Malcolm X House (X House) became the University’s African Diaspora program house in 1969 and has since served the community as a center of celebration and education of Black history and culture. But within the context of a predominantly white institution (PWI), X House takes on a particular role as a place of solace for Black students who may at times feel culturally isolated from the wider University. In a letter to the administration sent on June 6, 2020, Ujamaa, the University’s Black Student Union, proposed an amendment to Residential Life (ResLife) that allowed low-occupancy, identity-based housing to be open to incoming first years. As a result, eight first years are currently living in X House.

Tori DaCosta ’25 found the decision to live in X House relatively easy. As someone who had previously attended a PWI, the idea of living in X House provided a sense of comfort.

“I did choose to live in X House,” DaCosta said. “It was definitely my first choice. I mainly chose that because I knew I was going to a PWI, and I went to a PWI for high school, and I was always surrounded by people of color, with the few that there were at my high school. And I obviously am capable of being friends with people of all races, but it was just something a little more comforting to me, and I felt that I would connect more with people like that. Living styles would be a little more similar to my home, and that would make it a lot more comfortable for me.”

Kailer Brothers ’25, who had a similar high school experience, agreed with DaCosta’s sentiments. She described the relief she felt upon realizing that she wouldn’t have to explain certain aspects of Black identity to her housemates.

“I wanted to be in a place where I would be accepted and have community,” Brothers said. “I knew I wouldn’t be judged for taking three hours to do my hair, you know. Stuff like that.”

Despite the comfort of living among those with whom they share a common identity, DaCosta and Brothers are two of eight first years in a house of sophomores, juniors, and seniors. Brothers noted that while the first years of the house were quick to bond—they even held a small kickback during their initial days on campus—it has been more difficult to form sincere relationships with the sophomores, juniors, and seniors. Part of this slight disconnect for Brothers can be attributed to a hesitancy to disturb the already established relationships between the house’s older residents.

“When they already all know each other, it’s almost like, ‘Okay, I feel like I might be intruding a little bit into that friend group. I might be messing up that dynamic,’” Brothers said.

DaCosta added that there hasn’t been much opportunity for meaningful interaction between the students of distinct class years yet.

“We haven’t had a big community thing as a house yet,” DaCosta said.

However, DaCosta and Brothers remain optimistic and looks forward to future chances to interact with sophomores, juniors, and seniors.

“We just have to find that time [and] space to be able to connect as a whole,” said Brothers.

First-year members said that they think the feeling of disconnect between first years and sophomores, juniors, and seniors in X House is mutual. After all, older residents are adjusting to the presence of first years in a previously upperclassmen-oriented housing situation.

“[The sophomores, juniors, and seniors] seem to be very to themselves,” Kaina Remy ’24 said. “But I honestly don’t blame them because we are kind of a large group that had already been acquainted with one another before entering the house.” 

The move by ResLife to allow first years to live in X House came as an adjustment for many sophomore, junior, and senior members who were excited for the more laid-back structure of program housing.

“[We wouldn’t normally] have RAs, but because freshmen are living with us, we do,” Remy remarked. “So it’s just like a weird dynamic where we have RAs, but we know we’re not supposed to have them.”

In addition, while many older members acknowledge the advantages of allowing first years to live in identity-based housing, they still wonder whether first years are missing out on the “freshmen experience” of dorm life.

“I do think that freshmen should be in housing [with] other freshmen,” Remy said. “I think it should still be an option, but it just seems like living here might be kind of isolating for them from the rest of their class. I think they need that experience to decide whether they want to live in a program house the following year.”

Despite these challenges, sophomore, junior, and senior members of X House are hopeful that the community dynamic will improve as the year progresses. 

“I think we just need to make more opportunities for freshmen to feel invited,” said Remy. “Because I know they actually want to hang out with us, but they’re just a little bit shy about it.”

Ultimately, older residents of X House said that they think that having identity-based housing available for first-year students should be an option, and they are excited to make the house feel like home.

“I think that [Malcom X House] is good for them [because they are] in a new place and it’s [also] a PWI,” Imani Hussain ’24 said.

Regardless of the fact that there haven’t yet been many moments of connection across class years, neither DaCosta nor Brothers would say that they’ve felt excluded from the house’s community. In fact, DaCosta has observed that the atmosphere of X House has generally felt more welcoming towards freshmen than other on-campus spaces. Brothers added that the shared identities of X House residents take precedent in forming relationships.

“We have these similarities in the background that really just make us considerate of each other,” Brothers said. “We just really want to make sure everybody’s good, we’re looking out for each other, and it’s a really good thing.”

Jo Harkless contributed reporting.

Kai Ruwende can be reached at kruwende@wesleyan.edu.