The University’s Office of Multicultural Affairs has released their Spring 2019 calendar of upcoming events and opportunities happening on campus throughout the semester. The Pace Press sat down with Dr. Santiago, director of ōMA, and conducted a short guide to the office and its upcoming events.
What is OMA?
With offices located on the 9th floor of 41 Park Row, ōMA provides students on campus with opportunities to examine race, ethnicity, nationality, cultures of gender, gender identity, poverty, violence, differing abilities, and more.
“Multicultural affairs for us goes beyond the scope of ethnicity and race,” shared Santiago. “We examine everything from gender to poverty, to discover what the unifying factors in our society are.”
Our Pledge Against Oppression Panel Series
This event will be taking place in the Schimmel Lobby in 1 Pace Plaza. Titled “Go Back to Your Country! Xenophobia & The Culture of Fear,” will be from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Tuesday, March 12.
According to Santiago, a petition was started on campus right after the 2016 elections and was signed by over 700 faculty members and students that agreed to keep the University a positive and accepting place, despite the current political climate.
Since then, ōMA has been hosting programs with the help of students on campus that maintain this open dialogue.
This specific program will address what is happening between the U.S. and the Mexican border. Faculty members will discuss current issues surrounding this topic. In addition, they will question the culture of fear surrounding “the outside.” Communication Studies professor Satish Kolluri will serve as the moderator.
Women & Wellness
The Women and Wellness events will be taking place in two different locations.
The first event in this series is titled “Self Defense for Women,” which will be located in the ōMA lounge, room 913, in 41 Park Row from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. on April 4 and April 11.
According to Santiago, this will be a class taught for women who would like to learn self-defensive. The class will be taught by a professionally trained black-belt. All women are welcome.
The second event is titled “Women of Color Swim” and will take place on Sunday, April 7 at Riverbank State Park in Harlem at noon. This event is open to all women who do not know how to swim and are eager to learn. The Riverbank State Park in Harlem has a 50-meter pool in which an instructor will help guide women in swimming lessons. All those who would like to attend will meet at the University and travel together.
Social Justice Reading Club Wednesday
The Social Justice Reading Club events will be taking place in the ōMA lounge, room 913, in 41 Park Row from 12:10 p.m. to 1:10 p.m. There will be three different sessions on Feb. 27, March 27, and April 24.
This semester, the Social Justice Reading Club will take a new spin. As Santiago emphasized, college students already have a ton of books to read for their courses. Therefore, these upcoming events will be a place where students can read articles, rather than full books, ranging from topics like food and security to the #MeToo movement.
The club is also open to taking student recommendations in regards to timely and interesting articles to read as a group.
Shades Women of Color Collective
This event will be taking place in the ōMA Lounge, 41 Park Row, Room 913 from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. throughout the semester. Meetings will be held on Feb. 7, 14, 21, 28, March 7, 28, April 4, 11, 18, 25 and finally May 2 and 9.
Knitting Salon Fridays
This event will take place in the ōMA Lounge, 41 Park Row, Room 913 from noon to 2 p.m. Meetings will be held on Feb. 8 and 15, March 1, 8, and 29, and lastly April 5, 12, 19 and 26.
During these meetings, students will be able to knit their stresses away for a good cause! Santiago described these gatherings as a place to bring together students young or old, where everyone can learn to knit, forget all the outside boundaries. While knitting, the room is open for conversation and discussion.
This year, all items made during Knitting Salon Friday’s will be donated to The Door, social organization where young people of New York who have left their homes can go to seek education, counseling, career development, school and job preparation, health care, activities and arts, meals, and more.
These children are often in need of hats, socks, gloves, and scarfs, that the knitting group creates from the heart, and then donates.
Volunteerism
The Pace Produce Initiative will take place at the Pace Vegetable Garden on Spruce/Gold Street on March 20 and 27, April 3, 10, 17, and 24, as well as May 1 and 8.
University seniors Cole Wright and Shane Kertan led the initiative to revitalize the University garden. On these days, University students can join forces with the team to help keep the garden alive. The University has also paired with the Museum of Modern Art, who donates compost for the garden.
Come out and help, plant, and harvest the University garden! Active volunteers are always greatly appreciated.
The New Roots Community Farm in the south Bronx volunteer events will take place on April 12 as well as May 3 and 10. Santiago shares that this a wonderful opportunity to volunteer in a community that has a “bad rep,” but in actuality is wonderful.
The Orchard Beach Clean-Up will take place on Friday, April 25 at 10 a.m. Taking place in the Bronx, students can join together to clean up Orchard Beach. With trash bags in hand, get ready to clean up your community while having a fun day with your friends. All those who would like to attend will meet at the University and travel together.
Through the development of these events and activities for students on campus, ōMA provides a space for individuals to explore and develop community and inclusively at the University and beyond. ōMA offers more events in addition to the events listed above. If you get a chance, check out these amazing opportunities going on throughout the semester, they sure will not disappoint. Contact the office for more details via email [email protected]
