Real Talk: Being a Student of Color at CSU

OK.

Thank you.

Awesome. Hello everybody, we are seeing people join in. Hi everyone, my name is Miguel. We will be starting here shortly. We are just allowing for people to kind of join in on to this web and are so hang off height and we will be doing introductions here shortly. Thank you all so much for joining today.

You wanna go ahead and repeat again. Miguel please.

Absolutely hello everyone, just to kind of reiterate what I just said, We are allowing for people to kinda join in as numbers are trickling in Good afternoon everyone we will be starting here shortly. Please hang tight and get those questions ready as.

All of us here are going to be ready to answer those questions.

Alright, my student ambassadors. I think you all should be good. Let me know if that works.

No.

No.

OK, it's alright.

Call awesome everybody. As Miguel said, we're just giving people one more minute to join us in. We have about 60 students who will be joining us today so will just give it one more minute for everybody to join in. And then we'll go ahead and get started. Thank you for your time and thank you for being patient. Ovoga started here pretty shortly.

Can

hello everyone welcome and we're just giving a minute or two for everybody to join in.

Alright, it is true too. So just respect. Everybody's times will go ahead and get started right now and then. Give everybody else in time to get in as a people start trickling in so welcome everybody. Good afternoon. Thank you for being here with us today. My name is Jocelyn. I'm not just counselor at Colorado State University. I work with students from the Denver Metro area and Colorado Springs, so I'll be here facilitating the panel today. I have four student ambassadors or currency as students. We're here to answer all of your questions today.

Just to kind of as reminder, you did sign up for a real talk panel, so we'll be talking about what it's like to be a student of color at CSU. CSU is a predominately white campus, so will be kind of diving in and digesting what that looks like to be out CSU. So I'll have my student ambassadors introduce themselves, tell you a little bit about themselves, and then we'll dive in with some questions like, well, if you want to go ahead and get started.

Yeah, go to the moon everyone. My name is Miguel. I am a senior graduating in a couple days. Here. I'm studying communication studies from Denver, Co and I'm also a first generation student.

My would you like for me to share my identities at this time?

Yes please.

So I identify as Latino. I am Mexican American. I also am gay, so those are a couple of my predominant identities here at CSU. and I will share with you my moments later on during this real talk.

Writing.

Go ahead.

Hello everyone, my name is Argina Hopkins. My pronouns are she her in her zan. I am also graduating with communication studies and film studies minor in just a few days here. Along with Miguel. I'm from Denver, Co and a few identities I hold are. I'm a first generation student. I am black African American woman this woman and I'm also low income student as well.

Sarah.

Awesome new journey.

Can you hear me?

Yes.

OK so hi my name is Johnny. I'm a first year at Colorado State University. Uhm, I'm from southern Colorado actually from Pueblo, uhm. I identify as being half native and half Hispanic. So I'm mestizo. Uhm, I'm also alone, income student as well, so that's who I am. Also, some of the things I'm a part of is knack, which is the Native American Cultural Center and key communities, so.

That's what I've been involved in my first year.

Awesome, thank you all for introducing yourself. So for the citizen have joined us today. I do have some questions prepared that I will be asking our student ambassadors to answer. Otherwise feel free to ask any questions that you have. This is a real talk panel so we're going to be as real as we possibly can get with you to answer all of your questions. All of us here do identify as people of color and so we're here to talk to you about what that's like at CSU, so please feel free to ask any questions that you may have about what that experience is like SES.

Will be happy to answer all of your questions. You can just chat us in any questions that you have. In the mean time that you think of your questions. I would like to ask the student embassador's what is it like being a student of? What is it like being a set of color at CSU?

You can go ahead and order or popcorn however you'd like.

As you gather your thoughts.

So I could go not gonna lie. It is pretty weird. The first I did come from a predominantly Latin next high school, so I was very comfortable and very very much used to being around other students that looked like me. An kinda spoke Spanish all the time and then coming to CSU. I thought it wouldn't be so different, but being here really kind of change that perspective. I had a culture shock and IM really understood.

What I got myself into and at times it could be really really hard with not really knowing like who to go to or like who to talk to. I came here from my high school without many without many friends on there so it was kind of like that whole journey of finding your own community an finding your own people and finding new friends. So and being a first generation student too. So kind of having all those different identities kind of come together and just really scouting out a different environment. I was just really confused as to what I wanted to do or

so I wanted to be and at times it can be very very lonely, but something that really helped me kind of navigate all these things is understanding and learning how to ask for help through that that really kind of help me build my own support system? My own community here at CSU. And then you really have to push yourself to be uncomfortable with the uncomfortable to really start getting different opportunities and start meeting lots of different people. With that I was able to kind of go to our culture of sensors here at CSU and I was able to meet.

Other students that like identified like I did an other people who were lucky naksan gay people and I was really glad that I was able to kind of start building that connection, and through that I started meeting people or more and more insight to really build my own network. So that's something that really helped me kind of navigate through CSU. So although at first it was very scary, I'm very intimidating. You slowly start to build your own network and really start to kind of build yourself at CSU and then that's going to basically breakdown like that perspective that you had that.

You're just there by yourself because you're going to have other people standing with you.

Before we have anybody else asked the question that I asked Miguel, would you like to answer that question that just came in?

Yeah, absolutely, let me take a look at it.

So thank you for asking that question. So a lot of things I didn't know what this term until I got to college. So the whole idea of intersectionality is that we do hold lots of different types of identities within ourselves and at times it could be very, very difficult and confusing for us. Also, something that I loved about colleges that you'll be able to like, really develop those identities. and I think at times you might be fighting it within yourself as to what's your more predominant identity.

Don't fight it, they're all very different and distinguished and unique to yourself. So allow them to grow within you and share those identities with those people around you. Personally, for me, it's yesterday. Once I started opening up more about like my own identities, I started to realize how other people also identify either as bisexual as gay and lesbian, and some people might have caught me off just because I was so quiet within my own identities that didn't share it. But once I started like really speaking out about my own personal identities, I started to meet other people.

Who hold those different identities, and although we might have not also had similar identities in the way as like I identify as Latino, and then I have other black friends, and although we don't have like that same identity, we were still able to kind of talk about like the struggles, an issue that we might be facing. So I encourage you to share your identities with those around you so you'll be able to kind of grow into your own identities, learn a little bit more about yourself, but also learn about those identities of your friends and those around you so.

That's a really great way to kind of create friendships. Something else that I would encourage you to do is definitely go into these other spaces. The culture office is that we do have here at CSU are open to anyone that are not restricted to certain kind of people. So definitely go into these different spaces and you'll be learning a little bit more. One of my closest friends I met through one of our jobs I was an orientation leader before an she's from Thailand and I didn't really know much about like her own identities or anything like that. But she invited me to go to the Asian Pacific American Cultural Center we had at CSU and I.

Never been there prior to being friends to her and I started learning a little bit more about like her traditions and cultures and that was just really cool to kind of get to know something different then I wasn't used to, so again, kind of like sharing your own identities to really build friendships and connections. Great question.

Can you talk me out specifically or anybody else as well? If you have used the resource specifically about the Pride Resource Center?

Yeah, absolutely. Personally for me, I think when I was a freshman I was really scared to kind of tap into those kind of tapping into my DNA as being gay just because of the negative connotations. But being at CSU really kind of helped me flourish into that and really like grow into and be proud of my own identities just because of the immense support that there is here.

I think personally for me I got really close like a directores here for The Pride Resource Center and just becoming involved with like the different kind of events we put on. Even if it's like the smallest things that kind of help you be comfortable. Definitely everybody has like their own pace that they want to kind of go into, but I definitely encourage people to kind of go into these spaces as much as they can. If you are still in the closet or still kind of like curious about things, then you don't want to go like directly into that office. We do have a separate door with in El Centro.

That kind of allows you to kind of go in through those spaces as well, so you're able to kind of check it out and so like keep your identity still safe and kind of allow you to come out when you are comfortable with that.

Awesome, that is a great segue to a point that I'm about to make some thinking we go for all of that information. So for those of you who are joining us today, you are able to submit some questions. There are some questions coming in that may reveal some identities for you. All that we don't want to put out in the public by accepting your questions, so will just be able to see the questions on our end and will read out the questions out loud, but we won't share any names of the people who submitted the questions, so please feel free to ask. Anything will read the questions out loud without saying who submitted the questions so.

That's how you may not be able to see all the questions that come in, but will be able to read them out loud for you so that we can still answer them for you.

Alright, awesome um. Hi everyone, my name is momma. I would like to know if it is necessary to have an exam that certifies you in the English language to join CSU. Does anybody have any experience coming into CSU with this?

No awesome um Vanessa, I will collect some information for you and share with you in the chat box. I'll drop some links is as well in there for you.

Sarah.

So if you wanna answer what is it like being a student of color at CSU?

Whoever would like to go next.

Sure I can. I can take this one, um.

OK.

Um, I'll go next. So for me, I kind of you can relate to Miguel because in southern Colorado is primarily chicano, so I was able to relate more with like my like Hispanic heritage here. And that was what was really like valued, and it was kind of traditional. So in this space it wasn't very much like when I went to see is you. I had a culture shock, so I wasn't really around people I was used to being around. Everyone spoke Spanish or everyone, you know.

I don't know. It was pretty diverse here, but going up there it is like predominantly white and also we have like native. There isn't really anyone who looks like me. There is like only a handful of people who are native that goes to CSU and that is something that kinda was shocking to me to find out. But it was nice going to like the next center.

Um to the knack office I should say and seeing, oh I went to the women's beating circle an that was unique to me because I got to see women who looks like me for the first time and I really enjoyed that experience, I would say.

Socially at CSU it is quite different.

I feel like people are very welcoming, saw. I'd never felt like shut out or uhm.

Excluded from like any events or anything, so that was nice to meet up or that was nice. And then at the Elysee there was like will events like what you were talking about. Miguel like. I remember one day there was like a little mariachi performance that they had an that felt really nice 'cause I was like close to home in that moment even though I was like 4 hours away from Pablo. So that's something that I did enjoy, but that's kind of like my experience.

Um?

Would you like me to ask answer a question that came into the box?

Ah, will have, uh, Sarah answer in the National Cancer. Then we'll move on to the questions.

OK, OK.

Right?

Uhm, so yeah again, hello. My name is Sarah. Um, coming to see you soon of color for me was a little bit different because being like an Asian American who lives in Denver, there's not actually like a very large community in Denver of agents. So for me, like a lot of my community and cultural identity came from my family and like the Holidays and traditions that we practice and celebrated. And so for me coming to see you wasn't different in the sense that, like there are also not a lot of Asian Americans.

At CSU, but it was pretty cool because for awhile, especially like my freshman year, I felt very distance from my family and like they were not people to celebrate like the lunar new year with or like the moon festival. That happens September. So like things like that were very strange at first, but I kind of came to the realization that like if you do really stick out your community and seek out your resources, there is a really strong group of people at CSU or are willing to like kind of help you explore identity, help you celebrate it in whatever way that looks like. And so for me. I know that we've talked a lot about the cultural centers.

But I actually didn't know about these before having miss, you see, but we do have one. It's called the Asian Pacific American Cultural Center or Pele pack for short, uhm, and for me, that's why I found a lot of my community, which was really cool coming to college, because for once I had like this community outside of just my family. That celebrated the Asian identity and celebrated Holidays and did all these fun activities in front across some of them are like not involved like some of them are. Just like we just sit and chat and they have a really great office. We can go hang out and do homework and drink tea or coffee and hang out.

Um, so for me that was really cool to kind of find a community outside of my family that celebrated in kind of shared my identity. UM, Ann. I think my biggest advice to like students who are of colored CSU is to really just be open to the idea that you can like seek out those communities in that we haven't seen this legal for me. A big distinction that I didn't realize was that CSU. Actually we have several different cultural and diversity offices, and that's very different than a lot of universities that just have like 1 multipurpose center until for me.

Like it's really special being able to go into a place like is really there to support like Asian Americans at CSU and not just kind of like trying folks on everyone. and I know, like Miguel has been Centro and things like that or like our Native American Cultural Center, like Joni mentioned. And so I think that's a really special part of CSU and something that I didn't really the value of until I got there and how strong those communities are and how many resources and friends you'll find there so.

Yeah for me. I also didn't use the cultural centers as a resource like right off the bat when I came to CSU. I kind of struggled with filling enough NIS in my identities. So on one hand it was me feeling isolated because I was visibly a person of color and then on the other hand I just didn't feel like all of my identities meshed with just my most salient identity. So I spend a lot of time just looking for other resources in ways to feel connected and involved.

And thankfully that was through like a key communities in my learning residential learning community within University housing and then also just being able to step out of my comfort zone and just name that. So when folks would offer to go to like Cultural Center events or if people were like, well, who do you hang out with? Or how do you feel on campus? Just kind of naming that enough miss factor and that even connected me to other people just to have a shared identity and then perception and thought about that identity as well.

But then I have taken that an reach outside of my comfort zone, an even connected to the black African-American Cultural Center Ann. I've worked there two years now. And yeah, just being involved in all aspects just to show up and own my identity has been really helpful as well, so that's kind of been my experience. And like Miguel said, it is kind of lonely in some aspects, but definitely there are times where I do feel United and proud and happy to just express' those identities as well.

Sweet, awesome. We've had one come in that says I've had teachers call Mia terrorists and ask if I lived in a Cardboard box. Have a lot of experience is like that happened at CSU.

If you are having directly maybe experience some of these experiences, I think maybe one event that we could talk about is a blackface incident and how you felt about that on campus. And then how do you Bing CSU is moving forward to handle that situation?

So if somebody wants to start by saying what happened with the blackface incident at CSU, how you feel about it and how do you think csus moving forward?

Yeah, so um, what essentially happened was a last fall, a group of students did post a picture on social media wearing face masks that were all black, and then they also put up the condo for every sign. And then they said they had some sort of caption in there. I forget what it said, but it was clearly about African American culture and being a black person as well. So that went viral and with all sorts of different comments to the people involved in the photo. It was just saying that this was.

Wrong, and then there was a call to action by CSU.

So that like just involved in raised a lot of students as well. So how I felt about it was like I was definitely hurt and then also just to be a transparent like some stuff like that does happen on campus and it just kind of like is disappointing and disheartening. But there is community that is here to combat it. Whether that's just having open discussion about it and then also just creating creating those safe spaces for people to talk about it. Whether it's through these cultural centers in your classrooms.

Or even inside of the residence halls, which is unfortunately where this incident had occurred as well.

I kind of speak on a little bit about issues, so I CSU we have a president's Multicultural Student Advisory Committee and so students are able to kind of create a list and also kind of create solutions to change policy at CSU, which is something that's really really cool in a really cool opportunity for undergraduates who kind of do not only that you get to sit with like other students who also kind of come from marginalized background. So we do have, like the Pride Resource Center, represented at central represents it and like multiple other offices throughout the University that represent.

This this program, and basically we come up with like solutions as to what we should change a policy at CSU and then we get to meet with the president of CSU to kind of talk about these things and talk about the issues that are affecting our students who innocence. Students do have that opportunity to really voice out their concerns and then these student representatives also had the opportunity to meet with like other students to hear about different types of data might be facing so they're able to kind of bring up through this committee. So I think from at least from my own point of view, I am a part of this committee.

I really enjoyed having that opportunity really voice out like what's happening, what's going on, and be able to implement some type of change through our policies at CSU.

Call awesome um, how do you manage your homework and your free time?

I can't do this one.

Um, so I I'd like to answer that question. So for me, coming from a place where like I felt like the academics didn't really like match it to a collegiate level, I was quite scared about getting like my academics on track and I didn't want my social life or my academic life. I should say it could compete with my social life, so that's a big thing. Time managing. Knowing when your friend should fit into your schedule and when your work should.

So what really helped me was, uhm, when you get into CSU, you get your little canvas, little page and so you go to your discussions or or dashboard. I said and that lists everything.

When your is it, your assignments are listed by date and by like do time. So that has really helped me in getting us. A planner helps for a lot of people.

Also, just taking a step away from your friends and like for me going to the to the library help a lot, and so that's how I kind of separate.

My social life from academic life.

Would any of you like to add more into the homework conversation?

Alright, let me see what the next question is.

Does since you have an ROTC program.

Yes we do. We have both Air Force and army ROTC.

Good morning.

Yeah, and we can probably links to those pages in a private chat.

Yeah, that be good. Uh? What is your advice for incoming freshmen?

Uhm, OK, I'll take this one 'cause I think my freshman year. I really struggled with making friends like Eifert, especially the first month. I felt very lonely on campus. A man, I think like my biggest advice that I can give to any incoming freshman is to just get involved. Your first like we can a half on campus. There are so many.

Fairs where clubs will come and talk about themselves, and um different like athletic teams of that to turn to, like ROTC academic clubs. Diversity offices on campus jobs will be hiring like there's just a lot of activity and the amount of like welcoming that you will feel first week is really can be overwhelming. But I would say just like find a few things that sound really interesting to you. And even if you don't think you're going to do them for forever, just like give them a try and I think that's where I made my most friends and found my community at CSU was just kind of like.

Kind of diving in and looking back on it like there were some things that I joined that I'm not involved in any more, but there are some things like this job and I'm on our like CSU Club Trap on Team and being involved with a pack that have really kind of helped me feel apart of CSU and like I have a community there and I think that was like for me.

Please.

The biggest difference into like kinda how I felt those first couple of weeks. Just like a little isolated and lonely. And then once I started getting involved sees you just kind of became like this really awesome community for me. So that would be my advice is to get involved as soon as you get some really cool things.

Cool, um Miguel's name is Johnny. Do you have any advice for incoming freshmen?

I tell you, ask for help. Really, I think, at least for myself, being a first generation student, I was very like prideful. As to like I got here on my own like this is how we're gonna do it and I could do this an I think sometimes a bit more than I could chew and oftentimes I would still kind of put this rent that, oh, I could do this a lot more by myself. But there came a point where I was very stuck on. Like Oh my God. This is becoming more than I could actually handle.

So it takes a lot of courage to ask for help, so something that I encourage you to do with definitely reach out to all different kinds of people to kind of help you support yourself and also be able to kind of have that that network that I was talking about. So don't be scared to ask for help and also reach out to your friends and your parents back home as well. I think for me that was a big thing as well that I wasn't kind of keeping in touch with my old friends or my family. So definitely reach out to them and be able to kind of having conversations and be able to reach.

Out for help when needed.

Awesome's name is Johnny. Would you like to add anything for incoming advice? For incoming freshmen.

I guess for me I came in pretty scared, but uhm, I joined like a group of friends and they helped me. Kind of like explore opportunities and things of that sort. So that helps me get more involved on campus by like playing indoor soccer. It was like intramural soccer and that was really fun for me because I was afraid of like all these strangers and all these older like upperclassmen and that was intimidating. But once I got to become friends with them.

That really helps me step outside of my comfort zone. Um, also, like while I was in communities like opening up to my floor mates and things like that so.

Like taking those steps were able to like really fun things in volunteer for illegal activities like Rams Against Hunger. That was one of my favorite things. And just like even going into town, I remember one of my favorite things to do in the summer time was like going to the farmers market. That was like my favorite thing ever in my friends helped me like ride the bus and everything like that. So just being able to like try things that scare you. That's what really helps me my first year.

Awesome if you wanna tackle the question. What kind of programs are there for first generation students that are in coming to CSU?

Miguel, do you want to go ahead and answer this question?

Uh, yeah, absolutely. So kind again with the whole part of reaching out. I believe they have a mentorship program available for students. If you identify as a first generation student and you're seeking out guidance from upperclassmen. If you sign up for this program, you'll be able to get connected with an upperclassman who also identifies as a first generation student and you'll be able to kind of interact with them. Have more questions about like what's it like, being at CSU and kinda. It's kinda like giving you a buddy, something that I really, really recommend.

Or are incoming freshmen is take a look at the key communities? The key communities as often times one of the best support systems and best programs out there for our first Gen students. Just because since College is so brand new and it's such a new experience for everyone, you don't necessarily know where to tackle things and the communities is an opportunity for students to get ahold of like what's it like taking colleges, how to manage your time better, how to make friends and also be able to be grounded in the Times of studying, to be able to have that academic success that everybody wants so.

Definitely take a look at the key communities and hopefully there's a community there that you might be interested. There's lots of different several things, so if you are interested about civic engagement and service, there's a key program for that. Key health professions. If any future doctors are watching this, we definitely need you in this time. And if you don't know what you want to study, we also have key explore and that helps our students can identify what you want to study. And then we also have the academic which is more divided into certain programs that students are more academically driven into. So definitely take a look at those.

And you might find a program that might match your own interests an might have that support, especially for first generation students.

Awesome, thank you Miguel. We have a question. What is the biggest thing you've learned from the transition from high school to college?

Um, thinking back. I think my biggest transition, um, was just being myself like just coming from high school I felt like I was always playing a role. I was trying to appeal to what everyone else wanted. Whether that was like my teachers or friend groups or people who weren't even my friends just to get by and then coming to CSU or just College in general. I was just kind of like.

I can just be myself an I can kind of just restart and do everything is kind of over and with that it just made me feel more comfortable and more happy and excited to do everything unapologetic. Lee.

Anybody else have more to add about things you've learned from your transition to high school? From high school to college?

I think for me coming from high school like.

I hadn't had like a lot of challenges in life yet, if that makes sense, like just in terms of like I felt like my academic work that hard, uhm, I hadn't really had to do like a lot of time management. I hadn't worked a job while I was in school, yet, um, I hadn't really struggled with like a lot of emotions that you can feel in college like, especially like kind of comeback this like the first month like I really was very lonely and I think one of the biggest things that I've learned is that, like you are very resilient and like just your capacity to like kind of make it on your own. And for me like that was really encouraging. Like kind of looking back now like.

My self confident even like going into freshman year and then now and just like kind of my assuredness in my identity in who I am and like my abilities. Uhm, I think that's one of the most awesome things at college. Helps you grow into.

Alright, CSU has a pretty large campuses are rare to see other people of color with the campus being so spread out.

I'm going to say now at first, oftentimes it could feel that way. Just because you are transitioning to CSU and it can be a very new environment. But once you start really meeting people and start kind of not even really knowing them, but kind of because you see them and share very similar circles as friends with other people, you start going. You're going to start recognizing that were all over the place and that's something that I personally really enjoy within my four years at CSU. Just because it can't feel like that at the beginning. But once you really start getting connected and started it.

Doing different things that you're going to start identifying all these different types of people that are kind of there to help you support you and your friends are all around, so that's something that I personally enjoy regardless of how big CSU is, is that you'll have your friends and other people of color there to support you.

Yeah, to add on I would kind of say in some classroom spaces like depending on your major or interest, oftentimes there it's pretty rare to see people of color, but I think as campus tends to get more diverse. You do and then as you get more into your major and things you do get to see more diverse groups of people and then also there are usually people of color around who are like white passing. So then you also just don't see it on the surface but they are still like around an.

Also still are people of color.

Good night at home.

All right, uh? What is some advice that you would go ahead, yeah?

Yes, yes of course.

Right and I add onto that just a little bit. I don't let that intimidate you, just what are they say it is going to be so surreal sometimes that you are the only personal coloring. Do not let that intimidate you. Always remember that you belong there and you have a purpose. So don't let that intimidate you and really let your voice be heard and speak out within that time. So don't moral story. Don't let that intimidate you. Have used sometimes, believe you're the only person there. Know that you hold great value within that class.

Alright, So what are some advice you would give about scholarships?

I can talk a little bit, uhm, something for me, that uhm, I would. I guess first day is just like do your research. Uhm not only to CSU offer a lot of scholarships but also like a lot of outside parties will offer scholarships. So that's something that you can definitely look into it like I know it can be really overwhelming to look because there are a lot of scholarships out there in like kind of to sift through ones that you qualify for or that seem like you would have like a good chance at receiving. and I would also say.

Um, be intentionally most elemental, requiring essay, and that's I think the part where, especially as like a student of color. That's like your time to shine and to talk about, like who you are and why you're seeking out of college education. And like why the scholarship would help. And like don't be afraid to be a little bit horrible on that. Or to really like, tell your story. You can always like have like, for me at least I had a really great high school teacher who was singing in American and she like proof. Read all of my essays and so, just like kind of seeking out that support and also being OK being.

Horrible, like scholarships are really like. This is Money that they want to give to you and you just have to kind of like show them how it will be used in, like, how to support you. So yeah, those are kind of my tips for scholarships, but don't be intimidated like it can be really scary but.

So.

All right, uh, let's see here what steps did you get? Did you take to get into see you soon as Johnny? Would you like to start us off with this question?

Yeah, so the way I got into sisu is I just, um, I first toured the campus a little bit when I was a freshman in high school, so I went to alliance summer camps and that really got me like interested in like the Warner College and all the different colleges. I guess at CSU like the business college and then there's the engineering college. And so my mind was pretty like open to a lot of majors. I wanted to explore but I didn't know what I wanted to get into yet. So then some of the subsite.

Started to take was starting high school, volunteering my time within the community, building a good academic standing within my high school so that I could build a good resume to apply for college.

So the admissions board could holistic Lee look at my application, and then I went to some science fair. Xydias you an I just knew from the bottom of my heart that I wanted to go there.

And that's kind of how I started my way in. And then I got into the key Explorer program. Since I didn't know what my major is going to be it, and that's how I am here now.

Awesome, I would like to add a little bit to that as an admissions counselor. Uhm, I am one of the individuals who takes a look at applications that come in. So one really important thing to note about the admissions process for CSU is Legner Junior mentioned we are a holistic admissions process which means that will take a look at everything in your application that comes in. I'll drop in a few links on the chat that will tell you what we need for your application, where we needed by an R18 recommended units, which also answers the question of whether or not we have an English kind of proficiency.

We want test you. We won't test your English for you to come into CSU. We have 18 recommended units, some ESL classes from can't count towards some of those recommended units, so I'll drop those links in there. But something really important to keep up. Keep in mind is that CSU will review your GPA, your test scores, your extracurricular involvements. We also ask for a personal statement, a personal statement which is basically a personal essay that talks a little bit more about who you are as a person. There's only so much that we can learn based off of a few numbers, so that person is going to be really important for you to Share your story and tell us.

A little bit more about yourself, aside from your tests on your GPA, so please make sure to just communicate with us as much as you can for your application.

Cool and then I see one question that uh, says I identify as black or their programs for students who identify as black or African American.

Yes, so I'm through the black African-American Cultural Center. We like to say that well, first and foremost, we are open to anyone with any identities there. Welcome to use the space for their program services or just to hang out in the space in general, but we do lead with black Nishan the black identity. So with that we have weekly programs, monthly programs, yearly programs, and all sorts of different things that go on that intersect with the other cultural centers as well. But we do have real talk every Tuesdays.

That is from 4:00 to 5:00 PM and that is where folks just to come into the space. We do get free food and we get to talk about literally any topic, so it ranges from anything that goes on in Csus community specifically to anything in the media or pop culture. That's kind of really fun, and just something that's just really pertinent right now to CSU students. Then we do have cultural development, academic enhancement, mentoring programs for mentoring programs. We do have the rights of passage retreat, which is where all first year students have.

Opportunity to go with the black African-American Cultural Center to Estes Park and you get to just hang out for a weekend. Get to engage in all sorts of different activities and workshops. That is really a shared experience between those students and then we bring that back down to Csus campus and then for monthly programs we do have rights of passage outings where you do get connected with your mentor. An other students also as well, and we do like ice cream socials. We have scavenger hunts in Old Town.

And then just in general, there are just programs that you can just hop right on into. So we have student organization specifically run through the black African-American Cultural Center like the National Honor Society for Black Engineers, United Women of color, united Mccullar Africans United, which I am also a part of. And just so many more opportunities, there's like homecoming pageants, Black History Month event celebrations, or we literally have something every day for the month of February.

The Black Women Summit. So all sorts of different things where you don't necessarily have to be connected to the office or identify with being black African-American, but in some sort of way you are an ally, or you identify with the black African American culture as well.

For that information, so we've talked a lot about the S DPS offices, which are our student diversity and program services on campus. So we have Seven diversity offices at the Lory Student Center which serve as a home away from home for a lot of students, and I've offered various resources on those Seven diversity offices are El Centro for Latin next population, the resources for disabled students, the Pride Resource Center for LG BT community. We have the women and gender advocacy Center for our sexual assault survivors and allies we have.

The Black African-American Cultural Center Native American Cultural Center, an Asian Pacific American Cultural Center, also drop a link in the chat so that you're able to see more information on the website. But we do have Seven diversity offices in their use. Kind of very similarly to offer different resources to students on campus. Kind of have away from home. Like I said, I'm on campus. How do you hang out with all different with all the different groups and manage that like having friends in the Pride Resource Center, a pack and keep communities?

I'm really good question and I think, uhm, this really does times like time management as well. But um, for me at least I think that a surprise amount of friends actually like overlapping between different communities, because you'll find that like a lot of students here and see like are really passionate about diversity and equality. And so like they aren't like just really involved in those things, or even like these are my coworkers. But I see them all the time like this DPS offices and things like that.

So yeah, just in terms of like, how do you make time for all of it? Um, for me I think I just really try to prioritize my friendships and try to like hang out with the groups that I really like value and so for me, that usually is like a lot of those groups, and especially like the friends I made in a pack. And things like that. I don't know if anyone else is like anything else to add about that. But yeah, I would also say that like it seems like a lot of different groups, but also like a lot of your friends will overlap between those groups. Annual have classes with a lot of people you might work with. Some of them, You know their clubs with them. So like you might see them in a lot of different settings.

But make it seem like you have a kind of a lot of different groups, but it's really like you have kind of key friends that are y'all involved in the same thing.

Yeah, it's a kind of add on to that. That was something I was worried about too. Like if I had specific friends in specific areas, but I think that was just because of what I've experienced in high school, as in like sort of clicks, but I actually don't have that within like my make sure friend groups like Sarah said, there actually tends to be a lot of overlap. Especially I find out there like social media like you'll add someone from one area and then it turns out they know your friends in another area and they've been best friends forever. So it's just all sorts of really cool things and.

Really, embracing that diversity as well can also lead to just knowing even more people and making those greater connections.

Awesome thank you, uh, Have you ever been mistreated at CSU? New journey? Would you like to start us off answering this question?

So I feel like the only time I've been mistreated um at CSU is actually off campus. I remember walking home one night, and, um, these two, like they were white. But these girls were like just really treating me and my friends kind of bad. And that isn't like behavior that CSU would put up with on campus. I feel like sometimes I kind of am looked over.

Just because I mean I have no reason why I know like idea why, but like I'll be may be sitting somewhere and I had this.

This episode not this episode, but I was sitting next to a woman and like move my stuff off of. I don't know if it was because of it was what I look like or if because she didn't like really acknowledge my presence there. But being able to.

I don't know feel that was kind of sad, but I wouldn't say I have ever been like harshly mistreated at CSU.

When it anybody else be willing to answer the same question?

Yeah, as far as like mistreatment, it's been more of like Micro aggressive statements. So like a micro aggression is kind of like little things that are said or done. Sometimes it isn't with the intention to like hurt you or attack your identity, but it comes off that way because like just not experience with that. So like it's been around just kind of like oh if I'm being too loud or if I'm being perceived as angry.

If I am slightly like upset about something or show any other emotion than like happiness, so I've had that those experiences and that usually happens within like other areas of involvement, so that doesn't really come from like specific people like I can't pinpoint it to just like 1 area. It just kind of happens. Kind of somewhere like across the board, just through different interactions and there's different ways to go about like talking to that and like even naming that feeling because I used to experience this.

And didn't know what it meant, but it was just like there's this little kind of hurt or annoyance with it.

As a follow-up question for you are with this question of if you've been mistreated at CSU. Sounds like it might be more with interactions at like Asian, I said Microagressions, not necessarily from campus itself. So with That being said, if you were to be mistreated, or if you were to feel unsafe, are uncomfortable, do you feel like you have people on campus that you could go to for support? You feel like you have the right resources on campus to reach out and say, Hey this happened. This is what's going on. Can you connect? Can I have some support? Do you feel like CSU?

Is able to support you in any of these, maybe perhaps situations that could happen.

Absolutely, uhm. I would say like for me I returned a lot of micro aggressions. Just being a woman especially like my I'm a finance major. The College of business and especially the finance major is like very male heavy but there are so many resources and so many people at CSU who are willing to help you and willing to listen. and I think that really extends like not only I think we have really great resources in our diversity offices for me like the woman gender advocacy center but also just like your friends, your coaches, your peers, the people who are in charge of your clubs.

New journey, will you, um, would you be able to add on to that? Do you feel like you have the support from CSU resources on campus to be able to handle a situation where you would be mistreated on campus?

Yeah, so if I were to be measured on campus, I could go to my womans waiting circle and we can talk about it. What happened and then they would connect me to the right resources. I could go to the woman in generator advocacy center.

And they would definitely handle that. and I know that there's also counselors on campus. Uhm, so like if I needed to go to counseling therapy, they would help me with that as well. But yeah, I definitely feel like there is someone to talk to or someone who would handle the situation. Like for me, if I didn't know what to do. So yeah.

Awesome agony. Is there anything that you would like to add in terms of the same question?

Yeah, um, I found a lot of support within like living in the residence Hall to not only just miare but we do have like another position I have is the inclusive community assistant so it's just, uh, a student like appeared perspective and student leader. Like Sarah mentioned that you can also go to for support so they have access to all of the different professional resources but also they have been trying to just engage in those conversations with you as well. And sometimes I think that's even better because it comes from.

Appear like someone who is your same age, who probably didn't even go like or went through something like this just like a few days ago. Few years ago. However long, so I find a lot of support there.

Awesome. What are other programs that are there for people that identify as Latino Miguel? Would you want to answer this question?

Yeah, absolutely. So there are lots of different programs. Ram by El Centro. So, uh personally, my favorite ones kind of have to do with our Hispanic heritage month, which typically is like mid September to mid October, and they're able to really bring out lots of different types of speakers. Personally, my favorite event that has happened, they brought my biatches through the Plaza and that was like one of my favorite parts of kind of to put around the spotlight. Man, Jocelyn wear dancing together during that time. Well, so it was just such a fun time to kind of really bring out our own like.

Heritage and our roots, but more like constant programming that we do also offer more specifically for like woman. We have a program called less commodities, so if you identify as a woman and Latina, you're able to join less commodities. We also have a program called so most, which is an opportunity for students. You kind of go up to as this part which is part of the mountains here in Colorado and students have the opportunity to kind of like bond with other students who identify as Latino.

Throughout the weekend and it's just like a really cool bonding experience. You learn a little bit more about our other students of color here at CSU, specifically being Latino, a really cool program that I personally do enjoying kind of help my parents understand more about like the transition to college and white. CSU really is was an operator was a program called other lenticonus stuff on media. Typically the host like a small orientation during move in date and it's an opportunity for kind of campus partners to really represent themselves and say hello to your families and kind.

Uh, give you all that space that you need to kind of. Say goodbye to your parents and really explain to them what you're going to do here at CSU and some opportunities that you might have. So there are lots of different types of programming available for Latino students. Those are just a call. My favorite ones. If anyone else knows of any that you think that are vital, definitely please share.

Alright, so um doesn't look like we have additional questions in right now, but I would appreciate if you all could talk a little bit so we know that being a student of color on a predominately white campus is, uhm, could be could come with its obstacles. What kind of advice would you give to any student of color who may be attending a predominantly white campus?

What kind of advice would you share with them? I'm sorry, will start with you Miguel as Niantic, Johnny will kind of go in that order.

OK, um yeah, so I guess my first name is just be confident in who you are and know that like, especially in a place like see like you are going to be welcomed and accepted and valued like regardless of their debt like we are such a welcoming campus and this is honestly like the most welcoming place I've ever lived and so just like one like having that confidence in knowing that like.

You are who you are and like. All of the ideas that you carry are valuable, like I think just having that knowledge and like repeating that to yourself and like times where you're doubting that is really important. And also knowing that like students of color on college campuses is like a new thing to like the United States, relatively speaking in terms of higher education and so that like by attending University in general like you are making a statement you are representing yourself and your culture and your families and your identity's in such a positive way into also just like.

Seek the power that did not. An like the really positive uhm.

I'm like confidence. I would say positive being confident that comes with that and like for me that's been. I'm really powerful. Like, really impactful. Just like in times where I feel like I'm struggling or that I don't belong to. Just like remember that to be like, you know, like by me being here like I'm helping to make this in Norman to make this campus more inclusive. And I'm bringing a new perspective and like that with overseas all about until. Yeah that would be like my kind of top advice is that Self Assurance?

Personally, for me to you all, always remember that you are amongst one of like the smartest people in that room. Just because not only are you retaining that knowledge that you're receiving in the classroom and applying it to American culture, but you're also able to apply whatever knowledge or receiving to your own background so personally. For me, I just love being able to learn something and not only being able to apply to like what I know as an American, but also being able to apply to like my Mexican culture and my roots and being able to kind of.

Bring that up to my professors and talk about it and kind of like be like, well, I know this much about like XY and ZI. Remember one of my favorite projects that I did was about to continue to protest. That happened out in Texas and my professors weren't really aware of what that was and kind of like really like honing in my own identity as Latino. And sometimes people will like questioning who you are and all these different types of stuff, but just remember who you are and who your roots are, no matter who belittle.

The little that experience just know that you are Latino, regardless of whatever other people say. No matter if you like speak Spanish or not, know that you you do have that identity and that doesn't make you know less of a left. You know, then someone who does speak Spanish. So kind of holding your own identities and be able to represent and make your own community proud. So at the end of the day, not only are you doing this for yourself, but you're also representing your own community an other people like you. Also, thank you all for joining us today and I really appreciate those questions.

So for me, I had a really long time except accepting a part of my identity and so coming to CSU. I felt like now that was like more than a time than ever to really like. Appreciate being Native American and being able to dominate Gnome Academic College because I'm there. Like Miguel imaginary, have said to really represent my communities in my identity's. Like being a Native American on campus is a huge deal.

And being able to like get my degree and whatever that is is amazing because I'm able to like just really make my mom proud. And that's what I'm excited for. An like Miguel said. You don't have to speak Spanish to really identify as a Latina like. I don't. I'm not great at Spanish. I'm taking Spanish classes, but I do not speak Spanish as well as I could, but that doesn't make me less flu. I am. And so just really being proud of who you are being authentic and just being proud and taking up space as you like.

I just am so excited for more diversity to be on campus, and that's where I would like to leave off.

Awesome I don't know if you are feeling the same way. But my heart is literally about to explode with all of these awesome comments and remarks from the synonym Badgers ambassadors to the students would join us today. Thank you so much for we had a little bit of technical difficulties at the beginning, but thank you so much for being patient with us. Thank you for being here with us today to hear about what we had to say, and what we have to share with you. I hope that you all feel empowered. I hope that you all feel with with good information from CSU that we're here to support you being a student of color. It could be tough on a predominant white campus.

But we hope that CSU has the right resources for you to be able to be successful while you're in college, and really anywhere it doesn't have to be the CSU. Being a student of color in this world, you matter an and take up space. And we're here to help each other out. I'm glad that we were able to put on this event for you all to hear with the perspective and the experiences of grant. CSU students are like Cassius you. So thank you all for joining us. It is 3:00 PM. If you would like to follow up with any of us, I will drop a link with some virtual experiences. You've also should have.

Um, maybe received an email with some virtual experiences, but there are some opportunities to follow up with some of us if you would like to connect more on any of these conversations, but thank you all so much for joining. I'll drop in those leaves and I hope you all have a great rest of your day. Thank you for the ambassadors for being vulnerable and sharing and thank you also as well to the students who dropped in and you know, it's not easy to sometimes share identities and share some of the experiences that you've had, so we really appreciate everybody who was able to share it. Share those experiences, but thank you all so much.

I will just drop to lease in there um, and then we will be off for the rest of the day.

Give me just one 2nd.

All.

All right, here is the link for you all. Thank you so much for joining us today. Let me see if I can paste it. There we go.

Awesome, hope you all have a good rest of your day. See you all soon goodbye.