Cultural Centers

The Cultural Centers include the Gender & Sexuality Center and the Intercultural Center. The centers serve as both physical spaces on campus where students build community, and as outlets for student run programs that explore social issues and identity.

The Cultural Centers bring students together to increase their understanding, and embrace their roles, as members of a diverse community on the local and global levels.

We engage in this work through our shared values:

• Community: We unify individuals across identities, backgrounds and experiences. Our positive, caring, and discerning community creates a sense of belonging for students.
• Empowerment: We inspire students to find their agency and authentic voice to express their needs. Students feel empowered to explore their passions.
• Intersectionality: We understand the complexity and beauty of the multiple intersecting identities students bring into the world. Our programs encourage students to embrace their whole self.
• Growth: We believe that all students have the capacity to deepen their consciousness by building upon their unique lived experiences. Programs encourage students to bravely engage in challenging dialogues within a supportive space.
• Solidarity: We cultivate support and advocacy for, and with, marginalized identities and communities. Programs provide opportunities for students to gain a deeper understanding of injustices and work towards social change in community.

As a part of USF’s Cultural Centers, the Intercultural Center is both a physical lounge space for students, and a center for student-run programs. Our programs explore race, ethnicity, class, and culture-based topics on campus through creative and engaging dialogues and workshops.

Our lounge is open to all students, and staffed by interns:

• Monday-Thursday from 11 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
• Fridays from 11 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Programs

Intercultural Center programs focus on the exploration of culture and its relationship to other aspects of identity. Through the use of workshops, presentations, and dialogue, the Intercultural Center provides both current and historical perspectives on the experiences of communities of color.

View The Full Calendar on our myUSF website

Community Meet-Ups

Each semester, the Cultural Centers create opportunities for students to gather based on their common identities. In these communal spaces, students can build community and share and learn from each other’s similar experiences. The communities for the 2023-2024 school year are currently are:

• Cafe International
• Multiracial Community Meet-Up

Previous years’ meet-ups included:

• Anime Hour (drop in space)
• BIPOC and Queer Graduate Student Lounge
• Grassroots Community Meet-Up
  • Previously named the Activist Community Meet-Up
• Central American, South American, and Caribbean (CenSoCa) Community Meet-Up
• Asian and Asian American Community Meet-Up
• Sala de Alianza Collective
  • Latinx-centered space
• Native American Collective
• Women of Color Collective
• Men of Color Collective
• First Generation Collective
• Pau Hana
  • Pacific Islander-centered space

Lyricist Lounge

Once a month on a Friday evening the University Center 4th Floor Lounge is transformed into Lyricist Lounge, the hippest spot in San Francisco. Students gather to hear peers address social justice issues, identity expression, experiences of oppression and triumph through spoken word poetry.

Culturally Focused Clubs Council (CFCC)

The Cultural Centers team works closely with various culturally focused student-driven clubs, organizations, and programs at USF. CFCC is a group of club representatives who meet bi-monthly to participate in intergroup leadership development, cultural competency, and ally-building training.

The mission of CFCC at USF is to aid in the development of the university's recognized Culturally-Focused Clubs and Organizations and their individual members. Involvement in leadership activities and a commitment to open communication is the foundation upon which CFCC will inspire collaboration, empowerment, and interculturalism.

Learn More About CFCC on our myUSF website

End of Year Ceremonies

The Cultural Centers lead in coordinating five ceremonies that highlight the outstanding work our students have accomplished in the areas of service, academics, and leadership, while affirming the unique challenges and experiences they share. These include: Indigenous Peoples of Oceania Ceremony, Interwoven (Asian and Asian American Ceremony), Latinx Recognition Ceremony, Lavender Graduation, and Vizuri Kabisa (VK) Unity Celebration/Black Graduation Celebration.

As a part of the Cultural Centers, the Gender and Sexuality Center provides a welcoming space on campus for students to explore their identities, find community, and work towards social justice. The programs center on gender and sexual-orientation based identity and issues, and also provide perspectives on multiple aspects of identity.

Programs

Gender and Sexuality Center programs focus on the exploration of gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, and gender-based violence. Through the use of workshops, presentations, and dialogue, the Gender and Sexuality Center provides both current and historical perspectives related to our communities of focus.

The Full Calendar on our myUSF website

Gender-Affirming Clothing Closet

The Gender Affirming Clothing Closet is an on-campus resource with the intention of providing Transgender, Non-binary, and Gender Non-conforming students access to clothing and accessories within a safe space.

Learn More on our myUSF website

End of Year Ceremonies

The Cultural Centers lead in coordinating five ceremonies that highlight the outstanding work our students have accomplished in the areas of service, academics, and leadership, while affirming the unique challenges and experiences they share. These include: Indigenous Peoples of Oceania Ceremony, Interwoven (Asian and Asian American Ceremony), Latinx Recognition Ceremony, Lavender Graduation, and Vizuri Kabisa (VK) Unity Celebration/Black Graduation Celebration.

Community Meet-Ups

Each semester, the Cultural Centers create opportunities for students to gather based on their common identities. In these communal spaces, students can build community and share and learn from each other’s similar experiences. Recently these have included community meet-ups for Womxn of Color, Grassroots Activism, Trans* and Non-Binary people, Queer People of Color, and racial/ethnic spaces.

Want to develop your skills and knowledge in facilitation, dialogue, event planning, and social justice issues? Inter with us.

• Graduate Student Coordinators assist the advising of both centers through providing administrative and programmatic support.
• Community Interns develop identity and interest based spaces and events for students to connect through shared experiences, self-expression, and community building. (International Community Intern, Queer POC Community Intern, Queer Coalition Community Intern, Lyricist Lounge & Arts Intern, Gender Diverse Community Intern, Multiracial Community Intern)
• Signature Program Interns develop student centered programs that facilitate and encourage reflection on and exploration of various social justice topics.
• Graphic Design Interns craft social justice oriented social media and print marketing for all the Cultural Centers’ programs.

Learn More on myUSF