to provide various events and forums that promote community involvement, necessary to foster unity and celebrate uniqueness. Dr. Martin L. King Jr. has been paraphrased as saying, "Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter." In this spirit, we hope that, as an institution of higher education, our core values will guide us in a renewed commitment that ensures the continued growth of Collin College's excellence. 

 

The 2025 - 2026 Black American Awareness Committee (BAAC) Leads are as follows:

• Professor Cathy Donald-Whitney, District Chair - McKinney Campus Lead 
• Rachel D. Walker, District Secretary - Plano Campus Lead
• Dean Michelle Buggs - McKinney Campus Lead
• Professor Bishnu Dhakal - Wylie Campus Lead
• Professor Joe Jaynes - Allen Technical Campus Lead
• Associate Dean Pamela Lee - Celina Campus Lead
• Professor Tracey McKenzie - Frisco Campus Lead
• Professor Carolyn Perry - Plano Campus Lead
• Professor Christopher Redgraves - Frisco Campus Lead
• Professor Eun Reeder - Wylie Campus Lead
• Professor Candace Cooper Reese - iCollin Lead
• Auturo Roberts - Allen Technical Campus Lead
• Professor Mohammed Tahiro - Wylie Campus Lead