Common Ground Alliance

As part of the Office of Diversity and Inclusion (ODI), The Common Ground Alliance (CGA) builds on the collaborative efforts of the University of Arizona Cultural Centers, LGBTQ+2S Resource Center, Women and Gender Resource Center (WGRC), Disability Cultural Center (DCC), and the Immigrant Student Resource Center (ISRC) to provide a comprehensive approach to helping students increase their cultural awareness, balance  multiple perspectives on DEI related topics and issues, and develop their skills at managing diverse perspectives in ways that help groups come together to address social justice inequalities. Through engagement in work across the centers and critical conversations with each other, students learn skills for dialoguing across difference, build community with each other, increase cross-cultural awareness, and collectively discuss ways to create positive change on campus and in the larger world. 

The Common Ground Alliance is funded through the University of Arizona’s Student Services Fee (SSF). The SSF funds supports our work to achieve the following goals: 

  1. Increase awareness and support for Cultural and Resource Centers.   

  1. Critical dialogue through intersectional programming across the student and cultural resource centers.  

  1. Offer community building opportunities for students of diverse backgrounds and experiences by hosting intersectional initiatives.  

  1. Prioritize leadership and professional development of CGA student staff. 

More information about CGA’s Project plan is available online here, and the 2021-2022 mid-year progress report is available here. Any other questions can be directed to Project Director, Brenda Anderson Wadley at bawadley@arizona.edu.

 

CGA Projects:

CGA offers four program areas for UA students to participate in. 

Event Series

CGA supports heritage programs and cultural celebrations offered by the Cultural and Resource Centers. These collaborative programs provide students with opportunities to build community and learn more about their cultural and social identities. In addition to programming throughout the year, CGA Event Series provides programming support across the Cultural & Resource Centers for: Hispanic Heritage Month, Coming Out Week, Tran* Day of Remembrance, Native American Heritage Month, Black History Month, Women's Herstory Month, and APIDA Heritage Month. 

Queer, Trans, People of Color, and 2Spirit Discussion Group

QTPOC and 2Spirit Discussion Group engages participants in empowerment building dialogues and activities while also presenting events and activities for the wider campus to learn more about being allies to QTPOC. Open to all Queer, Transgender, People of Color, and Two-Spirit community. We invite the Queer, Trans People of Color community to join together regularly throughout the semester, we rotate locations between the Cultural and Resource Centers. Follow QTPOC on Instagram for the most up-to-date information!

SpeakOUT

CGA SpeakOUT students create digital media content for the Cultural and Resource Centers. They focus on creating engaging, culturally relevant marketing and educational materials for the centers to use in print, online, and on their social media accounts. SpeakOUT also supports assessment of digital marketing & social media reach and impact. 

The Respecting Inclusion. Striving for Empowerment (RISE) Retreat

The RISE Retreat is a student-led leadership program designed to help student leaders think deeply about identity, socialization, intersectionality and leading inclusively, so students can take their leadership skills to the next level. The retreat focuses on key topics affecting students from marginalized communities while creating and engaging in conversation of allyship. In additional historically planning a large scale retreat for student leaders, the RISE Retreat plans roundtables and workshops for student leaders in the Cultural and Resource Centers, and student leaders across campus who focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion in their organizations. 

Impact of CGA 

  • 40 CGA Sponsored Programs in the Cultural & Resource Centers 
  • 1831 Program Attendees
    • 1507 Students
    • 237 Faculty & Staff 
    • 87 Community Members 

 

97% of students who attended CGA sponsored programs in the Cultural & Resource Centers reported an increase in their sense of belonging as a result. 

  • "The laughter and the stories [shared during the program] makes college life easier. Takes a load off of meeting people.” - NASA Community Circles 

  • “Where do you feel safe and included as a queer APIDA student? ‘Just here.’” - QTPOC+2S & Queer APIDA Dinner Dialogue Series 

  • "I loved hearing the stories from the abuelitas [who attended the program]! I also enjoyed that they asked such nice questions like ‘how many hours are you sleeping?’ That made me feel cared for.” - AROMAS, Guerrero Student Center 

  • “[From this program] I learned how much advocacy and work has been put into the trans* community in many different aspects. It was incredibly moving. Even existing as a trans* person is an act of rebellion.” - Major!, LGBTQ+2S Resource Center 

Common Ground Alliance student staff created digital media that reached 13,081 social media users between August-November 2021. 

“Working with the Common Ground Alliance has created a multitude of opportunities for activism both on campus and in my community. I am fortunate to have several coworkers and supervisors to help me succeed in this position and my future endeavors. The interactions I have had in this role have broadened my perspectives on diversity and inclusion and how to lead with passion.” – Common Ground Alliance Event Series & Heritage Month Student

“CGA has rapidly become an important part in my growth as an educator, social activist and in sharpening my skills with working with people in different environments, from different backgrounds. Furthermore, it has been a passion of mine to benefit and help my community, and CGA has given me the freedom to create projects that do exactly that. CGA managed to not only facilitate my growth but to make my life more fulfilling and fun in only a semester.” – Common Ground SpeakOut Student

 

Follow us on Instagram!

AASA (African American Student Affairs)

@aasa_uofa 

LGBTQ+2S RC (LGBTQ+2 Spirit Resource Center) 

@ualgbtq 

NASA (Native American Student Affairs) 

@nasa_ua 

DCC (Disability Cultural Center) 

@uadisabilityculture 

APASA (Asian Pacific American Student Affairs) 

@uaapasa 

GSC (The Guerrero Student Center) 

@ua_guerrero 

WGRC (Women & Gender Resource Center)

@wgrc_ua 

ISRC  (Immigrant Student Resource Center)

@uaisrc 

ODI  (Office of Diversity & Inclusion)

@uainclusion 

QTPOC+2S 

@qtpoc_ua