The Campus Climate Conversations series features events throughout the year that provide opportunities for staff to engage in authentic dialogue about our campus, with a focus on equity, inclusion, and belonging.
Upcoming Events
AAPI Panel Discussion
May 10
Student Services Building - L120
12:30 p.m. - 2 p.m.
The Staff Working Group for Belonging, Community, and Diversity invites you to join us as we celebrate and uplift the voices of your AAPI peers in a panel discussion celebrating Resilience, Empowerment, and Community!
The event will open with a welcome from Interim Associate Vice President and Dean of PaGE Dr. Harkmore Lee.
The panel will feature:
- Kris Arceo, Student and Guest Services Coordinator, Housing and Resident Life
- Dr. Frangelo Ayran Boquiren, Senior Associate Dean of Students
- Dr. Lena Chao, Interim Dean, College of Ethnic Studies
- Anh Huynh-Nelson, Director of Strategic Presidential Engagement and Deputy Chief of Staff, Office of the President
- Sgt. Allen Nguyen, University Police Department
- Malia Otuhiva, Asian Pacific Islander Student Resource Center Coordinator, Cross Cultural Centers
The moderator for the panel will be Gretchen Villaluz-Picazo, Executive Assistant to the Interim Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs.
All campus staff and administrators are invited to attend. Register today. When you register, you may also submit questions for our panelists.
Hope to see you there!
Stay tuned for additional upcoming events! In the meantime, we welcome your questions (or requests or ideas!) for the working group at [email protected].
Previous Event Highlights
Women's History Month Tabling - The event featured postcards for participants to take for themselves or others to show appreciation for the women in their lives. There also was quick reference resources related to Women's History Month.
Black History Month Celebration - The event featured welcome remarks by Interim Vice President for Student Life, Patrick Day, and President Eanes as well as a panel discussion with Marjani Chidinma, Queen King, Dr. Isis Stansberry and Dr. Karin E. Brown. The panel discussed topics around staff experience over time, mentorship, balance and mental health. Lastly, the event concluded with an exciting game of trivia about Black History!
Season’s Greetings Gathering - The event featured our signature educational poster displays that focused on various winter traditions, including cultural holidays, self-care during breaks, and thankfulness. The gathering also included gratitude takeaways that you could personalize.
Chicanx Latinx Heritage Month celebration - The event featured opening remarks from Interim President Leroy M. Morishita and a welcome from Vice President of University Advancement Robert Avalos. The celebration also included educational activities and conversations centered on the Chicanx Latinx diaspora.
Juneteenth Celebration – The event featured a keynote address by Dr. David B. Green Jr., assistant professor in the Department of Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies. President William A. Covino and Interim Vice President for Administration and CFO Queen King offered opening remarks. The celebration also included educational activities, conversations, and a performance by African Soul International, a nonprofit arts and education organization that specializes in the dances, rhythms, and cultures of Africa and Africans of the Diaspora.
Pride Celebration – June is pride month, a time when the nation acknowledges and celebrates the resilience of the LGBTQIA+ community in its struggle for equality and freedom. The feeling of belonging—or being valued, heard, and accepted—can lead to higher motivation and satisfaction within the campus environment. Pride month is not only a time to celebrate but also to further educate LGBTQIA+ community members and allies. This event featured information stations about pride and LGBTQIA+ topics, and an opportunity to decorate your Cal State LA swag with various pride colors to share your pride (or allyship) throughout the year!
Lunch and Learn: DEIB in the Media - This Lunch and Learn event explored diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging in media. This was the second event in the lunchtime conversation series hosted by the Staff Working Group on Belonging, Community, and Diversity. During this Lunch and Learn discussion, we used examples from TV shows, movies, and social media to explore issues such as sexism, racism, homophobia, transphobia, and xenophobia that we may also observe or experience as staff. We engaged in group discussions to explore ways to “call someone in” versus “calling someone out.”
Lunch and Learn: Black History Month and Book Club Introduction – The kickoff for the Lunch and Learn series on Feb. 17, 2023, including a brief introduction to the Lunch and Learn series and the staff book club, followed by a fun game of CSU-inspired Black history trivia over lunch from a local Black-owned restaurant. The books for this semester are So You Want to Talk About Race and Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria.
Campus Climate Conversations: Belonging – The feeling of belonging—or being valued, heard, and accepted—can lead to higher motivation and satisfaction in the workplace. On Dec. 2, 2022, staff gathered to reflect on their overall sense of belonging at Cal State LA. The event was an opportunity for staff to discuss this topic and connect with fellow staff members through authentic dialogue about our campus.
Lift Every Voice: Campus Climate Experiences – Juneteenth – Staff gathered on June 30, 2022, to reflect on the insights shared during the CSU’s Inaugural Juneteenth Symposium.
CSU Juneteenth Symposium Livestream Watch Parties – On June 15-16, 2022, staff watched the CSU’s Inaugural Juneteenth Symposium at watch parties in the Student Services Building and the University Club.
