"I’m sure some minority students feel [culture shock] when they arrive, but when I really looked at the academics that CC provides, and when I delved into the diversity that is on campus, I just knew that CC was the place to be."

— Verdel Baskin ’99, English major, college admissions counselor, Hawthorne, Calif.

Finding Common Ground

Colorado College is a welcoming community and we recognize that diversity only makes our community stronger and more compelling. There are a variety of ethnic and cultural groups on campus, including the Black Student Union, the South Asian Student Alliance, and the Jewish Student Cultural Group. The office of minority student life supports and promotes multicultural programming and events and advises minority students and groups in both personal and academic matters. For a complete list of student organizations click here.

Tafari Lumumba '05 A writer and activist, Tafari Lumumba not only pursued a creative writing major during his time at CC but found ways to feed his growing interest in race politics. A member of the Black Student Union, the Diversity Taskforce, and the Glass "Multicultural" House, Lumumba also was a student worker in CC's legal council office and a student intern at the district attorney's office. Upon graduation, Lumumba was awarded a Watson fellowship, and will be in Guatemala and Brazil doing research related to his topic: "Storytellers and Folk Tales: A Journey through Community Expression." "Between fifth and sixth block I had the opportunity to attend a summit on the situation of black farmers in the United States. I met with African Americans who were denied loans, opportunities, and access to justice by the United States government. I met 80-year-old men who were still working 12 hours a day on farms. I listened to presentations by farmers and members of the Nation of Islam, and I realized that the civil rights and social justice movement is still alive and well today, and that I merely had not opened my eyes to see it. One block break sparked a metamorphosis in my perspective and thoughts on civil rights and justice."

The Glass House

Established in 1997, the Glass House is a permanent residential community that emphasizes cultural and ethnic diversity. Founded by two students who grew up in predominantly black neighborhoods and experienced culture shock when they first arrived at CC, the Glass House sponsors activities that educate the campus community about multiculturalism. Ryan Haywood, one of the founders, puts it this way: "We wanted the Glass House to provide a nurturing living environment ... and an opportunity for us to learn from one another."

Race Matters Symposium

Race Matters, a Colorado College symposium examining how race still impacts every level of American society, invited community members to participate in an on-going dialogue about the continued importance of recognizing and addressing these problems.

During the 2004-05 symposium, Michael Trujillo, a former U.S. assistant surgeon general, began the discussion with his talk, "American Indian Health Care and Policy: A Personal Experience." Beverly Moran, a professor of law and sociology at Vanderbilt University whose research analyzes the disparate impact of federal tax code on blacks, presented the capstone lecture of the symposium.