A point of pride for Colorado Mesa University (CMU) is its Cultural Inclusion Council (CIC), and the goals they represent. The CIC is a student-led program that has many branches that represent the different minority groups and helps to assist CMU’s diverse array of students.
To succeed in this mission, they employ educational and promotional events and assist with getting students the support they may need. Through its seven alliances, a diverse pool of students has an accessible, safe place to form relationships, learn, have a voice, and build a community for themselves.
Among these alliances are the ISA, Black Student Alliance (BSA), Genders and Sexualities Student Alliance (GSA), Latino Student Alliance (LSA), Asian Student Association (ASA), Native American Student Alliance (NASA) and Ho’olokahi Polynesian Alliance (HPA).
“The value [of CIC] is that if you […] do fit into that group, it’s a nice way to find friends, family, and […] a group for you to be a part of,” International Student Alliance (ISA) co-Coordinator Grace Oberschmidt said.
While the different parts of CIC have their own focuses, they all hope to provide safe places for all members of their alliance, showcase underrepresented students and cultures, educate the public and simply create a place to learn, share and come together for all.
“There are so many beautiful cultures that are shown in the CIC, so I feel like just getting involved and getting to know everyone is beautiful,” LSA co-Coordinator Lupita Santiago said.
You can find ISA every Wednesday at six p.m. BSA meetings take place from five to six p.m. every Friday. GSA currently meets bi-weekly from five to six-thirty on Tuesdays, LSA meets every other Thursday at seven in the evening and NASA meets twice a month on Wednesdays at six in the evening, Meeting locations can be found on their Instagrams. HPA has regular Lū`au practices, which you can find more details about on Presence.
Some upcoming events before the year ends include ISA’s winter formal, BSA’s Christmas karaoke on Dec. 6 and a frybread and Indian taco sale hosted by NASA on Nov. 30. BSA will also be partnering with volunteer group Circle K and will be hosting a canned goods fundraiser on campus, which students can contribute to anytime from now to finals week. Donations can be dropped off at the Student Life desk on the second floor of the University Center.
Many of the clubs also will host smaller events, such as cross-country skiing and movie nights, which you can find out more about by contacting alliance coordinators, following CIC Instagrams, going to meetings or joining the clubs on Presence. Anyone is welcome to come to any event or club meeting, regardless of whether they belong to that minority.
“I think learning about all different cultures is something everyone should do and experience. Additionally, life is about always learning and when people step out of their comfort zone that is how people learn,” NASA Coordinator Sadie Hill-Kelley said. “Being Indigenous, I still find [other] cultures interesting, and I always try to learn as much as I can and go to different cultural alliances at CMU.”
Next semester you can expect to see the HPA’s yearly spring Lū`au, GSA’s drag show, a Jaripeo, or Hispanic rodeo, from LSA, and more events from CIC. CIC will also be hosting one of its yearly events, a fashion show which celebrates all of the different alliances and the diversity here on campus.
