CU Boulder's African and African American Studies center hosting grand opening

CU Boulder's new Center for African and African American Studies will host a grand opening today — the first day of Black History Month.

Driving the news: The center resides inside Macky Auditorium and is referred to as "The Cause" due to its acronym CAAAS.

• Professor Reiland Rabaka, its founder and director, said the center will provide space for research, arts and student services. It was started through a collaboration between faculty and students.

• The overarching goal is to increase public awareness and understanding of African and African American scholarship opportunities in Colorado and across the Rocky Mountain region.

What they're saying: "This is a triumph over a lot of tragedy, a lot of, let's say, marginalization, a lot of feeling of alienation and neglect that a lot of African, African American people have experienced," Rabaka said in a pre-recorded interview.

Zoom in: Of the 36,122 students enrolled at the university in fall 2022, 2.6% identify as Black or African American, according to university data.

• 56.3% of those students are Colorado residents; at least 4.7% of Colorado's population identified as Black or African American, according to U.S. Census data.

What's next: The grand opening runs from 3:30-6pm. It will include remarks from Rabaka, Chancellor Philip DiStefano, and CU President Todd Saliman.