Intercultural programs are a given on any campus during Black History Month in February and Herstory Month in March, but under the direction of Jason Juarez, coordinator for
intercultural programsin the
Office of Student Lifeat UC Merced, celebrating cultural diversity is just one goal. To him, getting to know different racial, cultural and social groups is also about gaining insight into social justice, equality, and above all, opportunity.
He also plans for flexibility.
Of course, you can expect certain events to be repeated, like the Black History Month Oratorical Contest, Juarez said, but I am also asking students what they would like to see.
His discussion series, held every other Wednesday, began Sept. 19. The discussions are dubbed CRUnC Sessions - an acronym for Communities Reaching for Understanding through Conversation. The groups will address topics such as social justice, community and cultural identity.
Although Juarez anticipates that many of the attendees will be people of color, he hopes that the subject will attract students from all cultural, social and economic groups, especially since UC Merced has such a diverse student population.
According to last year’s statistics, 49 percent of UC Merced’s student body was first-generation college students, 76 percent applied for financial aid, 82 percent qualified for need-based aid and 62.8 percent were students of color.
Juarez believes that while diversity and equal opportunities have made real progress in the last few decades, there is still more to be done.
Juarez is currently working on events for National Coming Out Day, observed Oct. 11 by members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities and their allies. He is also planning events for World AIDS Day and scheduling guest speakers, movies and festivals on other topics.
Juarez, who is in his second year as a staff member at UC Merced, received his Master’s of Education (M.Ed) degree in College Student Affairs from Azusa Pacific University, after falling in love with student affairs as an undergrad at Long Beach State.
I want to help create an inclusive environment on campus that affirms equal rights, celebrates individual and group identities and advocates for social justice, he said.
If you have any issues or ideas you would like to see addressed, you can contact Juarez at
jason.juarez@ucmerced.edu.
