The San Diego Community College District (SDCCD) has implemented programs designed to help African-American students overcome the psychological and cultural obstacles to successful participation in formal learning environments. African-American students suffer low achievement rates in higher education compared with all racial or ethnic groups. "Umoja," meaning "unity," programs aim to establish social networks and resources dedicated to enhancing the cultural and educational experiences of African-Americans. The authors describe the approach, highlighting the California Umoja program, and its outcomes for students so far.