In this issue:
▪Conference Update
▪MRN CultureFest
Performer:
Vanessa Roberts
▪Conference Presentations
▪Stay Informed About the
ACPA/NASPA Merger
▪MRN on Facebook
▪Critical Mixed Race
Studies Conference
Reflections
▪The MRN Blog is LIVE!
▪Call for
Recommendations
▪Course Compilation
▪Get Involved
▪Connect with MRN
ACPA 2011▪ Baltimore, MD ▪ Update
What an exciting time of year! As ACPA 2011 draws nearer, we at
the MultiRacial Network are preparing to make every MRN
moment at this year’s conference count. In addition to presenting
our yearly MRN awards, we will be sponsoring a performance by
Vanessa Roberts at CultureFest, debuting our new blog, and
offering numerous opportunities for ACPA members to become
involved with our community. As a standing committee, we have
been inspired this past year by numerous publications focused on
. multiracial issues, the Critical Mixed Race Studies conference, and
an increasing acknowledgement of multiracial student experiences.
We hope that this momentum continues, and that student affairs
professionals continue to become involved with the multiracial
community.
You can visit the ACPA website for a complete schedule, but we wanted to
highlight a few opportunities to get involved with MRN and CMA:
Monday, March 28:
CMA Open Business Meeting: 4:45 p.m. – 6 p.m., Hilton Baltimore, Johnson AB
ACPA Convention Showcase: 6:30 p.m. – 8 p.m. (visit the CMA table!),
Baltimore Convention Center Exhibit Hall (Lower Level)
CMA Social: 8:45 p.m. - 9:30 p.m., Hilton Baltimore, Key 11
MRN Social: 9:30 p.m. - 11 p.m., Hilton Baltimore, Key 9
Tuesday, March 29:
MRN Open Business Meeting:
3:30 p.m. - 5 p.m., Marriott Inner Harbor, Grand Ballroom DEF
CultureFest 7pm - ?, Convention Ballroom 3
We look forward to seeing you there!
MRN CultureFest Performer: Vanessa Roberts
Vanessa Roberts is a young activist in the Colorado Springs,
Colorado community who fuses theory with performance as a
means of making the abstract accessible. Her work is interwoven
with humor, personal stories and a love of social justice; a
testament to her goal of leaving an indelible mark on the field of
diversity education. Ms. Roberts received her Masters of Arts
from the Tisch School of Art at New York University in 2009. In
2008 she graduated with honors from Colorado College where
she earned a Bachelors of Arts in Liberal Arts and Sciences. Her
undergraduate degree was self-designed and based in
Philosophy and Drama, officially titled “Critical Race Theory:
Emphasis Performance Comedy”; she also minored in American
Cultural Studies. Currently Ms. Roberts speaks and performs
locally and nationally, traveling to present at a multitude of
educational institutions, conferences, and non-profits. She is also
in the process of transitioning into the realm of Human Resources
development.
For more information please visit www.vanessaroberts.com or
email: vanessa@vanessaroberts.com.
Going to this year’s conference?
Make sure you pencil these presentations into your schedule:
Online Mentoring Cohorts: A Promising Practice
Glenn R. DeGuzman (University of California, Berkeley), Rachel Luna-Hammer (Bowling Green State University), & Rita
Zhang (University of Maryland, College Park)
Baltimore Convention Center - 320
March 29, 2011 from 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
Success for Underserved Asian American/Pacific Islander Students: A Programmatic Framework
Jason Chan (Loyola University) & Prema Chaudhari (Asian &Pacific Islander American Scholarship Fund / University of Pittsburg)
Baltimore Convention Center - 317
March 29, 2011 from 1:30 PM - 2:30 PM
An Unheard Voice? Identifying the Needs of Multiracial Students
Beth John (Edgewood College) & Yang Zhang (Edgewood College)
Baltimore Convention Center - 318
March 29, 2011 from 4:30 PM - 5:30 PM
Race in Your Face: Strategies for Teaching About Racial Realities
Sharon Chia Claros (UCLA) & Marc Johnston (UCLA)
Baltimore Convention Center - 342
March 30, 2011 from 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM
Brought to you by members of the MRN Directorate!
Stay Informed About the ACPA/NASPA Merger
We would like to encourage the membership to keep up to date with conversations about the
ACPA/NASPA consolidation. On the ACPA website (www.myacpa.org) you can do the following:
1. Read the ACPA/NASPA join letter
2. Read Susan Salvador’s Consolidation Update
3. Download the proposal for Consolidation
4. Read the Report on the Legal and Financial Due Diligence
5. Read the audited ACPA balance sheets from 2003 through 2009
6. View the latest FAQ’s
7. Share your thoughts on the ACPA’s Facebook page.
8. Search ACPA and visit the discussion page.
Specially, the creation of Social Identity Groups (SIG’s) will impact our work as a new association.
Find 14 go on Facebook
Pages 13 andMRN into more depth about the creation of SIG’s.
For all the latest up-to-date multiracial news,
research, and publications, check out the MRN
Facebook page! This is an excellent
opportunity to connect with other MRN
members, share your stories, contribute ideas,
and learn more about the MRN community!
…and now on Twitter!
Follow us @ACPA_MRN!
Critical Mixed Race Studies
Conference 2010 ▪ Reflections
A few months have passed since the inaugural Critical Mixed Race Studies (CMRS)
Conference held November 5-6, 2010 at DePaul University in Chicago, IL, but we’re still
thinking about it! Here is why:
The People: Over 450 people registered for the two-day conference, and 430 people
actually showed up! For those of us who have experience planning conferences or large-
scale academic event, that is a pretty good yield from RSVPs! These attendees came from
all over the U.S., from Hawaii to Tennessee to New York, and also included participants
from Canada, France, Korea, Norway, and the UK! What was great about the people was
that it included a great mix of academic scholars, administrators, artists, and community
activists… all hoping to connect with and learn from each other.
The Programming: The conference included 62 sessions of panels, round tables, and
seminars (including presentations by our very own MRN Directorate members), with
keynote addresses by leading mixed race scholars Mary Beltran (University of Wisconsin-
Madison) and Andrew Jolivette (San Francisco State University), and community activist
and artist Louie Gong (MAVIN and Eighth Generation). What was great about this
conference was that it wasn’t just all academic/scholarly. There were multiple film
screenings, a Mixed Mixer social event with live jazz music, a performance by comedian
Kate Rigg, an Informational Fair (where our MRN brochures and “think outside the box”
buttons were available), a Book Table, and smaller caucus meetings to create spaces for
various segments of the mixed race community.
The Purpose: The conference really seemed to be a critical moment for people interested in
mixed race issues across various personal and professional domains. And even though there
were many questions being asked about what exactly “Critical Mixed Race Studies” meant,
it didn’t seem to matter. We were all there to unite around the cause of furthering mixed
race studies within and outside of academia. And we were so proud that our MultiRacial
Network was able to be a part of this inaugural event. Below are some individual reflections
from the three Directorate members that attended:
Critical Mixed Race Studies
Conference 2010 ▪ Reflections
Beth John
This was one of the best conferences I have attended. Additionally, this was the first conference
that I literally wanted to attend EVERY session! The CMRS attendees became a community in a
short period of time together. Advocates, artists, scholars, and students all attended with one
purpose – to move the conversation and unite. It was such an honor to meet some of the trail
blazers in the field! I would highly recommend getting involved with CMRS.
Marc Johnston
At first I felt a bit intimidated knowing there would be so many well-known scholars at the
conference. But when I arrived, the welcoming atmosphere made me realize that we were all there
for a common purpose and we all had something to learn from each other. Yet, I couldn’t help but
be reminded of ACPA’s 2008 Conference on Multiracial and Multiple Identities held in St. Louis.
Maybe it was because Andrew Jolivette was also a keynote speaker, or the fact that the MRMI
conference (as it became known as) brought together an important mix of practitioners and
scholars from a wide range of fields. I’m not completely sure but I do know that these professional
development opportunities truly reinforced my passion for furthering awareness of and advocacy
for multiraciality in higher education. I hope others within MRN will be able to take advantage of
future CMRS events or push for another MRMI conference!
Rachel Luna-Hammer
The CRMS conference showcased the truly multifaceted field of mixed race studies. Within those
few days, I watched provocative videos, learned about cutting edge scholarship, heard from
enthusiastic advocates, saw beautiful artwork, and had discussions about connections to many
other issues. For me, the wide variety of content at this conference represented how far we have
come and how much potential we have in moving forward.
This event was also noteworthy for its inclusive nature. Much of what was discussed in
presentations and panels had inclusivity as an underlying theme. The conference itself also lived
up to those inclusive ideals by welcoming people from all different geographies, disciplines, and
levels of knowledge. I attended the event with a few colleagues who are newer to multiracial
studies who told me they felt welcomed into the conversations and were excited about what they
learned. I am looking forward to future CMRS conferences and events!
If you missed the CMRS 2010 conference there are several
videos of keynotes and panels that you can download via iTunes U here:
http://deimos3.apple.com/WebObjects/Core.woa/Browse/depaul.edu.5183668582
If you would like to connect with CMRS, including learning next steps for founding an association and
a peer reviewed journal, and to be informed about the next 2012 CMRS conference, you can join the
“criticalmixedracestudies” Google Group: http://groups.google.com/group/criticalmixedracestudies
Call for Recommendations
The MultiRacial Network Blog is LIVE!!!
Is there a publication, video, or
Looking for more opportunities to be a part of the MultiRacial Network?
speaker that you have come across
Do you have news or research about multiracial topics that you would like
that you would recommend to other
to share? Check out our new blog at: multiracialnetwork.wordpress.com.
MRN members? Share it on our
If you are interested in contributing to the MRN blog, please contact
Facebook group or email
Rachel Luna-Hammer at rachluna@gmail.com.
adamjortiz@gmail.com for inclusion
in the next newsletter.
Course Compilation
Does your college or university offer
courses with a multiracial focus?
Send the name of the course and
short description to
bjohn@edgewood.edu as we are
compiling a comprehensive list of
universities offering courses with a
multiracial focus.
Check out more resources and info on our website: http://www.myacpa.org/sc/scma/mrn_home.cfm
Get Involved Think
MRN relies on the strength of its membership to thrive! Outside
Join the Facebook group and participate in discussions the Box
Submit a nomination for an MRN Award to acknowledge the efforts of a
colleague or program
Plan a regional MRN social for your colleagues interested in multiracial MRN: MultiRacial Network
awareness and advocacy
Voice your ideas and opinions:
What else can MRN do for you?
Interested in getting involved?
Contact Beth at bjohn@edgewood.edu
Connect with MRN
Did you receive this newsletter from a colleague but are not on the MRN
listserv? If you would like to join the MRN listserv and are an ACPA member,
go to www.myacpa.org and click on Member Login. Under myRECORD click
on “Manage your email subscriptions” and choose to start receiving emails
from MultiRacial Network. If you are not an ACPA member but would still like
to receive updates, join our group on Facebook. Just search for “MultiRacial
Network (ACPA)” and click on “Join.”
Photos by Kenji Tran 2010