New Multicultural Community Hub for Umoja, AANAPISI, and MESA
This winter, Seattle Central celebrated the opening of a newly renovated space on the third floor of the Broadway Edison building, which now houses Umoja, a growing organization dedicated to enhancing and celebrating the experience of African and African American diaspora students, and AANAPISI, Seattle Central’s Asian American, Native American, and Pacific Islander-Serving Institution. Later this year, the hub will also welcome MESA, the college’s Math, Engineering, and Science Achievement program.
Envisioned as a multicultural, collaborative hub, this space is already overflowing with students, staff, and faculty taking advantage of the beautiful community area to share ideas, work on projects, and relax in the light pouring in from the large east-facing windows.
Umoja
Umoja, which officially launched at Seattle Central in 2022, was originally housed in a temporary location on the third floor. “We understood from even before Umoja became Umoja that it was a temporary space,” explained Umoja Director Dr. Kimberly McRae. Recent renovations have now solidified Umoja’s place within a broader multicultural services hub, a vision that had been in place since the college first sought funding for the program.
The space has quickly become a vital hub for students, prompting calls to extend its hours due to high demand. “Students want to be in that space… they do their homework, they connect, they build community,” McRae said. Efforts are underway to secure funding that would allow the space to stay open later.
“There’s been a lot of changes in the last six months, but I’m excited about them,” McRae concluded. “Good things are ahead, for sure.”
The Umoja program fosters 18 core practices, the first three of which McRae describes as the “heartbeat” practices: raising intentionality and deliberateness, the ethic of love, and manifestation.
Among the 18 practices, McRae has seen the philosophy of student-led dialogue thrive, embodied in the practice known as The Porch. Rooted in historical traditions of gathering and community, the Porch offers a space where students come together to discuss topics ranging from politics to interpersonal conflict. These weekly sessions are typically organized by students but may also include faculty and staff.
During a recent Porch discussion, McRae reflected, “It was really good. It was long. It took a couple hours, but…they called for a porch because they wanted to have this healing moment and confrontation.”
Interconnectedness has been a key factor in the space’s evolution, and McRae stressed Umoja’s goals of extending that connection to related student groups and services at the College. “If [a student is] Umoja eligible, they might be eligible for TRIO, or First-Year Experience,” she explained. Discussions are also in progress to establish a first-year Umoja learning community.
Looking ahead, Umoja plans to continue developing programming that ensures students are supported holistically. “There’s been a lot of changes in the last six months, but I’m excited about them,” McRae concluded. “Good things are ahead, for sure.”
As for ongoing program evolution, Umoja is focusing on curriculum development, and infusing Umoja education into more Seattle Central classes. McRae also highlighted the work of Umoja’s new executive assistant director, Sherell Brewer, whose impact on Umoja’s connectedness across and beyond campus has been profound. “What she has done in the last few months… it’s just been phenomenal, like bring-tears-to-your-eyes phenomenal,” McRae said. With strengthened partnerships across campus and in the community, Umoja has gained increased recognition. “Our programming has leveled up… people on a national level are reaching out to us,” McRae added.
AANAPISI
Like Umoja, AANAPISI also quickly outgrew its original location, previously housed in a small classroom on the third floor.
The idea for the new, shared space emerged as part of broader campus improvement efforts. AANAPISI Director Jeff Bermudes explained that the decision to locate AANAPISI alongside Umoja was intentional, aiming to foster cross-program collaboration and student engagement.
The new space aligns with AANAPISI’s mission to create an inclusive and welcoming environment for Asian, Native American, and Pacific Islander students. “We plan to keep the space open for students to use to study, lounge, and be in community with one another,” Bermudes said. “We plan to keep student Peer Mentors around to provide support for students in the space while also being a resource for students navigating the college.” Bermudes explained that faculty and staff will also benefit from the space, with planned workshops and events aimed at increasing culturally responsive support.
Student feedback on the new location has been overwhelmingly positive. “Not only does the increase in size help us scale our events and services more, but the modern facilities and windows that let in natural light help to make the space feel much more inviting,” Bermudes said. Additional furniture is expected to be added soon to make better use of the additional square footage.
ANAPISI hosted several events in the new space this May for Asian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month and is looking forward to hosting even more events in the next academic year that highlight and celebrate the stories and experiences of students under the AANAPISI umbrella.
As AANAPISI and Umoja settle into their new home, both programs remain committed to fostering community, academic success, and cross-cultural celebration, and anticipate collaborating on future projects.