Sharon Lau
Staff Writer
After moving from its old 215 square foot office in the Campus Center to a spacious 1,000 square foot office in the Athletics Pavilion, the Center for Multicultural Services celebrated its grand opening Thursday.
“Because space is limited commodity here on campus, it honestly really means a lot to have an actual office and a common area for the students, and it’s exciting,” said Daniel Loera, director of multicultural affairs.
The center moved into the old Campus Safety office after they moved to their new office in the parking structure.
The celebrations started with a Native American ceremony performed by Trevor Thompson. He started off by blowing into a conch in every direction to call out the ancestors, and then saging the area while singing a welcoming song.
“The ceremony was beautiful, I really liked the sage ceremony because it represents a new beginning,” senior sociology major and business minor Jacqueline Perez said.
Following the ceremony, Daniel Loera, director of multicultural affairs, made a speech and cut the ribbons. He encouraged all students and faculty to draw or write on a quilt cloth, which will later be made into a keepsake community quilt.
The Multicultural Center only has only two full-time workers, Nancy Reyes and Loera, and the rest of the staff is made up of student workers.
The student workers had one-third of a cubicle to use and often had to compete with other groups for space at the Office of Student Life.
Now with plenty of new rooms and office space, students from different backgrounds can come and learn about other cultures, and break down race, class and gender issues together.
“It’s amazing to have a new multicultural center because now students have a place to come together to meet, socialize, brainstorm, do poetry slam and participate in community service,” said Jarrett Mason, senior kinesiology major and president of the Multicultural Club Council.
Workers at the Multicultural Center are excited for the new office. They plan to make it a place that creates its own energy from the students.
“We want students to be certain where the office is at and for them to use it often as a space to plan, reflect, relax and whatever they need they can use it as such,” Loera said.
Senior sociology major Karen Mungkay Shum is excited about the Multicultural Center having its own space.
“It really helped me make friends that I don’t usually hangout with,” Shum said.
“I learned a lot about the Latino culture, food, salsa dancing and their struggles, so I am really glad to see them get their own office. I think the new office being in the tents will make it a more interesting place and hopefully more people will come hang out here.”
The Athletics Pavilion will be the permanent home of the Multicultural Center for the next five years until new structures will be built according to the 2020 Strategic Vision.
Sharon Lau can be reached at sharon.lau@laverne.edu.
