Voices Spring 2019

The Power of Connection

Inspiring Collegiality, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at CSU Channel Islands A Center for Multicultural Engagement Publication • SPRING 2019 • Volume 2

A MESSAGE FROM THE FACULTY DIRECTOR

TABLE OF CONTENTS MESSAGES............................................... 1-2 From the Faculty Director of the CME and Editorial Director From the Student Affairs Director of the CME Inclusive Excellence Definition of Collegiality STUDENT–ALUMNI–FACULTY VOICES.......3-4 What Community/Collegiality Means to Me Lexi Huerta by Danielle Gugas Molly Johansson by Brianna Pascua Jeremy Wolf Tracylee Clarke FEATURED STORIES..................................5-6 The Growing Works Project: Planting the Seeds of Community by Victoria A. Zavala Six Degrees of Separation

by Christy Teranishi Martinez STUDENT SPOTLIGHTS................................7 Student Success Center Men’s Group

by Ricardo Rico The Power of Student Engagement

by Katherine Martinez CME MINI-GRANT AWARDEES.................... 8 ONGOING EVENTS AND WORKSHOPS.... 9-10 Dialogues on Diversity Borderline Support Group Mental Health Fair Black Student Stoling Ceremony Our Stories Matter Campus Reading Celebration Our Bodies Our Minds workshop Mental Health and Immigration RESOURCES..............................BACK COVER Center for Multicultural Engagement (CME) Inspiring Collegiality, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at CSU Channel Islands 805-437-2608 • www.csuci.edu/cme

CENTER FOR MULTICULTURAL ENGAGEMENT – PAGE 1

Me + You = We The Power of Connection at CSUCI This past year has been tragic, painful and difficult witnessing the Woolsey and Hill fires destroy homes and wildlife, and enduring physical and psychological trauma from the unfathomable Borderline shooting on college night. CSUCI declared a state of emergency with the State of California, and the U.S. Department of Education suspended courses for two weeks. Despite the incredible stress and hardship that students, faculty, staff and administrators experienced, we all found ways to come together to support one another within our community.

As a CSUCI Psychology professor, my early research examined the extent to which our early parent-child attachment patterns contribute to our adult attachment styles with our romantic partners, friends, family members and other important people in our lives. Just like the process of developing trust and confidence in our parents, we develop a set of expectations for how the people around us are capable of meeting our needs and keeping us safe—protecting us both physically and emotionally.

As we underwent the stressful and tragic experience of the Borderline shooting and the fires, everyone at CSUCI worked together to provide safety, security and resources. President Beck and Vice President for Student Affairs Richard Yao were present at the scene of the shooting and continuously checked in every day to ensure every students’ safety and well-being. University Police and the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office worked together to ensure our campus safety, and the CARE team and Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) were available 24-7.

When the campus reopened, a candlelight vigil was held in honor of those who died in the Borderline shooting and those affected by the wildfires. “At times like these, we must come together as a community to bear our collective grief and comfort and offer support to one another,” said President Beck. In spring 2019, CAPS held a month-long group counseling session titled, “Healing after Borderline Bar & Grill Tragedy.” In addition, the Center for Multicultural Engagement held a workshop for students, faculty, staff and administrators, “After the Fires and Borderline…Where Are We Now?,” to help process the remnants of emotions and stress that were lingering from the aftermath of the fires and shootings as well as to provide resources and continuous support.

In these tragic and stressful times, we must not isolate ourselves— we must come together to survive, heal and grow as a community.

The second edition of our CME publication focuses on the meaning and importance of community and collegiality. At CSUCI, we may sometimes feel like we are alone—individuals in our own little silos striving to learn, grow and channel our potentials. However, we must acknowledge we cannot do it without the love, support, resources and strength of our family and our community. We need to give appreciation and be grateful to those who have given unknowingly and selflessly to help us grow. And we must forgive those who we feel have failed us or not met up to our expectations—because no one is perfect—and we all make mistakes. We have to help lift ourselves up in times of hardship or challenge, and empower each other to find purpose and meaning in our lives.

Me + You = We. That is the great power of connection, community and collegiality at CSUCI. Christy Teranishi Martinez, Ph.D. Professor of Psychology Faculty Director of the Center for Multicultural Engagement Editor of the CME Magazine

A MESSAGE FROM THE STUDENT AFFAIRS DIRECTOR

“We are tied together in a single garment of destiny, caught in an inescapable network of mutuality. And whatever affects one directly affects all indirectly.”

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. A university campus can be a unique and amazing place where students, staff, administrators and faculty embrace a shared responsibility, accountability and authority to create an inclusive, supportive and caring community anchored in a unified purpose and commitment to student success. We are, as Dr. King states, ‘caught in an escapable network of mutuality’ Left to our own devices, without a purposeful community, each group might find themselves engaged in internal struggles and struggles across groups in efforts to protect presumed interests: Faculty vs. faculty, staff vs. administrators, students vs. students, students vs. faculty, etc. The struggles to forge respectful and meaningful relationships, have courageous and meaningful dialogue, and confront the many pervasive and often imperceptible obstacles that can impede the development of a truly “collegial” academic community are many. Therefore, it stands to reason that developing authentic collegiality in a community can be a daunting task, particularly in an academic community. Nevertheless, it should and must be an important goal for a university to be very intentional about nurturing a strong collegial campus community.

CSUCI has accepted the challenge of examining who we are and how we relate to one another as members of our campus community.

Faculty, staff, students and administrators across campus have embraced the many opportunities that our campus leadership has engaged through “Courageous Campus Discussions” sponsored by The President’s Advisory Council on Inclusive Excellence, The Center for Multicultural Engagement (CME) “Dialogues On Diversity” and the many other opportunities created through campus to deeply and respectfully engage one another on critical issues, such as, collegiality, diversity, equity, collaboration, inclusive excellence and community.

The Center for Multicultural Engagement (CME) has centered this edition of Voices on Collegiality and Community. This edition will share what many members of our campus community think about collegiality and its importance as it relates to our ongoing mission to improve and strengthen our campus community for everyone. It is a great time to be at CSUCI as we commit ourselves realizing the responsibilities, challenges and benefits of and collegial and inclusive campus community.

In Killing Rage: Ending Racism (1996), bell hooks shares her belief that a “Beloved” community is formed not by the eradication of difference but by its affirmation, by each of us claiming the identities, feelings, aspirations and cultural legacies that shape who we are and how we live in the world. It is in this spirit of a “beloved” community that we join with you and embrace the task at of making our campus community a more collegial and inclusive one where all of our members can find a sense of purpose, connectedness, respect and affirmation for who we are as individuals and as a part of the CSUCI community.

Charles E. Osiris, Ph.D. Associate Vice President for Student Affairs Retention, Outreach & Inclusive Student Services Student Affairs Director of the Center for Multicultural Engagement

President’s Advisory Council on Inclusive Excellence Working Shared Definition of Collegiality* COLLEGIALITY is defined as individual accountability for behaviors that contribute to the academic mission of CSU Channel Islands, helping to build a positive reputation for the university, and strengthening the potential for all members of the campus community to consistently experience civil and professional working conditions.

Collegiality does not require congeniality, deference to popular opinion, or the performance of pleasantries. It does not imply value for being compliant or agreeable.

To the contrary, collegiality is what makes productive dissent, argumentation, and collaboration across differences possible. It recognizes the essential need for dissent, diversity, and inclusion in the work that we do as faculty, staff, administrators, and students. Collegiality is generally understood to mean cooperative interaction and respect, which we define operationally through observable patterns of behavior.

Operationalizing collegial behaviors include but are not limited to: • communicating in clear, constructive ways that recognize equal dignity and worth of all members of the campus community; • honoring established campus and program missions, policies, and procedures, and working with others to make changes to these when necessary; • engaging collaboratively and following through on all assigned and accepted professional functions; • cultivating an atmosphere of trust and cooperation to help us navigate our differences; • being flexible, accessible, and responsive in ways that promote rather than hinder achievement of institutional, divisional, and program goals; and • surfacing conflict in productive ways that encourage healthy dissent while promoting transparency and inclusive opportunities to work toward resolution.

* Note: This working definition is under review by President Beck.

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Student–Alumni–Faculty Voices Lexi Huerta Liberal Studies Major

Molly Johansson Communication Major/Transfer Student

By Danielle Gugas Lexi Huerta is a 24-yearold CSUCI student, and co-founder of the Kappa Rho Delta sorority. She says that being a part of the mental health community is important to her because it “gives (her) a unique perspective on life and life situations.” To Lexi, being a part of this community means having a great deal of support, especially from her sorority sisters. Some of her sisters have also dealt with mental health issues, and others are simply allies. Their varying backgrounds give her different methods of working through tough times. While these types of disorders can make one feel secluded, Lexi’s sisters help her stay connected to others through philanthropy as well as fun social activities. She says that “support from friends is one of the most important things that keep (her) healthy.” Lexi noted that while the student body does a fantastic job advocating for mental health, she feels the faculty could perhaps raise more awareness and add further resources. Ultimately, she urges us to “be understanding and open to other’s perspectives and stories.”

Danielle Gugas completed her Bachelor’s in Psychology in Spring 2019. She will be continuing her education in the Fall in the Marriage and Family Therapy program at California Lutheran University. She hopes to someday run her own private practice.

Brianna Pascua recently graduated with a B.A. in Psychology from CSUCI. She was born and raised in the Bay Area, and transferred to CSUCI in 2016. Bri has been very involved on campus and has worked in both the VPSA office, the Student Organizations and Involvement office, and most recently the New Student Orientation office as an Orientation Leader. She has also been involved in many clubs and orgs including Kappa Rho Delta, a local sorority which she co-founded, Active Minds, Student Programming Board, and more.

Because of her involvement on campus, Bri has been honored with multiple legacy awards such as Outstanding Student Assistant, the Richard R. Rush Outstanding Senior Student Leader, and the Maximus Award, all of which she has said are owed to her family, friends and mentors from CSUCI. A piece of advice from Bri is to always get involved, college is only going to be as great as you make it so don’t be afraid to put yourself outside of your comfort zone.

CENTER FOR MULTICULTURAL ENGAGEMENT – PAGE 3

By Brianna Pascua Belonging, community, collegiality – three key factors to creating a vibrant college campus. There is a basic human desire for acceptance and inclusion and as students gather, they seek a place where they know that their presence makes a difference. Molly Johansson, Bay Area native and Psychology major at CSU Channel Islands, transferred from her community college in 2016 and is currently in her last year at CSUCI. She is part of the local sorority on campus, Kappa Rho Delta, and has recently been invited to become part of the honors society, Gamma Beta Phi. Molly stated, “Change and transition is so difficult for people. For me, when I came to this campus, I didn’t feel like I was really a part of the community. To be honest, I didn’t know what the community even was when I first arrived.” What makes a university a community? What gives a person a sense of belonging, and how do the non-traditional students foster collegiality?

To a student who has left their own community and ventured off to a different school and location, and who faces new challenges, finding their niche within a group can be difficult. Molly says, “I felt disconnected at first, and being a transfer student, there is not a lot of opportunity for involvement unless you go out actively searching for it.” She goes on to say, “After I transferred, I joined a sorority my second semester of being there, I got involved by working on campus, and I joined clubs that I thought might fit with my major (Psychology). I immersed myself in academics and philanthropy, and I now see myself as a sister of Kappa Rho Delta, and that is my main group that I would say I identify with. Finding my niche was difficult. It took me time, and it took a lot of trial and error finding the right group to join.

I rushed another sorority and found that that was not my perfect fit, but out of this I met a handful of women who were able to align with my passion for philanthropy and women’s empowerment.”

Belonging is accomplished through contribution and experience. When you find a group where you feel important, you feel like you belong. When asked about what a community is to her, Molly stated, “Being part of a community to me means being dedicated to something that is bigger than yourself. Being able to put in effort to something because you know you care about it and so does everyone else there—not because you get instant gratification or rewards from it.” Being part of a community means seeing yourself as part of something that can make a difference—a difference in yourself, a difference in others, and even a difference in the world.

What Community/Collegiality Means to Me Jeremy Wolf ’15 B.A. Psychology

Tracylee Clarke Professor of Communication

Striving to be a positive force of good in my community has become my life’s passion.

This passion was discovered, and then nurtured during my years at California State University Channel Islands.

At Channel Islands, I began to realize that I needed to be the change I wanted to see in both the community I grew up in, and the academic community at CSUCI. This wake call lead be to begin volunteering in my community of Agoura Hills, and becoming involved in student clubs and organizations at Channel Islands. In Agoura Hills, I started an annual Creek Clean up that I have been organizing for the past six years.

This event brings 200 members of the community together to help remove trash and unnatural debris from the Malibu Creek Watershed. Working together, the community has helped to remove roughly 25,000 pounds of trash from the creek and surrounding area of the past six years.

While at Channel Islands, I found a way to contribute to the Dolphin community by becoming the president of the Psychological honors program called Psi Chi. As president of Psi Chi, I assisted in organizing meetings and social events that fostered a sense of community for CSUCI students and Psychology majors. I was able to bring like-minded students together to discuss our educational experience and possible career opportunities.

Fast forward, a few years and I now serve as District Director for a California State Senator in the 27th District.

In this role, I serve as a liaison for the Senator and the communities in our District. This position is a good fit because of my passion for community involvement. Whether it be the City of Agoura Hills, the 27th Senate District, or CSU Channel Islands being involved and active in the community will always be a lifelong passion.

Collegiality isn’t about getting along or seeking agreement on issues. It is about authentic dialogue that calls attention to discord allowing for opportunities to address difference. The word dialogue comes from two Greek root words, diameaning ‘through and logos meaning ‘the word.’

Dialogue thus connotes ‘meaning flowing through.’ Meaning is co-created and constructed continually through interaction.

Thus, the goal of dialogue is not to reach agreement or consensus but to recognize the role each plays and to value collective wisdom over individual bias. This means accepting divergence and fostering difficult conversations to create a level of authenticity that consensus-seeking will never attain.

Without community service, we would not have a strong quality of life. It’s important to the person who serves as well as the recipient.

It’s the way in which we ourselves grow and develop. ~Dorothy Height

The need for connection and community is primal, as fundamental as the need for air, water and food. ~Dean Ornish

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Featured Stories THE GROWING WORKS PROJECT: PLANTING THE SEEDS OF COMMUNITY

By Victoria A. Zavala In Camarillo, California, finding oneself in nature is an everyday occurrence. The sleepy, tight-knit community is surrounded by lush, agricultural fields and is only a 10-minute drive to the Pacific Ocean. The feeling of peace and well-being that come from nature have rooted themselves firmly in the Ventura County community. In a previously empty lot just one mile from the bustling CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI) campus, the seeds of a transformative social program have begun to take root.

The Growing Works Nursery and Demonstration Gardens has planted roots on the county-owned land at 1736 S. Lewis Road in Camarillo. Run by the Ventura-based Turning Point Foundation, the nursery provides job training and skill development, therapy and assistance in transitioning to further nursery-affiliated employment.

The establishment of the Growing Works program was influenced by the successful Growing Grounds Farm in San Luis Obispo, which aimed to offer employment to adults with mental illness. The success of the Growing Grounds Garden has led to the opening of a second Growing Grounds location in Santa Maria, and the Growing Grounds Downtown, which is a retail outlet staffed by client employees. The achievements of these social programs have had a profound impact on each of their respective communities and have attracted business enterprises that benefit local residents. Providing a supportive environment for individuals to grow fosters a vibrant, resourceful and welcoming community.

The proximity to CSUCI gives university students the opportunity to volunteer and gain valuable learning experience from aiding their own vibrant community. Students from CSUCI’s Center for

Community Engagement and Psychology program have already rooted themselves in their involvement with the Growing Works Program. A team led by Professor of Psychology Christy Teranishi Martinez presented their preliminary research findings on the Growing Works project at the Western Psychological Association Convention in April. The study examined the impact the Growing Works Program project had on the well-being of the participants in the first cohort. Program participants not only felt physically healthier but also reported a greater sense of belonging in their community, increased optimism and value in their own work. The presentation and subsequent continuation of this research will hopefully garner increased interest in the Growing Works Garden for both the CSUCI community and the wider community of Ventura County.

The Growing Works Project aims to build camaraderie between the participants and other volunteers alike, with a unifying theme of community and physical and mental well-being. Volunteers from CSUCI can play an essential role in this community, as well as gain the opportunity to enhance their own understanding of mental illness, lessen the stigma associated with it and connect with nature themselves.

In the future, Growing Works is going to need a helping hand, one that the both the students of CSUCI and the wider community should most definitely offer.

The seeds planted so carefully in that once-empty lot have truly began to flourish, in more ways than one.

Suki Sir, Turning Point Foundation; Linda Parks, Ventura County Supervisor-District 2; Lucas Fonzi ’17 Psychology; Matthew TeMaat ’18 Psychology; Jessica Woodman ’18 Psychology; Christy Teranishi Martinez, Hayden Martinez; Andrew Pizzolo ’19 Psychology.

Victoria Zavala graduated from CSU Channel Islands in May 2018. The experiences she had and connections she made at CSUCI have led to her involvement in the campus community post-graduation. She spent her gap year working with Christy Teranishi-Martinez and her research team, studying the impact of the Growing Works project on its first cohort of participants.

Victoria hopes to become an Occupational Therapist, focusing on stroke rehabilitation. She plans to stay an active member of the CSUCI alumni community for years to come.

CENTER FOR MULTICULTURAL ENGAGEMENT – PAGE 5

By Christy Teranishi Martinez There’s a theory that we are all related to each other by six or fewer social connections.

Last year my mother consulted with a real estate agent to help her sell her home. Since I was helping her in this process, she gave the agent my number to introduce himself. It turned out we had a mutual friend—my colleague, Professor of Spanish Antonio Jiménez-Jiménez.

Through the process of helping my mom sell her home, Saul Aguilar and I began developing a close friendship too.

On the day of the closing of my mom’s house, we all went out to lunch to celebrate and got a chance to share stories about our families. As Saul was telling a story about why he and his wife were taking care of his brother’s children for a short while, my heart stopped. I realized we had more of a connection than just through our friend Antonio.

Six years ago I was asked to be an expert witness on a death penalty case for a young 22-year-old Latino man, Jeffrey, who was on trial for murder in a robbery gone wrong. I immediately was drawn to the case seeing the challenges, discrimination and oppression he experienced growing up. Jeffrey was an “adolescent-delimited” delinquent, meaning he showed little signs of delinquency during infancy and childhood, but between the ages of 12-22, he gave into the peer pressure of substance use and occasional criminal activity by friends in the neighborhood gang.

His parents were very concerned and did everything they could do to help their children have a better life—even sending their children off to live with an aunt in Mexico so they could work to move their family to a safer neighborhood. Nevertheless, his parents efforts were futile, and soon after he returned he ended up connecting with his gang friends in the barrio. Several years later, he committed an unimaginable crime that led to his conviction and sentence to death row.

Six degrees of separation connected me and Saul. In Spring 2019, we forged our paths when Saul agreed to come to CSUCI to my CHS/PSY383 Chicano Identity and Empowerment class to share his story with my students. He spoke about the American Dream turning into the American Nightmare for his parents and brother, yet how certain protective factors like sports, a coach and mentor made him resilient, shielding him from the “bad path” that his brother took. He helped my students see that we all have important choices and opportunities to explore, but at the same time, at any point in time we can make a mistake that can put us in the same position as his brother.

Philip Zimbardo’s Stanford prison experiment, Stanley Milgram’s shock experiment, and the real life abuse American military personnel committed in the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq show that it is not just the individual to blame, but the environment and the system that can lead people to engage in unimaginable acts. Even a good person can be a perpetrator of evil if put in a particular situation. As a young Latino man, growing up in an impoverished

neighborhood, with parents who worked full time trying to make ends meet, Jeffrey turned to the only ones he knew to get the love, respect and support he needed. The friends who he thought cared about him and “had his back,” eventually led him on the path to his death sentence.

Saul’s story helped my students and I realize success doesn’t mean forgetting your roots, leaving the barrio and never looking back. We need to recognize the challenges and struggles of immigrant families, and that the oppression that underrepresented minorities face day-to-day stem from larger societal problems. “The way we treat the less fortunate amongst us—homeless, hungry, sick, criminals, etc.—says more about us as a society, our character and our values than what it says about the circumstances of these people and what led them there,” says Saul.

When we have the right people in office who have the insight and compassion to understand the how the system works against poor immigrant families, we can be hopeful and see important changes being implemented to create a more equitable society. Saul texted me one evening to tell me that the following day Wednesday, March 12 our newly elected Governor of California, Gavin Newsom, would announce a moratorium on capital punishment. Our hearts leapt for joy, and I got to share the great news with my students the next morning that the governor granted a temporary reprieve for the 737 inmates on California death row, one of whom is Jeffrey.

We need to turn Saul’s brother’s struggle into something that empowers us all to make a difference in our own communities to fight these social injustices. If we come to believe we are all related through six degrees of separation, we can be more kind and compassionate towards one another, fostering a sense of belonging and community. We need to teach our children and our students to make good choices in order to open up opportunities for them to find meaning and purpose in their lives. Only then can we create a more peaceful, just and equitable community.

A deep sense of love and belonging is an irreducible need of all people. We are biologically, cognitively, physically and spiritually wired to love, to be loved and to belong. When those needs are not met, we don’t function as we were meant to. We break. We fall apart. We numb. We ache. We hurt others.

We get sick. ~Brene Brown

SPRING 2019 – PAGE 6

Student Spotlights STUDENT SUCCESS CENTER MEN’S GROUP

By Ricardo Rico, EOP Counselor The Student Success Center (SCC) Men’s Group is comprised of first generation, predominately men of color that are part of the Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) and TRIO Support Services.

The SCC Men’s group was created in order to increase the retention and persistence of our male student population. The group was established in Fall 2017 and is currently serving 26 active participants.

The SCC Men’s Group provides a space for men to discuss issues that are affecting them and their community. During each meeting, the group discusses complicated issues such as toxic masculinity, machisimo, gun violence, #Metoo and vulnerability. Through discussion and dialogue, the group aims to provide a new definition of what Masculinity means.

As the creator of the SSC Men’s Group, I have been thrilled to see its growth from four original members to 26 current members.

The group’s expansion over the last few semesters has been a natural process of growth, and I believe it is because the group has provided a space for men to come together to discuss topics that we have been socialized to avoid. Throughout most of our lives, we as men have often been told to mask our emotions, “Boys don’t cry” and “Be a Man.” I believe that this has caused challenges for many men who struggle to find their voice and to constructively talk about how they feel. This group is providing the space and community for these young men to change that narrative. Since its inception, I have seen a tremendous change in the groups’ ability to discuss complicated topics and share what’s really going on in their daily lives.

At its core, the group also provides a safe space for these young men to come together and just be themselves, and at times “nerd out” whether it be about sports, video games, superheroes, or music. It is during these moments and through the collectively shared interests that the young men in the group begin to truly be their authentic selves and begin to build community. I am honored to be able to see the SCC Men’s Group flourish into something bigger and better than I had originally dreamed. I believe that during each session, I learn more from these young men than they can ever learn from me. Perhaps most importantly, I believe that through this work, the road to a more just and equitable society is being paved, one discussion at a time.

THE POWER OF STUDENT ENGAGEMENT

By Katherine Martinez, PEEP Mentor and Member of the President’s Advisory Council on Inclusive Excellence As a second year Peer Education and Equity Program (PEEP) mentor I led the development of the “POP into the PEEP Space” event. This event was created as an opportunity for students, staff and faculty to learn about the PEEP space and the resources available.

As a University Culture Student Engagement and Outreach Mentor I focused on outreach for CSUCI students and Ventura County. At CSUCI I have facilitated workshops that promote personal, academic and professional development. Along with workshops, University Culture has tabling days, supports other events on campus and works one-on-one with mentees.

It has been an honor to work with such a great team and look forward to the growth of the PEEP program.

The ache for home lives in all of us, the safe place where we can go as we are and not be questioned. ~Maya Angelou CENTER FOR MULTICULTURAL ENGAGEMENT – PAGE 7

CME Mini Grant Awardees Abigail Michelini, Assistant Director and Lecturer, and Sohui Lee, Faculty Director and Assistant Professor – Writing & Multiliteracy Center 2017-2018 Mini Grant Recipients – Open Mic

The Writing & Multiliteracy Center hosted an Open Door, Open Mic event in order to provide a safe space for diverse student voices to heard. Award winning poet and author Amada Perez, known for her children’s books on migrant families, kicked off the event by reading from her own work. Over 60 students were in attendance, and many of them chose to participate by performing poems, songs and duets. Some students shared pieces they had personally written while others performed covers. Overall, it was amazing to see the variance of voices and creativity present at CSUCI.

Jennie Luna, Assistant Professor of Chicana/o Studies 2018-2019 Mini Grant Recipient – Archives of Luzmaria Espinoza

Espinoza performed in theater productions with the former group, Los Mascarones, of Mexico City, the Mission Cultural Center in San Francisco, Teatro de la Calle in Sacramento and Teatro In Lak ‘Ech of Oxnard. As a poet, she has performed through the California, in Mexico, and in Nicaragua. Luna’s Chicana/o Studies class conducted an extensive interview with Espinoza, which has been transcribed and will placed in our library along with other local oral history collectives. Espinoza donated all of her archives which will be placed as part of a Santa Paula collection.

LaSonya Davis, Assistant Chair of the Nursing Program, Associate Professor of Nursing, Member of President’s Advisory Council on Inclusive Excellence, founder of the CSUCI Community Health Clinic 2018-2019 Mini Grant Recipient – Maternal Mental Health Matters

Davis received a grant to provide free cholesterol and glucose screening cassettes for the CSUCI Community Health Clinic. In addition, this year Davis and her Nursing students have focused on educating the community about the importance of maternal mental health and wellness.

Jennie Luna, Associate Professor of Chicana/o Studies, and LaSonya Davis, Associate Professor of Nursing 2017-2018 Mini Grant Recipients

Through an interdisciplinary and multicultural collaboration, Luna’s CHS342: Reproductive Health and Justice students joined Davis’ Nursing students to participate in a lecture/ workshop with two La Matriz Birth Services midwives from San Diego and Tijuana (www.lamatrizbirth.com/parteras-fronterizas/). The midwives discussed reproductive health issues facing Mexican women in Tijuana and San Diego, shared stories about their work at the only traditional birth center located on the border and provided a 3-day doula/birth worker training.

José García, Assistant Professor of Education 2018-2019 Mini Grant Recipient

CME sponsored the 11th Annual Conference for Social Justice in Education “Be the Change: Social Justice in and through Education in a Post-Truth Era”

Raquel Baker, Assistant Professor of English 2018-2019 Mini Grant Recipient –Black Panther

This semester Baker used a CME mini-grant to examine the Black Panther archive at UCSB and Black Panther comics to compare the story arc in the comic to Ryan Coogler’s film Black Panther (2018). Baker is developing a lesson plan through which students can contextualize the movie by examining it in conjunction with the comic, ephemera produced throughout the Black Panther movement, and readings on critical race theory. Baker is also developing this research into an article for a co-edited volume on Black Panther.

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Ongoing Events & Workshops DIALOGUES ON DIVERSITY Thought-provoking discussion, brainstorming ways to increase diversity, equity and inclusiveness on campus.

MENTAL HEALTH FAIR In April, the CSUCI Community Clinic in collaboration with Bethel A.M.E. Church in Oxnard sponsored a Mental Health Fair focused on mind-body connection, stress reduction and wellness education.

BORDERLINE SUPPORT GROUP In Spring 2019, clinicians Grenisha Holmes, LCSW and Jill Huang, Ph.D. led a weekly support group for students impacted by the Borderline Bar & Grill tragedy to discuss topics about how trauma affects the body and mind, grief and coping strategies.

BLACK STUDENT STOLING CEREMONY

Angela Timmons, DPA, LCSW, Clinician Counseling & Psychological Services, Raquel Baker, Assistant Professor of History 2018-2019 Mini Grant Recipients

Timmons and Baker received funding to support the Black Faculty and Staff Association’s (BFSA) Black Student Stoling Ceremony held in May. The ceremony honors African American graduates, recognizing all of their accomplishments and successes at CSUCI.

OUR STORIES MATTER A thought-provoking series focused on interdisciplinary, evidencebased perspectives presented by CSUCI faculty and invited experts who speak to and discuss specific topics related to fascism, white supremacy, current events (local to global), in the context of CSUCI’s stated values of diversity, equity and inclusion.

UNPACKING UNDOCUMENTED + CITIZENS: WHO’S RIGHT? WHOSE RIGHTS? CENTER FOR MULTICULTURAL ENGAGEMENT – PAGE 9

REVOLUTIONARY HEROS: DYING FOR REDEMPTION

Empathy is the starting point for creating a community and taking action. It’s the impetus for creating change. ~Max Carver

ART WITH IMPACT: Our Bodies Our Minds This thought-provoking and interactive workshop used theater and embodied techniques to explore the impact that sexual violence can have on the mental health of survivors and communities. This impactful event helped create awareness and provide creative outlets and resources for anyone affected by Intimate Partner Violence (IPV).

CAMPUS READING CELEBRATION: Roxane Gay New York Times bestselling author Roxane Gay, who spoke on campus in October, has written with intimacy and sensitivity about food and bodies, using her own emotional and psychological struggles as a means of exploring our shared anxieties over pleasure, consumption, appearance and health.

FRAGMENTED DEPICTIONS

“MY STORIES” INTERDISCIPLINARY COLLABORATION

MENTAL HEALTH & IMMIGRATION Furthering the national conversation on cultural diversity, Latino historical trauma, the psychology of racism and matters of social justice from a psychoanalytic perspective, Dr. Salvador Treviño discussed his research examining the impact of immigration on individuals and communities across generations. This workshop helped educate and provide resources to our campus community, undocumented students and children of immigrants who may feel uncertainty during our current political climate.

SOCIALISM, COMMUNISM, LIBERTARIANISM, OH MY!

DECLINE OF DELIBERATION IN CONGRESS SPRING 2019 – PAGE 10

Resources WORKSHOPS/TRAINING • DACA Training (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival) – www.csuci.edu/cme/multicultural-resources/diversity-training • SAFE Training (Students, Administrators and Faculty for Equality) – www.csuci.edu/cme/current-events • Self-Defense Classes – www.csuci.edu/publicsafety/crime-prevention/RAD_program SUPPORT SERVICES

• Academic Advising – www.csuci.edu/academics/advising/

• CAPS (Counseling & Psychological Services) – www.csuci.edu/caps Borderline Survivors

• CARE Team (Campus Assessment, Response and Evaluation) – www.csuci.edu/campuslife/care

• DASS (Disability Accommodations & Support Services) – www.csuci.edu/dass/ • Dolphin Pantry Arroyo Hall, Room 117 – www.csuci.edu/basicneeds/food-security • Emergency Intervention & Basic Needs 805-437-3332 – www.csuci.edu/basicneeds • Mariposa Evolucioñando* – www.mariposabefree.org • MDC (Multicultural Dream Center) – www.csuci.edu/mdc

• TITLE IX 805-437-2077 – www.csuci.edu/titleix

• Undocumented Student Ally Resources* –

www.affordablecollegesonline.org/college-resource-center/undocumented-college-student-resources/ • UNITY COALITION CHILFASA (Chicana/o Latina/o Faculty and Staff Association) – chicanostudies.csuci.edu LGBTQIA+ Student Resources – www.csuci.edu/mdc/resources/academic-support-pages/lgbtqia BFSA (Black Faculty and Staff Association) STUDENT CLUBS – www.csuci.edu/clubs-organizations (e.g., Latina Leadership Coalition, InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, Queer Student Alliance, Kilusan Pilipino, etc.) *Non-campus resources

We cannot live only for ourselves.

A thousand fibers connect us... ~Herman Melville

Alone, we can do so little; together, we can do so much. ~Helen Keller

If you want to go quickly, go alone. If you want to go far, go together. ~African Proverb