ANNUAL REPORT FY 2021-22 MESA www.mesa.umich.edu
Table of Contents Message from the Director Mission and Vision Executive Highlights Celebrate - Heritage Months Educate Build Social Capital MESA Impact Virtual Engagement Giving Blueday Looking Ahead MESA Staff
We are excited to share our 2021-22 Annual Report. Despite the impact of ongoing social challenges, MESA was able to continue providing spaces for identity affirmation, celebration and education. We saw even more amazing events on campus that were funded through our grants program, contributing to what makes U-M a dynamic campus. As we reflect back on the past year, we continue to affirm that centering our students' needs remains our top priority. The challenges we faced from the pandemic were an invitation to live more creatively and thoughtfully support students as they built community and relearned campus. It has been a privilege to work with our various SSO’s and VSO affiliates, student staff, and countless volunteers and campus partners. While we had more in-person events, there were still several virtual engagements and hybrid experiences. We invite you to read about the exciting year we had and hope you choose to deepen your engagement with MESA by stopping in the office, strengthening a partnership, or connecting at a MESA sponsored event.
Message
Sincerely, Dr. Nadia Bazzy Directorfrom the
MISSION & VISION
The Office of Multi-Ethnic Student Affairs (MESA) engages the campus community and transforms the student experience to build inclusive spaces and equitable opportunities for all through various cultural and educational programs and leadership opportunities. MESA strives to achieve our vision of a diverse and vibrant campus community where all members are embraced, nurtured, belong, and free to achieve their definition of success. We engage both the individual and collective to promote cross-collaboration. In doing so, we nurture intercultural and leadership skills, and empower students to address social justice issues in ways that celebrate, educate, and build social capital. Our work and strategies are grounded in both theories and practices.
We focus on affirming identities through the lens of race and ethnicity.
HIGHLIGHTS Heritage Months Grant Program Anti-Racism and Coalition Building Peer-Led Teach Ins CAALM transitions to GOAAL High School Conference PISA evolves to OSA
The MESA Grant Program has played an intentional role in narrowing the funding gap for events focused on social justice, belonging, and identity affirmation which are largely received by many multicultural and racial-ethnic justice student organizations. Last year we awarded more than $60,000 to fund these student-led projects.
Grant Program
Heritage PMonths eer-led Teach-ins
The MESA Anti-Racism and Coalition Building TeachIn is in its fourth year. This year we noticed discussion and reflections on the connection between COVID-19 and structural racism. Participants often talked about how the reality of COVID-19 impacted communities disproportionately and exacerbated the existing vulnerabilities of marginalized racial groups.
80 events were held across Black History Month, Latinx, Native American, Arab, and Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Months. They consisted of a mix of cultural celebrations and educational dialogues to commemorate the history, struggles, triumphs, and societal contributions.
A sponsored SSO event of MESA, High school Conference is a UAAO legacy event put on annually to introduce high school students to identity affirmation and exploration. This year ' s High School Conference drew 105 registrations from various High Schools from and around Ann Arbor, Detroit and Lansing. 86 students showed up for a day-long inperson conference held in Angel Hall on Friday, November 13, 2021. The Pacific Islander Student Association (PISA) recently evolved to the Oceanic Student Association (OSA). This shift represents an intentional change in language as we recognize the term 'Pacific Islander' to have connotations associated with colonization. According to the OSA Vice President Malu Castor, who was quoted in The Michigan Daily, 'choosing to put “Oceanic” rather than “Pacific Islander” in the name of the organization is more inclusive of the Indigenous communities in the region.'
This year, the core group managing the Cultivating Asian American Leaders at Michigan (CAALM) reflected on the need and importance of supporting the visibility of the Pacific Islander/Oceanic community members that often has been less visible under the UAAO. The group convened for a retreat and decided that starting Fall 2022, CAALM will become Growing Oceanic and Asian American Leaders (GOAAL) at Michigan.
CAALM transitions to GOAAL
High School Conference PISA to OSA
Celebrate Celebrate Celebrate MESA leads campus-wide programming with students to offer educational content and celebrates race, ethnicity, and intersectional identities. These opportunities are identity affirming and enrich our community and amplifies diverse voices and experiences.
Providing the space and opportunity to celebrate, teach and learn about cultural history, affirm identity, and also to examine the way in which these cultures are viewed and evolved within American discourse continues to be highly relevant and critical. Heritage Months Total Number of Events Total Number of Attendees Total Number of Student Orgs Total Number of Campus Partners 6 Student Life Departments 22 Academic Schools/Departments 80 ≈2,300 38 28
NATIVE AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH 6 total events ≈300 2attendees student orgs 4 campus partners
Native American Heritage Month kickoff talks land returns, media representation PRESS COVERAGE NAHM was covered three times in the campus paper, The Michigan Daily. Native American Heritage Month hosts conversation on sustainability and representation of identities Native American Heritage Month closes with recap of the month’s events, reflections from community members Luke Hales/Daily Click to read more!
Here are just a few event highlights from NAHM: Firekeeper's Daughter, Author Presentation with Angeline Boulley
This dialogue and panel included amazing guests and speakers that have been a part of significant efforts to honor the Burt lake band and work on projects surrounding sustainability, language revitalization, and representation of Native Identities.
Conversations on Landback, Sustainability, and Language
Event Highlights
During this event, participants engaged with Angeline Boulley, author for the #1 NYT Bestseller novel, Firekeeper's Daughter. She is a former Director of the Office of Indian Education at the U.S. Department of Education.
She’s Gone Missing (The Epidemic You Don’t Hear About): Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women
During this event, Heather Bruegl talked about ‘Missing White Woman Syndrome’ and how that plays a role in the media. Participants learned what they can do in and out of Indian Country to make sure that our sisters, mothers, daughters, wives, girlfriends, women, don’t become a statistic.
Roots; We Bloom From Our Roots // Florecemos De Nuestras Raices LATINX HERITAGE MONTH 21 total events ≈ 550 1attendees 7 student orgs 5 campus partners
PRESS COVERAGE Two articles were published in The Michigan Daily about Latinx Heritage Month. ‘Florecemos de nuestras raíces:’ UMich kicks off Latinx Heritage Month with opening ceremony Latinx Heritage Month closing ceremony celebrates community narratives and growth Sophia Afendoulis/Daily Jeremy Weine/Daily
During the 2021 Latinx Heritage Month Opening Ceremony, students gathered in the Rogel Ballroom for music, food, and salsa dancing lessons. The event featured a hybrid option so that guests could watch a virtual livestream.
This year ' s closing ceremony saw more than 100 attendees came togehter to discuss and reflect this year’s theme: “Florecemos de nuestras raíces” / “We bloom from our roots.”
Event Highlights Here are some event highlights from Latinx Heritage Month: Latinx Heritage Month 2021: Opening Ceremony Latinx Heritage Month 2021: Closing Ceremony
BLACK HISTORY MONTH Celebrating Black Joy 17 total events ≈ 450 4attendees student orgs 17 campus partners
PRESS COVERAGE Black History Month was covered twice in The Michigan Daily. Students and faculty talk Black joy at opening ceremony of Black History Month Black History Month closing ceremony: An ending and a continuation of celebration and Black Joy Caroline Wang/Daily
Dr. Feranmi Okanlami, Director of Student Accessibility and Accommodation Services, led a discussion that centers on the intersection of Race, Ability and the process of finding one’s place or sense of belonging. Through sharing his own personal experiences of living with disabilities and advocating for more robust and inclusive services for university students living with disabilities, Dr. Okanlami pushed participants to think critically about what a truly inclusive and accessible university culture looks like, and invite them to move away just from theorizing about changes, toward enacting the changes they would like to see.
Event Highlights
Here are a few event highlights from Black History Month:
Discussion with Dr. Feranmi Okanlami: Race, Place and Ability Dance Workshops
Over the course of two separate events, participants were encouraged to learn four differnt styles of dancing, including Detroit ballroom, bachata, Detroit hustle, and kizomba. The event was held both in-person and virtually so that participants could choose how to attend.
“Are You Listening?: Oral Histories and Storytelling” AA & PI HERITAGE MONTH 20 total events ≈500 4attendees students orgs 15 campus partners
PRESS COVERAGE AA & PI Heritage Month was covered twice in The Michigan Daily. Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month opening ceremony discusses storytelling, history and activism Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month closes with black-tie gala, oral histories and storytelling
Event Highlights
Printmaking in Organizing: Political Poster Art in Palestinian and Asian American Movements
Here are a few event highlights from AA & PI Heritage Month: Closing Ceremony
UAAO and SAFE hosted a collaborative teach-in and workshop on printmaking in Asian American and Palestinian organizing. This event was part of SAFE's Palestine Awareness week. Participants had the opportunity to design and make their own prints.
This year ' s AA&PI Heritage Month ended with a celebratory gala and black-tie dinner! The night consisted of festivities, student performences, community awards, and essay contest honorariums.
Qisasna (Our Stories) ARAB HERITAGE MONTH 16 total events ≈500 1attendees 1 student orgs 12 campus partners
PRESS COVERAGE MESA hosts Arab Heritage Month closing ceremony, celebrating stories and culture
Event Highlights
This event was a collaboration between AA&PI HM and AHM, and involved a fun and relaxed evening of learning about the cultural significance of mehndi/henna. At the event, students were also able to practice the art themselves.
Mehndi & Henna Magic
The Arab Student Association, Arabesque, and the Filipino American Student Association hosted a traditional dance workshop with both dabke and tinikling. These are traditional dances in Arab and Filipino culture respectively. Participants learned about the history and choreography of these dances.
Here are a few of the event highlights from Arab Heritage Month: Teach Me How to Dabke and Tinikling
¡BUYA! MESA LOVE MESA Love is a celebration that takes place every spring in which MESA celebrates our graduating student staff. We had seven graduating student colleagues this year. OTHER EVENTS ¡BUYA! celebrated all 2021-22 ALMA participants who successfully completed their first semester at U-M. This year, we celebrated over 100 participants!
SAAN Conference Every year MESA is honored to be the unit sponsor of the South Asian Awareness Network (SAAN), which hosts a premier student-lead conference. We offer educational programs for students that increase knowledge and awareness of identity and its impact on self, others and communities. Using critical race and social justice framework, we help students grow the skills needed to navigate diverse environments.
AsAm High School Conference
Educate Educate Educate
Anti-Racism and Coalition Building Agency and Allyhood Building
A sponsored SSO event of MESA, High school conference is a UAAO legacy event put on annually to introduce high school students to identity affirmation and exploration.
Our collaborative workshops focus on three key areas: social identities, allyhood development, and social power dynamics.
These peer-led teach-ins engage analytical frameworks for examining systemic cultural, social, economic, and political forces in the community along with individual reflection.
Anti-Racism and Coalition Building
51 teach-ins requested 45 successfully delivered + 1,000 total attendees
The Anti-Racism and Coalition Building Teach-In is in its fourth year. Using guided facilitation rooted in dialogic pedagogy and critical reflection, the Peer Inclusive Education (PIE) Team engages their peers with analytical frameworks for examining systemic cultural, social, economic, and political forces in the community. This year we observed frequent discussion and reflection on the connection between COVID-19 and structural racism. Participants often discussed how the reality of COVID-19 impacted communities disproportionately and exhasberted the existing vulnerabilities of marginalized racial groups.
"Attending this teach-in/workshop, I reflect on my entryways to be part of the solution to complex issues of racism." 95.9% of participants agreed: Based on the 21-22 Evaluation, 247 participants provided feedback on their experiences with the Anti Racism Teach In/Workshops.
"Attending this teach-in/workshop, further develop strategies to engage in interrupting and combating racism." 90% of participants agreed:
"Attending this teach-in/workshop, I can see how racism is constructed, culturally reinforced/normalized, and institutionally perpetuated." 95.9% of participants agreed:
"Attending this teach-in/workshop helps me recognize how racism manifests in our daily life.” 94.4% of participants agreed:
Feedback from participants
"Attending this teach-in/workshop improved my understanding of the phrase “Anti-Racism.” 96% of participants agreed:
“Super engaging! Thought-provoking questions and the breakout rooms were really helpful in addition to general meeting space. Thought that both peer facilitators were very passionate, supportive, and encouraging.”
“I really like the format of style of this training. It made us comfortable to share experiences and thoughts that may sometime be harder to voice.”
“This experience definitely opened my eyes to the messages we hear/internalize about race, and gave me resources and concrete steps to practice anti-racism.”
“I thought it was a great opportunity for students of color to express how they experience racism at U-M in particular (e.g. struggling with "imposter syndrome" in an historically and predominantly white institution).”
In their own words...
“I have attended trainings, workshops, and talks/lectures on similar and related topics in the past and this was, by far, the best one. The vulnerability and honesty of the co-facilitators was powerful (and their engaging personalities held my attention throughout!). The questions asked throughout the teach-in and for the breakout sessions facilitated meaningful conversations that are often difficult to have, and also provided space for thoughtful reflection.”
“This Teach-In helped me identify ways I can continue to improve upon becoming anti-racist. I think the document that was sent at the end was really helpful in showing what some next steps for me can be.”
AGENCY AND ALLYHOOD BUILDING WORKSHOPS FACILITATED7 AAB serves a programmatic intervention designed for students across racial and ethnic communities to come together before engaging across MESA’s multiple welcome offerings that focus on community building based on different racial experiences at a Predominantly White Institution (PWI). DELIVERED SUCCESSFULLY5 TOTAL PARTICIPANTS90 DELIVEREDATTHE UNDERGRADLEVELALL
Manan Desai is the author of The United States of India: Anticolonial Literature & Transnational Refraction (2020), published by Temple University Press as part of the Asian American History and Culture Series.
Asian American High School Conference people registered people attended 11 workshops
Workshops included: Balancing ‘Asian’ and ‘American’ Identities, Body Acceptance as Asian American women (open to all gender identities), Colors on the Wheel: Asian Americans on the Spot, and more. A full list is available on the AsAm website mentioned above.
Keynote Speaker: Manan Desai. Ph.D.
https://asamhsc.com 105
86
This year ' s theme was “AsAm Now in Color!” through which we hope students were inspired to be bold in their identity for their communities and themselves. With the support of the University of Michigan’s students and organizations, we led workshops, group discussions, and a panel on topics related to AsAm identity, representation, community, and college life. Participants also enjoyed performances from a variety of AsAm organizations on campus during lunch break and at the end of the conference.
SAAN Conference Horizons: Collectively Envisioning a Liberated Future people registered 100 people attended in-person
SAAN Central Planning Team
256
The theme of this year’s conference, Redefining Horizons: Collectively Envisioning a Liberated Future, reflects a continuation of their last year ' s successful virtual conference under the theme of Rising Tides: Pulling Together to Push Boundaries that drew over 600 participants. This year, from March 26–27, the conference was held in a hybrid form due to Covid-19, and there were a 100 in-person attendees and 156 attended virtually in various engaging workshops and discussions across the two days long conference. 156 people attended virtually
Redefining
Build BSocial uild BSocial uild Social Capital Capital Capital
MESA social capital matters. Students learn to recognize, build, and then amplify their social capital and makes a difference throughout their college career. Social capital is more than the conventional combination of hard and soft skills. It is a complex web that includes widening strong supportive networks, access to relevant and essential information, and intentional guidance for realistic goal setting to develop a deeper sense of agency as they navigate college life and beyond. The MESA Grant Program and the MESA Welcome and Mentoring Program are both designed to provide such opportunities to the students.
Grant Program MESA Welcome Programs Highlight Student Organizations Advising and Supports Supporting Incoming Black Students (SIBS) Building
Grant Program The MESA Grant Program provides funding for student organization events and when applicable, individual student pursuits. The numbers below are representative of grants requested through Maize Pages. In addition to the numbers below, we also provided large grants to ASA, UAAO, BSU, and La Casa. 103 proposals received 98 grants awarded 48 proposals 36 grants awarded $27,500 funds total Fall 2021 50 proposals 37 grants awarded $31,000 funds total Spring 2022$58,500 total funds granted 154 30-minute advising sessions for small grants
MESA
ALMA The ALMA welcome program is a partnership between MESA and La Casa. During the four-day program, participants attended community building (Rope Course) events, resources scavenger hunts, discussion panels, workshops further exploring personal and social identities, and reflections, while engaging in dialogues topics relating to the Latinx experiences. 67 56 34 students registered participated in the four-day program ALMA alum came back to volunteer
SALAM SALAM is a partnership between the Arab Student Association and the Office of Multi-Ethnic Students Affairs (MESA). This multi day program is for incoming first and transfer students to build community, learn about campus resources, and connect with one another about the Arab student experience. 35 3 9 students attended SALAM alum worked as core team members SALAM alum returned to volunteer
CAALM
Cultivating Asian American Leaders at Michigan (CAALM) had nine core members from the United Asian American Organization (UAAO) who worked closely with our staff to host their first social event to welcome incoming students. The two-day event featured 30 incoming students who learned about UAAO, Asian American and Pacific Island community experiences, resources, and networks of supports on campus. 30 9 CAALM becomes GOAAL students attended UAAO students worked as core team members the group is now Growing Oceanic and Asian American Leaders (GOAAL)
NASW In partnership with the Native American Student Association, the Native American Student Welcome program offers opportunities to build community, inform their knowledge of campus support, and deepen their learning of Native identity. 5 25 students attended staff, faculty, and community members participated and volunteered
SUPPORTING INCOMING BLACK STUDENTS BIGSIBS (MENTORS)19 Support for Incoming Black Students (S.I.B.S.) is a year long, student-coordinated, peer mentorship program that is open to all first-year students at U-M. LITTLESIBS (MENTEES)17 CAMPUSTOURS KICKOFFEVENT STUDYTABLES CIDERMILLTRIP SIBS-GIVING ADVENTURE LEADERSHIP GAMENIGHT DE-STRESSEVENT FINALDINNER EVENTSINCLUDED:
Since 2018, MESA has measured the sense of belonging among students who participated in our programs and initiatives to learn how we contribute to building a sense of community and fostering a sense of belonging at the University of Michigan. Additionally, MESA also measured a few other perceptions including broadening knowledge and better understanding of the communities and identities not only their own, but also others. The results indicated consistent positive contributions and perceptions on all that helps reinforce the importance of MESA work on students and campus community.
MESA MImpact ESA ESA Impact
For the first time this year, we shifted the focus to learn about a few more impacts including whether participating in our programs and initiatives enhance their academic performance and knowledge to be successful in future career endeavors and civil engagement.
MImpact
63.9% agree that MESA Programs and Initiatives give them information and knowledge that they plan to implement in the workplace and in the future, while 6.14% disagree, and 30.06% are neutral.
91.18% agree that MESA Program and Initiatives give them information and knowledge that enhance their civic and community engagement (to help address issues of public concerns), while 3.68% disagree, and 6.13% are neutral. agree that MESA Programs and Initiatives give them information and knowledge that they can apply in their academic experience, while 4.91% disagree, and 23.93% are neutral.
71.17%
survey respondents214 of respondents were students*64% 35.43% first year students 15.75% sophomore level students 11.02% - junior-level students 9.45% - senior-level students 17.56% - graduate students *
Virtual Engagement Data 30,381 users visited our site 58,256 pageviews 68% viewed on desktop, contrary to audience trends toward mobile viewing This year, our monthly newsletter reached more than 1,400 students. 253 new followers 7,964 people reached 3,372 profile visits Website MESA Notes Instagram This data set ranges from July 1, 2021–June 30, 2022.
BLUEDAY Giving Total donors Total funds raised 14 $2,365 MESA Gift Fund - 3 donors Black Student Union Gift Fund - 10 donors Native American Student Organization Gifts - 1 donor Breakdown by fund
We plan to make various student engagement pathways more visible and explicit including how a student may benefit from their selected MESA experience. MESA will be adding an exciting event during our Welcome Week programming that includes the Growing Oceanic and Asian American Leaders organization, and our inaugural annual trip with Native American Student Association. We are also looking forward to having increased grant funding to further narrow the financial equity gap for student organizations whose events/projects are contributing to building inclusive space and a sense of community and belonging.
Looking forward
What's next for MESA?
MESA Staff Meet the Associate(he/him) Director Director(she/her) Dr. Nadia Bazzy Dr.KrishnaHan Program(he/him) Office(she/her)ManagerManager Neika White JesúsGalvan Program(she/her)Manager Program(she/her)Manager Aia Hawari BrainiMcKenzie (she/her) Program Manager AndreaWilkerson Communications(they/them) Specialist EjayOravecz
mesa.umich.edu THANK YOU MESA will continue to promote transformative student experiences, and build inclusive spaces and equitable opportunities for all. FROM MESA! 530 S. State Street, Third Floor, Ann Arbor, (MI 734) 763-9044