By Victoria Cruz
News Writer
On Feb. 4, the Interfaith Center hosted an event as part of Black History Month: Uplift & Unify: Affirming Black Joy.
The event invited students to write messages and create art from affirmation and solidarity within the community. This allowed all students to learn, reflect and create together.
“I see these events all the time, and they bring new people in. It is cool to hear about these events and learn about why they matter,” sport management major Christian Ramirez, a freshman, said.
The event highlighted a shared practice of affirmation that has roots in Black history.
Participants used Afro-centric materials to create messages celebrating Black identity, resilience and joy.
The Interfaith Center has been managed within the same domain of the Multicultural and SAGE Centers. Each center is now taking steps to diversify its individual offerings and better cater its opportunities to meet the needs of students at the university.
The Interfaith Center now looks to host its own events and work more independently from the other centers. While cross-sectional programming and management will remain, we can expect to see more events in the future.
“We are still trying to figure out what the space should be for our campus. We are trying to find our own identity as a space,” Jay Henderson, the director for the Center for Intercultural Engagement, said.
Previous programming in the space was run by the individual faith groups on campus. Moving forward, the Interfaith Center plans to host its own events and develop programming that reflects a broader range of student interest.
“Interfaith has worked to find itself as an independent center in partnership with our faith groups. We want to hear from students and the rest of campus about what they would like from the center,” Henderson said.
Henderson emphasized that student feedback will play a key role in shaping future programming. By listening to student voices, the Interfaith Center hopes to become a place not only for religious expression but for dialogue and community building.
The center aims to serve as a hub where students can feel comfortable exploring their identities, sharing perspectives and forming meaningful connections.
Events like these reflect their new mission by encouraging participation from all students regardless of background.
For many students, the center already functions as a third space for all students to come together.
“I come here to see my friends, and we come here to chill and talk about religion. All religions are welcome in this space. It’s a good space for new people to come in,” business administration major Joel Brown, a junior, said.
As the Interfaith Center continues to evolve, its leadership hopes to foster an inclusive environment that supports student engagement while celebrating diversity.
Through future events and expanded programming, the center plans to strengthen its role as a welcoming space for reflection, collaboration and unity on campus.
