Community engagement consists of collaborations with on-campus and off-campus community partnerships to facilitate workshops and discussions regarding social justice issues impacting different communities.
Contents
Upcoming Events
Past Events
“Looking Beyond the What…” A Cultural Humility Workshop featuring Bridgette Johnson
(Winter 2025)
Hosted by the Office of Campus Organizations and Volunteer Programs (COVP), Cross Cultural Center (CCC), Office of Inclusive Excellence (OIE), and other student leaders in a discussion about cultural humility. Cultural humility is an ongoing process of self-exploration, self-reflection, and self-critique. Our guest speaker, Bridgette Johnson, Assistant Vice Chancellor for Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion of OIE, shared her experiences and insight on practicing cultural humility to acknowledge one’s biases and help foster an inclusive and open-minded community. This session was interactive and reflective.
Guest Speaker: Bridgette Johnson (BIO)
Bridgette lives to make a difference, not be the difference. Her mission is to create meaningful change that uplifts marginalized communities, driven by a deep commitment to social justice rather than personal gain. As an advocate, she consistently seeks to create space for those who have been historically excluded, always asking, “How can I support this cause?” She understands that perspectives are shaped by unique environments and experiences, and she challenges herself and others to look beyond surface-level perceptions, recognizing that we view the world through the lens of our own lived experiences.
Currently serving as the Assistant Vice Chancellor in the Office of Inclusive Excellence at UCI, Bridgette brings over 30 years of comprehensive experience in higher education. Her professional journey includes significant roles in Enrollment and Access, Student Success, OEO, and Student Affairs. She operates from the conviction that we are stronger and more effective when we work together, breaking down barriers and building bridges of understanding.
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Mental Health Advocacy Destigmatizing Mental Health Across Communities
(Spring 2024)
Hosted by the Office of Campus Organizations and Volunteer Programs, this workshop brought students together in a discussion panel regarding the stigmas surrounding mental health, how they present themselves across different communities, and how to collectively work towards tackling these stigmas. Our panel comprised of community members from various spaces specialized in helping and teaching people about the importance of mental health and well-being, including the Orange County Asian Pacific Islander Community Alliance (OCAPICA), the UCI Counseling Center, the UCI Center for Environmental Health Disparities Research, Latino Health Access, and the UCI School of Social Sciences.
Bios
Nikki Oei – Nikki is a Policy Manager at the Orange County Asian and Pacific Islander Community Alliance, as well as a graduate from UCI’s 4+1 Asian American Studies BA/MA program. She has worked in youth programming, health navigation, mental health services, and advocacy, with the belief that education and empowerment are key goals for community safety. She is interested in the intersections of arts, culture, and community healing. Nikki identifies as a queer 2nd generation Cambodian and Indonesian American.
Dr. Jonathan Flojo – Dr. J is a psychologist at the UCI Counseling Center. His work centers on belonging, connection, and meaning making. He is interested in how we re-imagine our cultural and sacred traditions to address burnout, collective trauma, and grief.
Dr. Karen D. Lincoln – Dr. Karen D. Lincoln is a social worker and sociologist with expertise in societal and social determinants of health and well-being among Black Americans. The primary objective of her research agenda is to improve clinical and community-based care for persons with mental health disorders, chronic health conditions, and cognitive impairment by investigating the psychosocial, behavioral, and biological mechanisms that link social determinants to well-being among adults and older adults.
Dr. Aneeth Kaur Hundle – Prof Anneeth Kaur Hundle is Associate Professor of Anthropology and Presidential Chair in Social Sciences to Advance Sikh Studies at UC Irvine. Since 2019, she has been working to build an interdisciplinary and globally-oriented Sikh Studies and a stronger focus on Sikhism and anthropology at UCI. She develops feminist orientations to the field, research, teaching and pedagogy, and has developed courses such as Global Themes in Sikh Studies, Interrogating Citizenship, Sikh Feminisms, Anthropologies of Race, Religion and Caste, and Anthropologies of Race, Religion and the Secular.
Maria Cristina Fernandez – Maria Cristina Fernandez is a Lead Promotora in the Emotional Wellness Department at Latino Health Access. The Emotional Wellness Department focuses on advocating and dismantling mental health stigma in Latino Communities through outreach and activities performed by our Promotoras. Mara Cristina came to Latino Health Access (LHA) 12 years ago as a participant and a volunteer. In the last 3 years, she became a Promotora and was then promoted to a Lead Promotora. Her personal experiences, knowledge of resources, and her comprehension of the needs of those around her have made her a strong pillar in our community.
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Gentrification in Orange County
(Spring 2023)
“Gentrification in Orange County” is a community engagement project with the purpose to raise awareness of gentrification, its effects on the local community, and action we can take moving forward. We will have a panel of community organizers and members of Resilience OC, VietRISE and Latino Health Access, three OC-based organizations focused on social justice through community work ranging from housing insecurity to immigrant justice. We will have the opportunity to engage in meaningful conversations to reflect on personal experiences and engage in a gallery tour of key spots in Orange County that highlight the impact of gentrification. Food will also be provided on a first come, first serve basis!
Meet the Organizations!
Resilience OC is an OC-based organization working toward strengthening leadership of color through community transformation. They currently focus on issues such as housing insecurity, immigration enforcement, and civic engagement in the Santa Ana, Costa Mesa, and Orange areas.
VietRISE is an OC-based organization focused on advancing social justice and building power within working-class Vietnamese and immigrant communities. Their work consists of building leadership and creating systemic change. They currently focus on issues such as immigrant justice, civic engagement, and youth organizing.
Latino Health Access is an OC-based organization with a mission to bring health, equity, and sustainable change to local communities through education, service, consciousness-raising, and civic participation. Their two focuses are to deliver culturally-appropriate health services and to engage low-income, low-opportunity areas in transforming their environment through tools for change.
