Interviews contributed by Travon Ricketts
Western Carolina University’s Intercultural Affairs is a campus organization designed to provide an environment in which students of different backgrounds and cultures can feel appreciated, valued and respected.
The purpose of ICA is broken into three categories: engage, entertain and educate WCU’s community. ICA promotes inclusive values of human dignity through its educational and social events on campus.
Students are welcomed to go down to ICA’s office on the second floor of the UC to talk with other student members, as well as staff about getting involved with programs and activities.
Some of the educational programs ICA sponsors are Project Care, Safe Zone and Red Zone.
Project Care is a program that tries to improve the academic performance and retention rates of those minorities underrepresented on campus. This is completed by pairing first year and transfer students with student leaders to help get them acclimated to college life.
In partnership with WCU’s Sexuality and Gender Alliance, ICA provides Safe Zone as a two-part training program for students, faculty and staff in hopes of increasing awareness and sensitivity to the issues of sexuality and gender. Once both trainings are completed, each individual receives a Safe Zone certification.
The Red Zone is typically defined as the first six weeks of the semester which is the period of time where college students are at a higher risk of experiencing sexual violence. A common marker of this time period are small red flags displayed throughout the campus to increase visibility. Through this educational campaign, ICA shows their commitment to the safety and security of students at WCU. This program is designed to provide awareness of issues with sexual violence in an effort to prevent them.
ICA also sponsors events like “Tunnel of Oppression” which creates a platform to discuss the issues of race and culture through a walkthrough experience into seven different real life situations involving the oppression of minorities.
Since ICA represents minorities here on campus, we wanted to include them in our podcast series.
If you or anyone you know has faced discrimination or bias here on campus, you can report it online through the complaints and concerns website page or contact student affairs at (828) 227-7147.
If you would like to share your story, you can contact WCJ’s advisor at kspasovska@email.wcu.edu.
Click below to listen to our episode on ICA.
Audio edited by Garrett Readling
