On May 18th, 2026, Black365 hosted their second speaker series at UCLA. In collaboration with the Afrikan Womxn’s Collective at UCLA and American Pride Rises, Black365 brought businesswoman, fashion designer, art collector, and activist, Tina Knowles. We also can’t forget that she is the mother of two musical icons: Beyonce and Solange. The Tina Knowles event was a conversation centering on personal evolution, overcoming generational challenges, and uncovering the strength within our roots. Tina shared how she repeatedly reinvented her career by refusing to let fear, regional stereotypes, or societal expectations restrict her potential. To navigate these hurdles, she highlighted the importance of breaking generational curses of passive humility, learning instead to celebrate personal achievements and recognize one’s value. Ultimately, she challenged the audience to banish self-limitation, embrace their heritage, and step forward as assets to any room they enter.
Before recapping the event, Nommo would especially like to thank American Pride Rises for helping Black365 fund this event. Black365 Founder and Defending Our Dreams Fellow, Runor Pinnock, on APR and their support: “They were the ones that helped to fund this beautiful event, American Pride Rises was founded to help preserve diversity, equity, and inclusion across college campuses. With that, Black365 is meant to highlight Black history and culture year-round. This event is basically us standing our ground and saying that we’re not going anywhere. We’re Black and we’re proud, and we deserve to have our stories heard year-round, and that’s the community footprint we want this institution to remember us by.”
There was so much to learn from Mama Knowles. There were a few lessons that stood out which every Black woman should know. Nommo would like to call them Tina’s 3 B’s.
First, Be Kind
In discussing the strict curation of her inner circle, Mama Knowles kept her policy clear by saying that absolutely “no haters allowed” in her circle. She said everyone should look for friends who lift you up and lift everybody else up because “It doesn’t cost anything to be kind or lift someone up. If you will just find it in your heart to lift somebody up every single day, even if it’s just a small thing, it makes your day as well as theirs.” This is exactly how she raised her own successful family while working for years in the busy entertainment industry. For the students in the audience, it was a great reminder to stay away from negative people and protect their peace of mind. She encouraged everyone to look at their friend group as a supportive team where everyone helps each other out. In the end, her message showed that you can only truly succeed when you have a good inner circle standing right behind you.
Second, Be Authentic
On the topic of navigating predominantly white spaces while remaining unapologetically Black, Mama Knowles responded by saying she learned at a very young age the importance of being authentically herself no matter what room she is in. This is something that she has worked hard on teaching her daughters, grandchildren, and youth that she mentors. Mama Knowles says that Black people are a special people and should recognize that it is a blessing. She tells the audience that you bring value to any room by being yourself, “You don’t need to code-switch and be somebody else. Be authentically yourself. I promise you that when you have the confidence to be yourself, everybody else likes you, too.” Her powerful words filled the room with an immediate sense of pride and confidence. Walking into spaces where you’re the only one who looks like you can be intimidating, but Mama Knowles made it feel like a superpower instead of a disadvantage. She wanted the students to understand that trying to fit into someone else’s box only dilutes what makes them unique. By sharing this, she gave everyone in the room permission to take up space and be incredibly proud of exactly who they are.
Third, Be Proud
When asked what honoring and preserving her family’s legacy means to her, Mama Knowles told the audience that preserving history and lineage is everything. She reminded the audience that our name is our biggest gift and it sets us apart from everyone on this earth. Additionally, she encourages everyone, if they can, to put their investigator hats on and try to find out where they come from, especially Black folk. Just knowing this information can make you feel proud of who you are and where your ancestors came from. Knowing that her grandmothers and great-grandmothers were enslaved and somehow managed to free their children from that same destiny has given her an immense amount of pride. Mama Knowles tells the audience that “You should be proud of your heritage and learn about your ancestors.Go and research your history, know your story, and pass it on to your kids.” Her passion for family history was obvious, and you could tell how much her ancestors’ strength still inspires her today. She made it clear that if we don’t take the time to look into our roots, those precious family stories can easily be lost over time. For the students listening, it felt like a call to become the keepers of their own family legacies. Ultimately, her message was a beautiful reminder that truly knowing where you come from is the best way to ground yourself as you move forward in life.
As we reflect on the Black365 & Afrikan Womxn’s Collective event with Mama Knowles, the knowledge gained, and the lessons learned, NOMMO spoke with Afrikan Womxn’s Collective President and event attendee Addison Perry who shared how Tina’s 3 B’s help shape her understanding of power and Black womanhood.
Addison: The “three B’s” Ms. Knowles shared helped me further reflect on the way I think about what power even looks like for Black women. She did not define it through how well you can fit into a room or how much you can adapt yourself for other people’s comfort, she defined it through how firmly you know yourself. The first principle, “Be Authentic”, hit because oftentimes we are constantly expected to code-switch just to be taken seriously. She made it clear that showing up as yourself is not a risk, it is actually where your power lives. “Be Proud” took that further by connecting identity to ancestry, and highlighting the importance of knowing where you come from.There is something grounding about being reminded that the strength we carry did not start with us. “Be Kind” was the principle that resonated with me most because kindness is essential not only for having power but also for finding peace and support. She framed kindness not as something passive, but as an active choice to uplift others. I think that message was really important given how often Black women are placed in environments that encourage competition rather than support. She emphasized the importance of surrounding yourself with people who genuinely want to see you succeed, and that kind of community is a powerful form of strength in itself. All three principles together paint a picture of Black womanhood that is rooted, proud, and community-oriented rather than performative. It made me reflect on how I show up in spaces and whether I am leading with those same values. Ms. Knowles made it feel less like advice and more like a reminder of something we all already know deep down.
Nommo talked with Black 365 founder Runor Pinnock about her organization’s growing success and what’s next.
Black365 is growing rapidly, and a board has been established. How is it having a team that is passionate about the org’s mission of celebrating Black history and culture all year round?
Runor: There are truly no words to express the pride and joy I have in my E-board. A team like this is rare to find where it truly feels like we’re a family. The six of them are the embodiment of my visions materialized, and I affectionately call them my “E-Board babies” because of how protective and invested I am in their personal growth. They came into Black365 eager to start in April and were able to execute two entire events in a little over a month. The passion and commitment they displayed throughout was so beautiful to witness because I learned as much from them as I hoped they did from me and our experiences together. I’m quoting one of my E-Board members, Julia Perry, who described her ideal experience as one with a balance of “joy and professionalism”, which we managed to do. I never could have imagined others being as passionate about black storytelling as I am, but now that I know they exist, I intend to do everything I can to continue setting an example.
The 3 events Black365 has hosted have been amazing and packed with attendees. What does this mean for you? Why is cultivating this space important?
Runor: I still get emotional every time I see people interact with us. Though I founded this organization, it is not mine alone; it is for everyone- the attendees, supporters, partners, the casual spectator! Black365 would not exist without any of them. Hearing the positive feedback and the excitement that every event garners is so magical because this is what I intended. I always wanted those who feel as though they may not fit within UCLA’s status quo or underrepresented in their stories to feel seen when they step into something we host.
What do you hope for the future of Black365 as you plan to graduate next year?
Runor: In the essence of its name, Black365 is meant to exist beyond me. I emphasize to my board and in conversations surrounding the organization that I never intended for this to simply start and die with me once I graduate. I am aiming to lay a foundation for future Black Bruins to take up and cultivate these spaces into more than anything I could have envisioned. If nothing else, Black365 is an enduring legacy that always represents the continuity of black culture and history.
We also talked with Black365 inaugural Co-Director of Social Media & Marketing Nazyrah Otubuah about what it’s been like working with Black365 so far and what she hopes for the future.
Nazyrah: Black365’s goal to highlight Black stories means a lot to me as someone whose story often goes unheard a lot of the time. In an age where a lot of Black stories are either censored or simply ignored, it’s vital that we hear them at a place like UCLA, a PWI. Black365 believes that creating community is essential and I really align with that, which is one of the main reasons I joined. For me, being on Black 365’s E-Board has been one of my most fulfilling college experiences so far. It’s been a pleasure getting to know such fun, passionate, and dedicated individuals who show up every week and put their best foot forward no matter the challenges presented against us. Working with them has been nothing but wonderful, full of support and collaboration, where no idea is too big or too crazy because we’re willing to give it our all. I’ve grown in my career path as well as a person and it’s all thanks to these amazing people, and I’m excited to put on more fun events for everybody next year. My hopes for the future are to spread the mission of Black365 further than UCLA’s campus. Our mission to highlight all kinds of stories across the Afrikan diaspora is a really special one, and I want as many people as possible to be able to see themselves in our speakers and to take something that they could use in their everyday life. It’s truly inspiring seeing the community we’ve built and I want as many people as possible to be able to experience different kinds of Black excellence through our speaker series.
Black365 has been established for less than 6 months and has taken the Black Bruin community by storm, providing the community with engaging and insightful events from celebrity panels to hot topic discussion nights dissecting popular culture and societal issues.
Be sure to follow Black365 on social media and be on the lookout for more speaker series and events during the next year. @uclablack365 on Instagram and TikTok
