Mission: Fermilab’s African American Black Association (AABA) aims to inspire, educate, and empower the African American and Black community at Fermilab by creating a safe and inclusive space for the exchange of ideas and community building.
Vision: To fully leverage our unique perspectives and talents to advocate for, and provide awareness to, Fermilab to ensure equity and inclusion for all across the lab community.
Juneteenth
This year, Fermilab will observe Juneteenth as a paid holiday on June 19, 2024. Juneteenth became a federal holiday in 2021, marking the 1865 emancipation of enslaved African Americans in the United States. More information on the holiday and related events are available here.
The Juneteenth flag and a poster detailing the symbolism of the flag will be on display in the Fermilab Wilson Hall Atrium for the month of June.
Upcoming Events
The African American/Black Association LRG meets on the second Monday of every month, all members are invited to attend!
- Earth Day Volunteer Opportunity:
- The Sustainability Office is seeking volunteers from AABA to assist with the Fermilab Earth Day celebration on Wednesday, April 24th, from 11:30 am to 1:00 pm CST. Volunteers are needed for tasks such as raffling and tabling. If you are interested in volunteering, even for short stints, please reach out to the AABA leadership team at aabaleadership@listserv.fnal.gov.
- Game Night Update:
- Game Night is officially scheduled for Wednesday, April 17, 2024, from 5:00 pm to 7:30 pm CST at the Frontier Pub. In-person games such as Spades, Uno, Dominos, and more will be available. For those attending virtually, our Communications Chair, Richard Wallace, will host Jackbox Party Games. Note that beverages at the pub are on your own. Please contact Richard for the link to join virtually.
- Juneteenth Subcommittee Update:
- The Juneteenth Subcommittee met to discuss ideas for the celebration. The proposed date for the event is Tuesday, June 18th, 2024, from 4:00 pm to 6:30 pm at the Kuhn Barn. Plans include a celebratory party with catering from a black-owned business, as well as a 3-on-3 tournament and AABA t-shirt design. The Subcommittee will finalize details at their next meeting scheduled for Tuesday, April 16, 2024, at 10:00 am CST. Contact Richard Wallace for connection information.
- Coat Drive Subcommittee:
- We are seeking volunteers to lead the Coat Drive subcommittee for the upcoming winter season. If you are interested in participating, please email AABA Leadership at aabaleadership@listserv.fnal.gov.
African School of Fundamental Physics
The African School of Fundamental Physics and Application (ASP) is a biennial physics school aimed at improving the quality of higher education in Africa. The three-week term school is hosted every two years by a different African country and supports students from all over Africa.
Historic success of the program is largely due to international lecturers and participants who volunteer their time to give talks and teach courses. Fermilab science and technology professionals are encouraged to get involved.
More information and a sign-up form is available here.
Dr. Silvia Zorzetti, QIS Ecosystem Leader at the DOE SQMS Research Center, presented at the 3rd African Conference on Fundamental & Applied Physics in September 2023 in George, South Africa.
News & Resources
- DuPage County NAACP
- National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE)
- National Society of Black Physicists (NSBP)
- National Society of Blacks in Computing (NSBC)
Fermipoint: AABA Documents and Materials (login required)
Contact Anahi Ruiz Beltran for more information; Executive Sponsor: Alexander A. Valishev