At MSCEJ, UTSA students develop skills to propel equity and social justice

SEPTEMBER 22, 2021 — Whether it's helping students grow, define their identities or advocate for equity and justice in their communities, the UTSA Multicultural Student Center for Equity and Justice (MSCEJ) is a vital campus resource.

“MSCEJ serves as a leader to the campus community in building programs, trainings and advocacy efforts that promote equity and social justice at UTSA,” said Brandi Scott, director of the UTSA Multicultural Student Center for Equity and Justice. “It is important that UTSA has an office like MSCEJ that focuses on building programs and educational resources that directly benefit students who have been historically underrepresented or excluded from higher education to promote belonging and mattering for all students.”

The center is home to several student-focused efforts such as the Dreamers Resource Center, ally trainings, and workshops geared toward helping students understand their own and other people’s backgrounds and experiences. The center also plays a key role in planning institution-wide heritage month celebrations like Hispanic Heritage Month and Black History Month.

“It’s important to have a resource such as the MSCEJ for students because our voices often get lost.”

“UTSA is a very diverse campus. In addition to celebrating our diversity and rich cultural identity, it is also important to build programs, trainings and advocacy that ensure we are creating a campus where all students, and particularly students from historically excluded backgrounds, can grow and thrive,” Scott said.

UTSA seeks to promote an inclusive community of learners and an awareness and appreciation of multicultural perspectives. It is establishing policies, practices, programs and resources to embrace and support its diverse community.

During the past year, MCSEJ has trained thousands of faculty members, staff members and students on topics such as microaggressions, implicit bias, identity and LGBTQIA allyship.

The center also serves as a safe place on campus for many students, said Priscilla Okolie, a senior public health major.

“It’s a resource to us by providing a safe haven for many marginalized students at UTSA,” Okolie said. “It’s important to have a resource such as the MSCEJ for students because our voices often get lost. We need an office like this one to be an advocate.”

The MSCEJ is also a platform for voicing concerns about diversity and inclusion, said Mufaro Chitakure, a senior actuarial science major.

“It is a space where I know I can go and not feel like I don’t belong. The center has been a resource for me in a number of ways,” Chitakure said. “It’s allowed me to be an advocate for equity and justice on campus as a facilitator for their discussions and now be a part of its Multicultural Advisory Council.”

In the years to come, Scott says she hopes the center can continue building partnerships and collaborations across UTSA while promoting equity and inclusion.

“We also want to increase student participation in our equity and social justice trainings and workshops to promote a positive campus climate,” Scott said.

The university community is invited to a grand opening celebration at MSCEJ’s new space, H-E-B Student Union 2.206 (HSU 2.206), at noon on Tuesday, Sept. 28.

Students, faculty and staff can visit the MSCEJ on weekdays to learn about the services it offers or to hang out in its new student lounge.

— Valerie Bustamante