The United Equity and Justice Collective is a student group put together by the Center of Cultural Engagement and Inclusion during the spring 2023 semester with a goal to further the efforts of diversity, equity and inclusion on California Lutheran Universityโs campus.
โThe United Equity and Justice Collective is a group of delegates who come together to approve projects brought to them by students to promote equity on the campus,โ Ishaan Mirsha, delegate and representative of the Desi Club, said in an email interview. โStudents come to us with a proposal, and we vote on whether to approve it and provide funding or not.โ
Coordinator for Cultural Engagement and Inclusion Rachel Bennett serves as an advisor to the collective, and provides logistical support to ensure the UEJC runs efficiently.ย
โComprising eight paid delegate members, membership includes one delegate from each of the six cultural clubs that are formally affiliated with the CCEI and two delegates-at-large. Delegates-at-large do not need to hold membership with a formally-affiliated club,โ Bennett said in an email interview.ย
PRIDE Club, Black Student Union, Latin American Student Organization, Desi Club, Kupa’a Hawai’i Club and FILO Club are the groups that represent the collective.ย
Delegate-at-large Angela Abalo said she applied for the position, and any student can apply for an open spot.ย
โThe UEJC is a collective that aims on improving undergraduate students, and is giving students a voice on campus by giving them funding for projects that will have an impact on the whole population and just not a small population,โ Abalo said.ย
Bennett said Cal Lutheran clubs are open to all students, regardless of race, gender or any other protected class. Club delegate positions, Bennett said, were advertised to all members of Cal Lutheranโs affiliated clubs.ย
According to Abalo, the UEJC strives to help marginalized communities and bring diversity to make sure everyone has a voice on campus.
โMost of the clubs are cultural clubs. The delegates-at-large just represent the whole campus community,โ Abalo said.ย
Abalo said she believes the UEJC is a great opportunity to make a difference for many minority students at Cal Lutheran.ย
According to Abalo, the delegates meet biweekly on Tuesday, and during these meetings, they have a committee that hears proposals for projects. Afterwards, she said, they decide whether or not to approve the proposals according to their standards and requirements.
In the future, Abalo said, the UEJC is hoping to put on a festival or different types of events to make Cal Lutheranโs community aware of what the UEJC is.
Mirsha said another goal the UEJC has is to grow, not just through events, but also by continuing to work with students to accomplish their ideas.
โWe are looking forward to supporting the CLU community as they reach out to us with DEIJ-related funding requests,โ Bennett said. โWe hope to increase awareness of the UEJC in its inaugural year and continue to encourage students to submit a Student Inclusion & Equity Funding Request at bit.ly/uejc or reach out to the UEJC at [email protected].โ
