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Multicultural Affairs & Social Inclusion: Programs & Resources

At the Multicultural Affairs & Social Inclusion Office, we’re dedicated to helping students of color and LGBTQ+ students feel connected to campus life. We also educate the Lesley community through events and celebrations.

We’re driven to foster a campus community that values the individual and collective success of Lesley University students. Together with our campus partners, the Multicultural Affairs and Social Inclusion Office provides educational opportunities for students on matters related to race, cultural diversity, and inclusion.

We also create spaces for community conversations in response to local, regional, and national events where those of marginalized identities are directly, or indirectly, harmed as a result of discrimination or bias.

Here, you'll find our programs and resources available to the Lesley community.

Launch Gallery
Gallery: Multicultural Affairs & Student Inclusion
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Our Mission & Vision
Our mission is to reinforce a culture of collaboration, coalition building, and leadership development around social justice, and to support students of color and students and employees with marginalized identities throughout their Lesley experience. We do this by establishing programs and opportunities for dialogue on critical social issues, such as racism, homophobia, poverty, and oppression.
Our Space
  • At 29 Mellen Street, Room 103, we create an inviting space for the Lesley community.
Our Goals
  • Provide learning opportunities such as events, celebrations, and discussion forums on matters related to race, diversity, and inclusion.
  • Support students and employees of color and historically marginalized identities.
  • Provide brave spaces for Lesley community members on their development of and journey toward equity, diversity, inclusion, and justice.
  • Reinforce a culture of collaborative coalition building and shared mission with the Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Justice Office.
  • Host and promote forums for dialogue on social issues like racism, homophobia, and oppression.
  • Create spaces for community conversations and action in response to local, regional, and national events.
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Programs

Participate in one of these programs throughout the year.

  • Sankofa Lecture Series

    The Sankofa Lecture Series creates a forum for thought-provoking diversity and inclusion-themed presentations on hot topics. Guest scholars, authors, and researchers within academia and in society lead the presentations.

    Sankofa means we embrace our past to achieve a rewarding future. And so the Sankofa Lecture Series creates a platform for people to share and discuss diverse perspectives and ideas in open and vibrant community dialogues on critical issues related to race, gender, sexuality, and intersectionality.

    Past lectures have included:

    • Janine de Novais, a lecturer at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, whose work sits at the intersection of race, culture, democracy, and education.
    • Sandy Ho, a disability activist, speaking on "Creating Access As Social Justice: Reflections, Conversation, and a Call for Action"
    • Trent Masiki, a visiting assistant professor from the Department of African Studies at Dickinson College, speaking on "The Freemasonry of the Race: African American Influences in Evelio Grillo’s Memoir, Black Cuban, Black American"
  • Diversity Dialogue

    This monthly event provides a space for facilitated dialogue with Lesley graduate and undergraduate students on matters related to diversity and inclusion. Each session is between 90 minutes and 2 hours in duration, and each month there is a different topic of focus. While the topics vary, there are overlapping themes of identity, privilege, marginalization, and intersectionality.

  • Summer Transition Weekend

    This is a free experience for incoming first-year students of color, first-generation college students, and/or commuter students. The Summer Transition Weekend creates an environment where you can begin adjusting to a new setting while exploring key issues related to the transition to college life. Through this initiative, we create a space for identifying strategies, supports, and campus connections necessary for success.

Student Leadership & Involvement
  • Take advantage of opportunities to attend our personal or leadership development workshops, conferences, and events. Have something else in mind? Let us know. Contact the Multicultural Affairs & Social Inclusion Office.
Affinity Groups
  • Asian and Pacific Island Group
  • Black Affinity Group
  • Lesley Hillel
  • Queens United Embracing Empowerment Now (QUEEN)
  • Men of Scholarship for Achievement, Inclusion, & Community (MOSAIC)
  • Trans Affinity Group

Resources

Take advantage of our office's specialized resources and support.

Contact Multicultural Affairs & Social Inclusion
Email
Where to Find Us
  • Physical Location
    29 Mellen Street, Room 103
    Cambridge, MA 02138
29 Everett St, Cambridge, MA 02138
617.868.9600