Cultural Centers on Campus: A Crash Course
September 30, 2020
As a college student you might want to meet new people that have similar experiences as your own. The Cultural Centers at Oregon State University are a great place to find new friends, a quiet place to study and can even become a home away from home.
Asian & Pacific Cultural Center
The Asian & Pacific Cultural Center, is an on-campus community surrounding the Asian and Pacific Islander experience. The center started in 1980 and was officially established in 1990. According to their website, their goal centers around engaging with the OSU community with an emphasis on academic success, critical thinking, professionalism and social justice related to the Asian and Pacific Islander communities.
The Centro Cultural César Chávez is a community which aims to be a second home for Latinx and Chicanx students. The center is there to help students achieve their professional goals while keeping in touch with their cultural backgrounds. The center was originally called Chicano Cultural Center where the original nine members met weekly in the basement of the Milam building located off Campus Way.
The word Ettihad means “unity” or “alliance” in a variety of languages such as Farsi, Urdu, Hebrew and Arabic. Ettihad is a community that works to create an inclusive community for students from the Horn of Africa, North Africa, West Asia, Central Asia, and South Asia.
Ettihad hosts an annual cultural festival each spring, this festival celebrates the diversity of Ettihad through music, dances, art, performances, traditional dress and food.
Hattie Redmond Women & Gender Center
The Hattie Redmond Women & Gender Center is a safe place for women to discuss women and gender issues while creating an inclusive environment. The community within the center is focused around feminist leaders who seek to inspire change and support the education, advocacy and success for all.
Lonnie B. Harris Black Cultural Center
The cultural center Lonnie B. Harris is a center that strives to create a safe and welcoming environment where students that identify as Black, African and African-American can enrich their college opportunities and be a part of a community that supports each student’s unique experience.
Native American Longhouse Eena Haws
The Native American Longhouse Eena Haws was the first Native center on a college campus in the state of Oregon. The center is a space for indigenous students where they can help each other navigate their time at OSU while staying connected to their indigenous roots.
The Pride Center is a safe haven for all students who identify under the LGBTQ+ umbrella. This supportive community provides students with a variety of programs and services intended to enlighten and support each student’s experience during their time at OSU.
Caden DeLoach, senior public health student and member of the Pride Center said they started visiting the center a few years ago when they needed support. They became grateful to be working at the Pride Center and working alongside others to create a space of community care.
“I think my favorite part of being part of the Pride Center is sharing space with others who care very deeply about each other, and want to work together to create a world with greater justice and equity,” DeLoach said via email. “The world is full of conflict, and being a student can be stressful on top of everything else that is going on.”
“To have a space where we can be in community, learn to support one another, and also work towards social justice is extremely meaningful. None of us can change the world on our own, we have to work together and learn from each other’s unique perspectives,” DeLoach said via email.
