Office of Multicultural Affairs
Welcome to "The O"
The Office of Multicultural Affairs, located within the Carolyn Barber Pierre Center for Intercultural Life, works to employ critical race theory, student development theories and a social justice framework. We use a trauma-informed lens infused with radical love to counter the effects of oppression and empower students to thrive. In order to achieve our vision we value trust, care, quality, equity and authenticity. OMA models being an environment where students, faculty, staff and alumni can collaborate to co-create and sustain an engaged and equitable learning community.
We believe that building and sustaining community is a central part of the college experience for all students. For students who have been historically marginalized, it was finding community that helped them persist, graduate and become part of an active community of engaged alumni.
We recognize the need to provide a variety of pathways for students to develop their own holistic leadership style informed by their own lived experiences, cultural connections, and heritage. We also believe that the labor of leadership should not rest on the efforts of a few students, but a larger collective of horizontal leaders with common goals. Our aspiration for all students to develop as strong leaders is rooted in building coalitions, resisting internalized oppression, and working collectively for sustainable change in our society.
Since our founding in 1987, the office has been a space for students seeking advocacy and support when navigating challenges during their time at Tulane. We continue this legacy by offering support to students in a variety. Advocacy is central to our mission and we work with students individually and collectively to address issues of bias, discrimination, and marginalization at all levels of the university. We also build and maintain partnerships with various campus departments to advocate with all students
Research has shown that students who know and understand their own identities are more likely to succeed academically. Our worldviews are shaped by our lived experiences and cultural connections. Many students have been socialized by their own families and communities and an aspect of that socialization is cultural. Our office seeks to affirm the cultural identity development of students to help them stay grounded and empower them to thrive holistically.
The entire campus community must work to build and sustain an environment that was designed for the success of all students. This work begins with understanding social justice, racial justice, and liberation. That includes intentional engagement in the unlearning required to connect authentically with others and build meaningful relationships. This is the basis for our work to provide social justice education on campus. We offer spaces to learn common language and terminology, engage in intergroup dialogue, and explore resources that include the work of subject matter experts who create theory and best practices through lived experience as well as research.
