Summer 2019 Upward Bound Positions Now Live!
Upward Bound is now fielding applications for their Summer 2019 positions. Click here to view the positions and for more information.
Cultural Appreciation Series @ the Cultural Centers
Josephine White Eagle Cultural Center (JWECC) Appreciation Series: Moccasin
Monday, March 25, 2019
6-9pm
JWECC - Chadbourne Hall, B-3, Central Residential Area
A moccasin is a shoe made of deerskin or other soft leather consisting of a sole and sides made with one piece of leather, stitched together at the top and sometimes with an additional panel of leather. Historically, it is the footwear of many indigenous people of North America.
For their Cultural Appreciation series, JWECC will demonstrate how to create a moccasin. Come and learn the significance of traditional moccasins and learn how to make your own pair!
Malcolm X Cultural Center (MXCC) Cultural Appreciatiion Series: Black Culture & Music
Tuesday, March 26, 2019
7-8:30pm
MXCC, Lower Level, Berkshire Dining Commons, Southwest Residential Area
From blues and jazz to rock and roll and on to hip hop, when it comes to understanding the power of black artists in the American musical landscape, there is certainly no shortage of icons from which to choose from. In fact, it is impossible to discuss the history of American music without examining the origins and impact of black music. For consumers of music today, the overarching influence of black music is palpable in every chord and lyric. MXCC will be hosting their Cultural Appreciation event featuring Black Culture and Music and invites you to come, learn and listen about the true pioneers of today’s music and engage in discussion and activities.
Latinx American Cultural Center (LACC) Appreciation Series: Tex-Mex
Thursday, April 4, 2019
6-8pm
LACC, Hampden Hall, 2nd Floor, Southwest Residential Area
Tex-Mex is a good platform to examine the distinction between cultural appropriation and appreciation. Texas is known for its Tex-Mex cuisine. Tex-Mex, as its name implies, is a combination of Mexican and American dishes created in the Rio Grande Valley, which is the part of Texas closest to Mexico.
We will invite a chef from the UMass Dining, who is an expert in whipping up sumptous dishes, to demonstrate and teach students how to make a Mexican dish. Students have the opportunity to learn how to make and try the taste of an authentic Mexican dish.
Yuri Kochiyama Cultural Center (YKCC) Cultural Appreciaiton Series: Vietnamese Banh Mi
Date: Friday, April 19, 2019
Time: 7-9 p.m.
YKCC - Worcester DC, (below Oak Room) Northeast Residential Area
Banh Mi is the term for a Vietnamese baguette made with a combination of wheat and rice flours. A Vietnamese Banh Mi sandwich is stuffed with various marinated meats, cucumbers, herbs, and pickled veggies. Most Banh Mi sandwiches are also spread with pate’. The bread and pate’ are no surprise to historians, as Vietnam was a french colony in the 1800s. The marinated meats and the pickled veggies are the standout items on this sandwich.
As part of YKCC's Cultural Appreciation event, specail guest Chef from UMASS Dining will demonstrate the proper way to prepare this vibrant cultural street food.
Come and join us and make your own, first, 'authentic' Banh Mi sandwich complete with all the trimmings!
Teams, consisting of three members, strive to arrive first at “pit stops” at the end of each leg of the race. Clues are provided in each leg that will lead them to the next destination where they will perform a task, either together or by a single member. The teams must visit all the dest
Registration starts Tuesday, March 5, 2019. Registration closes as soon as capacity is reached! Interested? Do the following: 1. Form a team of three 2. Give your team a name 3. Provide t-shirt sizes 4. Gather information about your team members (name, email, phone number, and student IDs) 5. Send this info to chonal@umass.edu and you will be registered. Teams will receive an email confirming registration and participation in the Amazing Race Fall 2016. Free food, prizes, fun - bring your stamina and team spirit.
MXCC Hosts Community Building Dinner
Excerpt from Al-Bilali's students performing. (Liping Lin/CMASS)
By: Wei Cai '20
AMHERST – Community and students came together for performances and thought-provoking conversations at the Malcolm X Cultural Center’s Black Heritage Month dinner on Feb. 21. The dinner – which took place from 7-9 p.m. in the Amherst Room – celebrated the triumphs of black persons and acknowledged the struggles they have faced locally and in society. Read more
La Borinqueña
Campus Center Rooms 804-08
March 1, 2019
4:30-8 p.m.
Latinx American Cultural Center (LACC) hosts Edgardo Miranda-Rodriguez, graphic novelist and creator of La Borinqueña, a new and exciting comic book series featuring the first Afro-Latina superhero, Marisol Rios De La Luz. Miranda-Rodriguez will be discussing diversity in comic books, current socio-political issues related to Puerto Rico, and so much more! Attend the event and get a free copy of Ricanstruction: where La Borinqueña teams up with DC comic book heroes to help rebuild Puerto Rico. Comic books on a first come, first serve basis. Refreshments will be provided. Questions? Contact: LACC at lacc@sacl.umass.edu or Grace Baker at gjbaker@umass.edu
¿Cómo se Dice?
Latinx American Cultural Center
Feb. 20; March 6, 20; April 3, 17
5-6 p.m.
¿Cómo se dice? is a student development program that seeks to examine Spanish idioms in relation to cultural of origin and current experiences within the Diaspora. Practice Spanish idioms and cultural expressions while preparing quick snacks.
Art and Painting
Latinx American Cultural Center
Feb. 20, 21, 27, 28; March 6, 7
7-8:30 p.m.
Win prizes at this exciting activity! Show-off your art and painting skills. Join a team and create a piece of artwork, colalge, quilt, or put together a puzzle (500 pieces or more). Bring your 'A' game and win a prize. Support a team or hang with friends around an exciting game.
Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women in Canada and the United States Conference
Old Chapel, Great Hall, 2nd Floor
Feb. 22, 2019
5-10 p.m.
The Josephine White Eagle Cultural Center and UMass Native American Student Association have joined forces to bring Annita Lucchesi who will talk about missing and murdered Indigenous women which is an underreported problem happening in Canada, the U.S. and across the world. Join us in bringing light to this issue, spread awareness about this problem and let the voices of underrepresented women's voices be heard. As part of the conference, organizers and participants will engage in creating little red ress pins to symbolize the missing and murdered Indigenous women. Share to spread this important message and let's create a conversation so that they can become noticed and heard. This conference will feature: Annita Lucchesi, keynote speaker, creator of Missing and Indigenous Women Database and Susan McCarville, Native American artist. She will lead the creation of little red dress pins to symbolize the MMIW movement.
Slavery in the Valley: Presentation by Steve Strimer
Malcolm X Cultural Center
Feb. 20, 2019
6:30 p.m. - 8 p.m.
Join the Malcolm X Cultural Center for "Salvery in the Valley: Impact of Slavery on Western Mass, Florence, Northampton, Mass." A talk and media presentation will be given by Steve Strimer, director of the David Ruggles Center. Learn about: the Underground Railroad, Florence (as a destination for fugitive slaves and the silk industry that employed them), Sojourner Truth (who resided in Florence, Mass.), Florence which during the early 19th century was the center of activity in Florence and area where many Black persons resided and found employment, and Abolitionist David Ruggles.
Walking Tour of Slavery in Florence
Haigis Mall - Florence, Mass.
Feb. 23, 2019
10 a.m. - 1 p.m.
In celebration of Black Heritage Month, the Malcolm X Cultural Center is hosting a guided, walking tour to learn about the history of slavery and its impact locally in Florence (Northampton), Mass. Read more and view itinerary
Beading Workshop 2019
Josephine White Eagle Cultural Center
Dates: Feb. 12, 19, 26; March 5, 19, 26; April 2, 9, 16, 23, 30
6-8 p.m.
Awaken your innter creativity and learn to create Native art using beads. Materials and tools will be supplied! Stop by and enjoy the fun.
Superbowl Watch Party at MXCC
Sunday, February 3
6-10pm
Malcolm X Cultural Center
Patriots VS. RAMS!
The Malcolm X Cultural Center will be hosting the 9th Superbowl Watch Party on Sunday, February 3, 6-10pm in the MXCC!\
Bring good energy for the most exciting and best game of the season!
Refreshments provided! Capacity only, please! Doors will open at 6pm. See you at the MXCC this Sunday!
Lunar New Year @ the YKCC
Thursday, February 7, 2019
6:30-9:00pm
Yuri Kochiyama Cultural Center
Worcester DC (below Oak Room)
Northeast Residential Area
The Lunar New Year is celebrated in various Asian countries such as China (Chunjie) , Vietnam (Tet), Korea (Solnal) and Tibet (Losar) It is also called Spring Festivall typically celebrated in China and other Asian countries, that begins with the first new moon of the lunar calendar and ends on the first full moon of the lunar calendar,
At UMass, YKCC will host the Year of the Pig Lunar New Year celebration and will kick off the New Year with games and fun activities.Refreshments provided.
Call for Applications - Cultural Center Undergraduate Fellows
Deadline has been extended to Friday, February 8th, 2019
The University of Massachusetts Amherst has four Cultural Centers integral to the sense of belonging of students of color. Last year fellows engaged in archival research on the origins of each cultural center. In this second iteration, fellows will continue to expand on that research by identifying a timeline of events and pursue unanswered questions.
This project seeks to equip interested undergraduate students with the skills to research primary and secondary sources of information and analyze data. Fellows receive guidance to produce a written report and visual installation for the cultural center object of their research. Read more...
Black Heritage Month Community-Building Dinner
Thursday, February 21,2019
5:30-8:00pm
Amherst Room, 10th Floor, Campus Center
In celebration of Black History Month, students, faculty and staff are invited to dine together and participate in round table facilitated conversations with the purpose of identifying values that strengthen community. Values identified will assist staff in guiding future programming.
Please RSVP to Trinity Monteiro at tlmonteiro@umass.edu before February 15, 2019
The Haskell Environmental Research Studies (HERS) Institute’s summer internship application is open for 2019. The HERS program is aimed at preparing American Indian/Alaska Native/Native Hawaiian undergraduate students for graduate study by assisting them to create a research project related to climate and environmental change in Indigenous communities. Below is a brief summary of the HERS summer internship program, and attached is the HERS 2019 brochure.
Students who may be interested in graduate school are encouraged to apply. Potential applicants are encouraged to visit the website at http://www.HERSinstitute.org
Read more...
UMass Amherst Student Care Supply Closets
Student Affairs and Campus Life now operates five Student Care Supply Closets across campus to provide free toiletries and household items to students who are facing economic insecurity and/or an unexpected financial emergency. Our hope is that access to these items will be helpful to students who are forced to make difficult decisions about every day expenses. If you are a current student and need items, visit any of the locations and a staff member will be able to assist you. Read more
