Category: Announcements

This year has exposed the painful realities of systemic racism in our nation and challenged us all to step up and be active participants in creating a more just society that moves towards collective liberation through antiracist work. This Saturday, June 19, we will honor and observe Juneteenth, also known as Freedom Day, an annual commemoration of the end of slavery in the United States.

The Center for Culture, Equity, and Empowerment encourages each of you to honor this holiday by participating in Juneteenth events, engaging in educational resources, supporting local black-owned businesses, and taking the time to reconnect with the community at large.

A few local opportunities to commemorate Juneteenth are:

• Vienna, VA: Juneteenth Celebration Event Calendar
• Dumfries, VA: Inaugural Juneteenth Parade, Saturday, June 19, 2021, 7:00pm, Merchant Park, 3944 Cameron St, Dumfries, VA.
• Fredericksburg, VA: Juneteenth Celebration at Pratt Park, Saturday, June 19, 2021, 12:00pm-8:00pm, Pratt Park,120 River Road, Fredericksburg, 22405
• Fredericksburg, VA: Annual Stafford Region Juneteenth Celebration, Saturday, June 19, 4:00pm, 120 River Rd, Fredericksburg, VA
• Click here, to learn more about Freedom Day by perusing and selecting a book from the Juneteenth reading list provided by the National Museum of African American History and Culture.
• Click here, to test your Juneteenth knowledge by taking a quiz provided by International African American Museum.

Participating in Juneteenth commemoration events and taking time to educate ourselves is just a start! Recognizing Juneteenth is the beginning of many proactive ways that we can take to build a campus and community culture that actively addresses disparities, disrupt racist policies and procedures at a local level and nationally, address anti-blackness, and supports our community.

Have a safe and enjoyable holiday while continuing the work of equity and inclusion.

Hamal Strayhorn
Center for Culture, Equity, and Empowerment

Greetings Mason Family,   

Coalition Building and Diversity Education (CBDE) as well as the Center for Culture, Equity, and Empowerment (CCEE) acknowledge that some, particularly in the Black Community, may be experiencing a wave of emotions and thoughts after the guilty verdict rendered in the Derek Chauvin case and we want you to know that we stand in solidary with you.  

Yesterday’s verdict will never bring George Floyd back to his family and loved ones and it does not fully address the effects continuously inflicted by racial trauma the Black community and other communities of color experience. For years, our nation has watched injustice unfold time and time again as Black lives are taken violently by police without accountability. CBDE and CCEE recognizes, Chauvin’s guilty verdict is not justice, for justice implies restoration. However, we are hopeful that this measure of accountability will pave the way for authentic systemic reform in policing nationwide, which may be the first step towards justice. 

What do we do now that a verdict has been rendered?  

1. We take a deep breath: Take care of our Well–being by connecting with loved ones and seeking therapy or guidance from spiritual and faith leaders.  

1. Take–action: “We who believe in freedom cannot rest until it comes.” One verdict of accountability does alleviate systemic issues, so we must continue the work by joining organizations that fight for justice and police reform.  

1. Support the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act: Let’s call 202.499.6085 and connect with our US Representatives and voice our support in passing this bill to reform policing nationwide. 

1. Register to vote:  Use your voice in all elections and register to vote.  

This moment will continue to impact us months from now. We challenge our campus community to confront all forms of systematic injustice in your world and area of influence. It is important above all things to acknowledge one another and take–action when needed. There is no liberation without collective community care. 

Please know the staff in CBDE and CCEE are here for you and if you need to talk to us, or share ideas, don’t hesitate to email us at cbde@gmu.edu and ccee@gmu.edu. 

• Mengqi Li: Drop-in style: 1:1 time slots
  • 1 – 1:30pm, 1:30 – 2pm, 2 – 2:30pm, and 2:30 – 3pm
  •  Zoom Link 
• Crystal Davidson: Drop-in style: Group Reflection
  • 1pm – 3pm
  • Zoom Link

• Brandi Blake & Mengqi Li: Drop-in Style: Group Reflection (Guided Dialogue)
  • 11:30 – 12:30pm
  •  Zoom Link

• Report hate crimes against Asian American: 
  • Stop AAPI Hate 
  • Stand Against Hatred 
• COVID-19 Resources to Stand Against Racism
  • Asian Americans Advancing Justice
• Database of APIDA Therapists  
  • Asian Mental Health Collective
• The Crisisline
  • Call: 1-800-273-TALK
  • Asian Languages: 1-877-990-8585 
• GMU Counseling and Psychological Services 
• Guided meditation on self-compassion 

• @aapiwomenlead
• @asians4antiracism 
• @dearasianyouth
• @teachandtransform 
• @diversifyournarrative 
• @asianmentalhealthcollective 
• @hisueyun 
• @seewun 
• @asiansformentalhealth 
• @beyonkz  

Lex Lewis-Semien (she/her)
Assistant Director, Student Access and Equity
Center for Culture, Equity, and Empowerment
alewisse@gmu.edu

Deana Waintraub Staffor
Associate Director,
Center for First-generation Student Success
First-genForward@naspa.org

Mason’s Center for Culture, Equity, and Empowerment (CCEE) CCEE is acknowledging the recent attacks against Asian elders and those in the Asian community. We stand in solidarity with all APIDA members of the Mason family. On January 28, in San Francisco, 84-year-old Vicha Ratanapakdee was knocked to the ground and killed while walking in his neighborhood. There have been over 20 attacks in Oakland’s Chinatown in the past two weeks that the local Chamber of Commerce considered to be targeted against Asians. On January 31, an assailant violently knocked a 91 year old man to the ground and later attacked an older man and woman. On February 3, in New York City, Noel Quintana, 61, was slashed across the face, and on the same day in Oakland, a 71 year-old grandmother was knocked to the ground while crossing the street and robbed. (HRW) There has been a significant uptick in violence against Asian Americans since Covid-19 entered the United States in late 2019; invoking harmful rhetoric from former Presidential leadership surrounding the virus’ origin. We stand in solidarity with our Asian American students in the Mason community and strongly condemn these acts of violence. We pray that justice is served for the victims and their families.

What we can do:

• Continue to learn & amplify issues about all forms of violence against Asians and Asian American communities.
• Check-in with elders in your community; ask them what they need.
• Hold each other accountable.
• Work to end white supremacy, anti-Blackness, xenophobia, poverty, police violence and the violence within and against our communities.
• Support, volunteer with, and learn from community-based groups who are organizing on the ground around the needs of elders & community safety.
• Continue to build cross-racial solidarity.

Social media is uncovering several overarching societal themes attached to the violent incidents, including an influx of anti-black rhetoric and the nuance and complexities within the model minority myth. To learn more visit stopaapihate.org.

If you would like to process thoughts about these incidents, please email Brandi Blake at bblake5@gmu.edu . If there is interest, we will host a processing space. 

We are incredibly excited to announce that the Office of Diversity, Inclusion and Multicultural Education & LGBTQ+ Resources is now the Center for Culture, Equity, and Empowerment! This change in direction helps us better reflect the populations we serve and missions we hold as a department.

Why the name change?

The diversity portfolio was growing in University Life and we knew an organizational re-shaping was necessary. We wanted to be clear in centering the student experience. Our department centers the student experience through cultural-celebrations, ally-ship and identity development, and culturally-specific leadership development. While, confronting bias and diversity education are important aspects of equity work, we were learning student needs were greater than our current capacity and organizational structure.

As we continue to move the needle towards inclusive excellence, we are working hard towards creating equitable access to resources for all students. Celebrating students’ cultural heritages is also a vital aspect of our work, and we felt strongly it should have representation in our name. Engaging in cultural equity enables us to make space for people to see the multitude of cultural heritages across campus. Working alongside and in community with students, our goal is to continue to improve their quality of life and experiences. A major aspect of social empowerment is working within communities, doing one’s own self-work in understanding identity and privilege, and then utilizing aspects of privilege to create change. Self-efficacy and the ability to realize ones’ own cultural wealth is directly tied to student success and empowerment.

What else has changed?

Along with our name, we updated our office’s structure to include 3 service areas:

• Student Access and Equity (SAE): Supports campus and student engagement for students who are historically underrepresented in higher education and their allies while specifically centering college students who identify as first generation and students, students who are undocumented, and students who are protected by Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) or hold Temporary Protected Status (TPS).
• Student Engagement for Racial Justice (SERJ): Supports and serves communities of color who have been historically marginalized in higher education. SERJ is charged with raising awareness and visibility of racial and ethnic identity through educational programs, cultural celebration and ceremonies, and promoting equitable practices in the university setting.
• LGBTQ+ Resources: Support to LGBTQ+ students, faculty, and staff; including advising, advocacy, referral, education and training, group and workshop facilitation, and leadership development.

These areas serve as resources to those in the Mason Community who seek to meaningfully engage and interact with people of different identities and intersections to co-create an equitable campus environment.

What’s next?

Stating October 5th, you’ll start to see changes to our identity system, website, and social media profiles.