As the semester begins, we already have a wide variety of programing center around MLK Jr. Day. We encourage you to utilize this time as an opportunity to continue to reflect on Dr. Martin Luther King's legacy, and the continued necessity of his work in the present day. Check out this flyer for a brief overview of all the events planned!
In honor of the 2022 MLK Commemoration at Georgia State University, join us for the “It Was All A Dream: Vision Board Party”, an afternoon of culture, community, and inclusion in celebration of Martin Luther King, Jr!

We invite GSU community members to create their own vision board reflecting what they dream for their future. Inspired by Dr. King's ideals for beloved community, this event will also serve as our signature event, "The American-International Student Mixer" that bridges cultures and cultivates an inclusive community at Georgia State University.
Join the Multicultural Center for a very dynamic workshop on allyship for DACA students. The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) act was implemented on June 15, 2012. This act allows individuals who came to the United States as a child and meet certain requirements an opportunity to request residency within the United States or, deferment. 

During this workshop, participants will learn:
  • More about the DACA act and who it directly impacts
  • How and why DACA recipients are important to our communities 
  • Common misconceptions of DACA recipients
  • How to build community and serve as ally's for people who are DACA recipients. 

Please join us via WebEx Wednesday, June 9 from 12 - 1:30 p.m. 
Join us for our annual MLK Commemoration Keynote. This year's keynote will feature Georgia State's new president Dr. M. Brian Blake, who is the first Black president in the 100+ year history of the university. The event will also include special tributes to Dr. King.

Students, faculty and staff are invited to join immediately following the MLK Commemoration keynote for a social hour with our distinguished guest. There will be refreshments, photos, and a ribbon-cutting of the new Cultures, Communities & Inclusion lounge space, The Intersection.
Join us Monday, January 24th at our new time of 1-3 P.M. for Culture Cafe at the Intersection Lounge! Enjoy refreshments while being provided with the opportunity to engage with others on topics of identity and cultural exchange. We can't wait to see you there!
Pop in on Wednesday (bi-weekly) for the Multicultural Center's weekly discussions about pop culture, national/global news, trigger-warning topics and/or anything related to diversity and inclusion. This peer-facilitated dialogue series provides a safe space to engage in critical thinking, explore diverse identities, examine privilege and understand systematic oppression. Just bring your topics and a willingness to think critically about the world.
Do you have any experience in marketing, digital media, or advertising? Or, would you simply like to get involved with the Multicultural Center?

Apply to volunteer as part of our Marketing Street Team!

For any questions email Te'Airah Wilbert!
Are you an LGBTQ+ student looking to build more community on campus? Are you interested in developing resiliency and learning how you may better understand your identity and the world around you? The LGBTQ+ Cohort of Community Connections may be a perfect fit! If you're interested in learning more, you can apply at the link below!
This week in our Social Justice Corner we are highlighting representative and civil rights activist, John Lewis! 
 
Identity: John Lewis (February 21, 1940 – July 17, 2020) was a key member in the civil rights movement of the 1960's, and a lifelong civil rights activist.
 
Life: John Lewis was born near Troy, Alabama to a family of sharecroppers. As a child, Lewis grew up in an area that was predominantly black and although he was affected by the harshness of discrimination, he rarely interacted with white people. As Lewis grew older, he would take more trips into Troy where he was met with racism and segregation. As a young man Lewis met and worked with notable civil rights activists such as Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King Jr. which was pivotal to his development as the civil rights icon he came to be.
 
Impact: Lewis's life of activism began when he was attending college in Nashville, Tennessee. He organized sit-ins at segregated lunch counters, bus boycotts, and many other forms of nonviolent protests to push the movement of racial equality. Lewis is best known for his chairmanship of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, as well as leading the "Bloody Sunday" March in Selma, Alabama, where state troopers attacked unarmed marchers with billy clubs and tear gas after they passed over the county line. Lewis believed it was important to pursue "good trouble", and he truly lived to pursue that goal. Lewis was arrested over 40 times in his fight for racial equality. His legacy of "good trouble" has motivated generations of activists to follow in his stead.
The Mindfulness for Health Equity Lab at Brown University
s School of Public Health is currently seeking participants for a study aiming at understanding risk and resilience factors of mental and sexual well-being among young adult gay, bisexual, and queer men. 

If you are a young adult sexual minority man (gay, bisexual, queer, or other men who have sex with men), we invite you to take 3-5 minutes to fill out this screener and consider participating in our study. Your contribution will help us understand and develop better care for LGBTQ+ people. Earn $15 for participating in the 30-40 minute anonymous research survey below
The Center for Studies on Africa and Its Diaspora (CSAD) seeks your partnership in spreading the word about its inaugural student contest of artistic expression. This contest is a follow-up to the conversations held during the fall 2020 African Diaspora Student Advocacy Coalition (ADSAC) co-sponsored town hall, that introduced the Center to the campus community. In keeping with CSAD’s mission to highlight the potential of art to enhance our understanding of global issues, the contest aims not only to provide an opportunity for students to showcase their talents but also intends to carry on the important tradition of art as a conduit of social commentary, as upheld in such celebrated epochs as the Harlem Renaissance and the Black Arts Movement. 

Students are asked to reflect upon the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic amidst the continuing climate of racially motivated social unrest, especially as it pertains to their scholarly efforts and educational goals, and to conceptualize their contemplations into written, audio-visual, or fine art manifestations. All submissions will be valued for the contribution they make to our collective understanding of this unique moment in our national history and in our university setting and for the top three winners in each category (written arts, visual arts, and performance/video arts), prizes will be awarded. 

The deadline for contest submissions is set for Friday, February 28th, 2022, allowing participants time to create before returning to campus for their spring semester studies. If integrating the contest into the curriculum for your classes in the spring is an option, that idea is encouraged. CSAD is asking that you share the contest with your students, fellow faculty, and members of your organizations and that you post the attached flyer with the submission form link to all your social media channels using the hashtag #CSADArtXContest.  
Are you ready to #RideTheWAV?

Alpha, Delta, Omicron, Oh My!

COVID-19 continues to negatively impact the health of our communities, with black communities experiencing a disproportionate death toll higher than other ethnic communities. To increase vaccination awareness in all black communities – regardless of age, gender identity, sexuality, socio-economic status, and ability – He Is Valuable, Inc., along with other organizations, are teaming up to #RideTheWAV for our “We Are Vaccinated” campaign!

Tune in to Facebook Live (@HeIsValuable) Monday, January 17 at 7 p.m. for a dynamic conversation on vaccinations in Black queer communities! Weigh in and share your opinions, thoughts, and to engage with our panelists!

This is a series you do not want to miss! Don’t know how to join? Visit the link in our bio to join the @heisvaluable Facebook group to tune in!

See you Monday and remember...#RidetheWAV #ItsALoveLanguage #COVID #Corona #Vaccine #Health #BLM #KnowYourStatus
Join Student Nutritional Services and Collegiate Recovery Community for Mindful Movement Yoga. Every second Tuesday of the month, you are welcome to come for a moment of peace in motion in this beginner friendly Yoga experience.
Special Days This Week
1/17 - Dr. Martin Luther King Jr Day | National observance

A day to honor the birthday (January 15th) and achievements of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
1/16-17 - Tu BiShvat | Judaism

This day marks the beginning of the “new year” for trees when the earliest blooming trees emerge from their winter sleep and begin a new fruit-bearing cycle.Tu BiShvat begins at sundown on January 16.
1/18 - Mahayana New Year | Buddhist

Recognition of the new year which begins with the first full moon in January.
The Multicultural Center | multicultural.gsu.edu