Jaela Landowski, Contributing Photographer

On Sunday, the Yale Black Men’s Union hosted its annual induction event in Battell Chapel as it welcomed both first years and upperclassmen to listen to guest speakers. Board members of the BMU also spoke about their values and goals for the year.

Tobias Exsted ’26, current co-president of the BMU, discussed the pillars of the organization, which are unity, support and service. During the induction event, there was a strong emphasis on support and the community. Extsted expressed his appreciation of the BMU’s community.

“Throughout my time in the BMU, I have felt constant support from people who genuinely care about what I do and desire to support me in all my interests and pursuits,” Exsted said.

Another member of the BMU board, Jalen Bradley ’27, echoed Exsted’s appreciation for the support of the BMU, citing it as a reason why he joined. 

He identified the BMU as a space to empower black men, to uplift them and create a sense of belonging on the Yale Campus.

“I joined the BMU because I was searching for a space where I could relate to others on campus,” Jalen said. “During my first year last year, Induction had the format of pictures, dinner and then hearing from a Black business owner named Mr. Sean Williams.”

Jalen noted this Induction as special since two Connecticut state senators, Douglas McCroy and Gary Winfield, were sharing their words of empowerment in a year where the first Black woman, Kamala Harris, is running for president.

Both senators encouraged the Black men in the audience not only to engage in the community, the alumni network and the meetings that the BMU offers but also to make their voices heard in the upcoming election.

Senator Douglas McCroy, who was introduced as a champion of education equity, minority recruitment and youth mental health, stressed the importance of the initiative in building a strong black community in his speech.

“We have issues that we have to deal with as black men, and you guys here at Yale University make the decision to come together, talk about who we are, where we come from and what we need to do to improve ourselves individually,” McCroy said to the inductees. “And if you improve this community and community as you go back home, I applaud you for that.”

Senator Gary Winfield was introduced as a dedicated advocate of social justice known for his leadership in criminal justice reform, civil rights and education equity

In his speech, Winfield emphasized the many valuable connections formed in a community like the BMU.

“I know that you have relationships, but I know how many relationships tend to go,” Winfield said to the attendees. “They’re not that deep. They seem deep, and they’re not that deep. And I hope that what you get out of this union is what you create it to be, which is a deeper relationship with other black men, where you have a safe space, and there’s not a lot of spaces out there for us.”

In the many speeches by the board members and guest speakers, there was a recurring idea of having the space and the foundations, as a marginalized group in America, to grow to one’s greatest potential. 

Nolyn Mjema ’26 shared the story of Robert DeShaun Peace ’02, who, despite hardships, was admitted to Yale with a full scholarship. But, without the help of friends, he turned to selling drugs ten years post-graduation. Mjema continued, explaining the importance of an organization like the BMU, which strives to offer the help Peace needed to thrive in an environment like Yale.

“Right at the core, the Black Men’s Union was founded to support each other,” Mjema said. “So to all the first years, sophomores, juniors, every black man and woman on this campus, whether you come to every BMU meeting or none at all, know that our organization is built on the principle of support, and that’s why we’re all here today to ensure that none of us ever have to walk this journey alone.” 

After the speeches, the Induction concluded with the inductees signing the BMU book. 

Both co-President Exsted and Publicist Bradley described this as a very special part of the event each year.

“It is a key moment in which each individual gets their moment of recognition, but it serves as a symbol of the unity the inductees will build with each other over the next four years,” Exsted said.

Lastly, after signing the book and becoming an official member of the BMU, inductee Abdur-Rahman Oladoja ’28 shared his own reason for joining the organization.

Oladoja added that he was excited by the BMU’s work mentoring younger students in New Haven.

“I wanted to find a community of black people. And when I found out that Yale had a black men’s Union, I felt really empowered to join it because, yes, we are obviously all men, but I think black men are a very marginalized group in America in a bunch of different categories,” Oladoja said. “And I felt like it’s really important to me that we have a space on campus that really tries to uplift black men.”

The night finished with the formerly inducted and now inducted members of the BMU gathering together for a celebratory picture and hope for another year of great community and strong brotherhood.

The BMU was founded in 2007.