Culture and Identity Center | Photo by Cheyenne Waddell | Edited by Kayli Thompson | The Wright State Guardian
On Tuesday, Sep. 1, the Wright State University (WSU) Cultural and Identity Center held a virtual open house for students to learn about what they have to offer in the fall semester.
All four centers in the Cultural and Identity Center are running virtual for the fall semester.
Bolinga Black Cultural Resources Center
The word “Bolinga” translates as love in Lingala, an African language deriving from the northwestern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and is spoken by more than 10 million people throughout the region.
Located in room 140 of WSU’s Millett Hall, the Bolinga Black Cultural Resources Center provides students the opportunity to celebrate and learn about diverse African cultures.
The ultimate goal of the group is to provide a sense of belonging for students. Whether students are African American themselves or desiring to learn more about the African American culture, the center provides academic and emotional support for those students involved.
“The Bolinga Center is actually getting ready to celebrate its 50th anniversary in January,” said School of Medicine Diversity Program Manager Tanya Mathis. “So, we’re excited about that. It was actually born out of student protests back in 1971.”
The center offers various events throughout the year and is actively working on a system to provide students with virtual events as well.
Latinx, Asian, and Native American Affairs
Located in Millett Hall 154, the Latinx, Asian, and Native American Affairs center focuses on advocating for and teaching students about cultures within the Latinx, Asian and Native American population.
The center runs virtual talks known as “LANA Talk Tuesdays” throughout the semester, where students can ask questions and discuss various topics related to the center and their mission.
Various forms of academic support are offered for students, such as open study tables, internships, mentorships, and scholarships.
“We do DACA, which is the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals and support,” said Associate Director for the Office of Latinx Asian and Native American Affairs Mia Honaker, “as we help with funding, and any kind of financial resources. We have a frequently asked questions FAQ section on our website.”
The office participates in several events annually, such as Hispanic Heritage Month, Native American Heritage Month, and Asian Pacific Islander Heritage Month.
Office of LGBTQA Affairs
The office of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and Ally (LGBTQA) Affairs was founded nearly six years ago to provide support for students who identify LGBTQA and for allies to learn more information and support their peers.
The 4 core tenants of the LGBTQA Affairs Center are advocacy, community engagement, education, and success.
Located in 147 Millett Hall, with an additional office in 150 Millett Hall, one of the programs offered includes the Unicornship Peer Mentorship program, where first year LGBTQA students are paired with returning LGBTQA students to achieve academic and social goals.
“We not only have our mentees and mentors, asked to meet once a week, but we also have monthly engagements with the entire group,” Interim Associate Director of LGBTQA Affairs Emily Jane Yantis said. “In the past we’ve done bonfires, we’ve done laser tag, just different team and community building exercises.”
Women’s Center
The Women’s Center strives to create a safe and comfortable environment for women to feel supported and connected with one another.
Located in 148 Millett Hall, the center offers mentorships, scholarships, educational programs, as well as physical hygiene kits to women in need.
“We’re going to be doing it a little differently this year, because of you know, what’s going on right now,” said Assistant Director of the Women’s Center, Cindy Vanzant, in reference to the personal hygiene kits. “There’s going to be a form to fill out, and I will be sending out information very soon.”
One of the programs offered by the Women’s Center is a weekly crochet and knitting circle, which will be offered on Friday’s over WebEx beginning Sep.11.
