James Farmer Multicultural Center Archives

A Call to Civic Action: Making a Difference, Sept. 19 at 6PM

September 19, 2019 by jlaiacon

The James Farmer Multicultural Center and the UMW Center for Community Engagement invite all UMW students to a special program, A Call to Civic Action: Making a Difference, on Thursday September 19 at 6:00 p.m. in the Chandler Ballroom. At this event, following a welcome by President Troy Paino, Virginia Senator Tim Kaine will engage the audience in a discussion about the importance of the political and civic engagement of college students and the power of being an informed citizen.

Senator Kaine will be followed by a panel discussion with audience members on civic and political engagement featuring Brian Cannon, Executive Director for OneVirginia 2021; Joshua Cole, Political Candidate for Delegate 28th District, former Staff Assistant to the Clerk of the Virginia State Senate; Jacqueline Beaulieu, Organizer for NextGen Virginia; and Julia Romero, Deputy Pod Director for Take the Majority.

Dinner will be provided by Benny’s Pizza.

Honor James Farmer and Follow the Freedom Rides with UMW

September 12, 2019 by jlaiacon

UMW faculty, staff, alumni, friends, and neighbors are invited to join our students as they celebrate the legacy of Dr. James L. Farmer, Jr., on the Freedom Rides Tour, a social justice trip commemorating Farmer’s signature movement to enforce the desegregation of interstate travel.

The alumni/community bus will caravan with the student bus and follow the exact route of the Freedom Riders. Stops will include some of the same places the Freedom Riders stopped–whether to speak with other activists at Bennett College in North Carolina, to strategize for next steps in Georgia, or just to have a safe place to sleep for the night. Along the way, we will visit the International Civil Rights Museum in North Carolina, the Birmingham Civil Rights Museum in Alabama, and the King Center for Nonviolent Social Change and the Atlanta University Center, both in Georgia.

Learn more about the sites, history, and experiences of the Freedom Rides and other significant landmarks and trailblazers of the Civil Rights movement. See the spot where the Freedom Riders were attacked by the KKK. Visit Martin Luther King, Jr’s birth home. It promises to be a meaningful and impactful journey. We will be joined on the trip by Dr. Erin Devlin, assistant professor of history and American studies, and Dr. Marion Sanford, director of multicultural affairs at the James Farmer Multicultural Center, who will add commentary and context to the trip.

We hope you’ll get on the bus!

Saturday, Oct. 12-Tuesday, Oct. 15
Departing from and returning to UMW’s Fredericksburg Campus

This event is being coordinated by UMW’s James Farmer Multicultural Center and the office of the Vice-President for Equity and Access in conjunction with UMW’s 2020 celebration of the 100th anniversary of Dr. Farmer’s birth.

Dr. Farmer was a dedicated civil rights activist, educator and UMW professor, and recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom. He co-founded one of the most important civil rights organizations of the 20th century, CORE (Congress of Racial Equality). Dr. Farmer personified UMW’s founding and continuing commitment to be a force for positive change, educating citizens who are ready and eager to address our society’s greatest challenges.

SEE ITINERARY, COSTS, AND REGISTRATION

Upcoming Safe Zone Programs

September 3, 2019 by jlaiacon

Hello colleagues—

Safe Zone is excited to announce several upcoming programs, including our Fall Book Club. The UMW Safe Zone program offers programs that are designed to educate members of the University community about lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, and queer (LGBTQ+) issues to increase the safety and inclusion of all campus citizens. All of our programs are free and open to the ENTIRE UMW community.

We will be offering a Basic Safe Zone workshop on Thursday, September 12^th from 2:00pm-4:30pm. This training focuses on terminology, issues related to privilege, increasing awareness and sensitivity, and how to support the LGBTQ+ population on campus. This is an opportunity for any faculty or staff member to become a Safe Zone ally. Space is limited and registration is required. Please email Laura Wilson at lwilson5@umw.edu to register for this training or if you have questions. All participants get cool Safe Zone swag!
We will be offering an Advanced Safe Zone workshop on Wednesday, September 18^th from 3:30pm-6:00pm. The advanced training is for faculty and staff who have already completed the basic training and covers more advanced topics, including bystander intervention. Space is limited and registration is required. Please email Laura Wilson at lwilson5@umw.edu to register for this training or if you have questions. All participants get cool Safe Zone swag!
We will be offering our Fall Book Club as a two-part program on Wednesday, October 2 from 5:00pm-6:15pm and Wednesday, October 9 from 5:00pm-6:15pm. We will be reading “Beyond Trans: Does Gender Matter?” by Heath Fogg Davis. The first 13 people to register get a free book! Plus, all participants get cool Safe Zone swag. Space is limited and registration is required. Please email Laura Wilson at lwilson5@umw.edu to register for the book club or if you have questions.
Come celebrate National Coming Out Day on Wednesday, October 9^th from 11am-2pm on the UC Patio (rain location UC Kiosk A)! We will be giving out Safe Zone tech tattoos for your keyboards, pronoun buttons, and helpful resources.
We will be celebrating International Pronouns Day on Wednesday, October 16^th. We will be handing out pronoun buttons at Coming Out Day and we ask everyone to wear a pronoun button on International Pronouns Day!

If you would like more information about Safe Zone, to see the list of campus allies or access LGBTQ+ inclusion resources, please visit the website at bit.ly/UMWsafezone.

29th Annual Multicultural Fair on Saturday, April 13

April 10, 2019 by jlaiacon

The University of Mary Washington hosts the 29th annual Multicultural Fair in Ball Circle on Saturday, April 13 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., rain or shine. Exemplifying UMW’s commitment to enhancing multicultural awareness, the Multicultural Fair provides an entire day devoted to multicultural entertainment, children’s activities, international and American food, and ethnic craft vendors. This event is free and open to the public.

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LaFayette to Deliver Keynote for UMW’s Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration

January 17, 2019 by Lisa Marvashti

Dr. Bernard Lafayette

“Institutionalize and internationalize nonviolence.” These are the orders Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. bestowed on Bernard LaFayette Jr. in 1968. Still devoted more than 50 years later to carrying out the edict for nonviolent social change, LaFayette will deliver the University of Mary Washington’s MLK Jr. Celebration keynote address Wednesday, Jan. 23, at 7 p.m., in the University Center’s Chandler Ballroom.

The speech is part of a series of events hosted by UMW’s James Farmer Multicultural Center (JFMC) to recognize the life – and assassination – of the great civil rights leader. Activities include a MLK Jr. Kid’s Day for Fredericksburg area children, Day of Service for UMW students to get involved in community projects, and documentary film viewing and discussion.

A minister, educator and lecturer appointed by King to national leadership positions in the civil rights movement, LaFayette led the 1961 Freedom Rides alongside longtime civil rights leader James Farmer, who taught history and American Studies at UMW from 1985 to 1998. King named LaFayette to national roles as program administrator for the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and coordinator for the Poor People’s Campaign. LaFayette also co-founded the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee and Nashville Movement lunch counter sit-ins, and directed the 1962 Alabama voter registration project in Selma, Alabama. Read more

Campus Community Invited to Cross Cultural Barbecue Aug. 30

August 21, 2018 by Kristin Davis

The Cross Cultural Barbecue, sponsored by S.E.E.D and the James Farmer Multicultural Center, will be held at 4 p.m., Aug. 30 on Ball Circle (Rain Location: Chandler Ballroom, University Center).

The Cross Cultural Barbecue generates an opportunity for the entire campus community to become affiliated with the multicultural student groups at UMW, all while enjoying free entertainment, various foods, appetizers, and drinks related to particular cultures and sub-cultures.

PRISM Leader Receives Diversity Leadership Award

August 8, 2018 by Kristin Davis

Erin Shaw ’19 was once content to keep to herself. Then she came to the University of Mary Washington, where a club meeting ultimately connected her with people from all walks of life. Soon, she was on the executive board of People for the Rights of Individuals of Sexual and Gender Minorities (PRISM), advocating for […]

Kwanzaa Celebration, Nov. 30

November 16, 2017 by Hilary Kanter

BSA and JFMC present Kwanzaa

Don’t miss the Kwanzaa Celebration on Thursday, Nov. 30, at 6 p.m. in Chandler Ballroom of the University Center. Enjoy free food and live entertainment! The event is free and open to the public. The event is co-sponsored by the James Farmer Multicultural Center and the Black Student Association

Call for Applications for 2015-2016 RISE Peer Mentors

January 13, 2015 by Adriana Lema Polo

The James Farmer Multicultural Center is currently accepting applications for RISE Peer Mentors. Applications are due Friday, Feb. 20, 2015 to the JFMC via email at umwjfmc@gmail.com or to the office located in Lee Hall 211.

Peer mentors receive excellent leadership and networking opportunities. Any current freshman, sophomore or junior student may apply to serve as a peer mentor. The qualifications for participating as a mentor include: (1) having a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.5; (2) good interpersonal and communication skills; (3) previous leadership experience; (4) involvement in campus and/or community activities; (5) commitment to diversity and multiculturalism; and (6) knowledge of campus and community resources. Students interested in serving as peer mentors are expected to commit to the program for the entire academic year.

All peer mentor applicants undergo an interview and have to provide one letter of recommendation from a UMW faculty or staff member. The interviews will take place during the first half of the spring semester. The final selection of mentors will occur by the fourth week of March. The successful applicants will receive a notice of the decision with further instructions regarding their participation.

For more information about the program, please visit the JFMC or students.umw.edu/multicultural/rise. Applications are available in the JFMC, on our website, or at orgsync.com/59414/forms/64115.

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