00:00:00 In this section, Frida Saxena provides an overview of the alliances on campus and their purpose in supporting historically marginalized and underrepresented students through mentoring, dialogue, and networking. These alliances provide a sense of belonging and affirmation for students, as well as social and cultural capital that can help them navigate higher education. Through their support, students can attain their educational goals and become advocates for their communities, making an impact on a larger scale. The MCC provides a home and institutional support for these alliances to do even more and serve more students.
00:05:00 In this section, the speaker introduces the African-American Black Student Alliance and provides some background information about what the organization is and what it does. The alliance serves as an advocate for black African-American student voices at COC, creates a safe space for all participants to build community, and celebrate their cultural identities. They also provide academic resources and support, including information about historically black colleges and universities and options for transfer. The alliance partners with non-profit organizations, such as A2MEND and eventually hopes to partner with Emojia as well.
00:10:00 In this section, Anthony Morris, the advisor of the Black Student Alliance, discusses the various initiatives the organization has undertaken or plans to develop over time, which includes life skills workshops, leadership classes, non-credit classes, and a black college tour, among others. He also shares that the Alliance organized a successful mental health awareness event in the black community in collaboration with African-American therapists. Morris invites more students to join the Alliance by emailing him or contacting Heaven Warner or Joy Shumate. Ryan, Samantha, and Nia, who have actively participated in the Alliance, share their positive experiences, highlighting the networking opportunities, mentorships, information, and motivation they have received from the Alliance’s events and initiatives.
00:15:00 In this section, representatives from the Latinx Alliance at COC explain that their organization provides a space for students who identify as Latinx or Latino, Chicano, Chicana, or Hispanic to build a community and a sense of belonging on campus. The Latinx Alliance co-leads, Adnan Ramirez, Juan Buriel, and Vida Manzo, all hold PhDs and aim to inspire students to strive for success in higher education, no matter their background. They also highlight that COC is a Hispanic-serving Institution, with an enrollment of nearly 40% Hispanic students, and encourage students to get involved in their Alliance as well as other student organizations available at COC.
00:20:00 In this section, Amy Foote, the Mesa Director and one of the leads for the STEAM Equity Alliance, talks about their mission to bridge the gap in equity between STEM and underrepresented groups such as women, undocumented and students of colour, and LGBTQ+ community. She introduces the Alliance and its goal to provide resources to these students and give them access to mentors and guest speakers. She highlights the importance of the Alliance meetings and mentions that they have structured these meetings at different times to give access to different students who are busy with their schedules. She ends by recognizing the presence of the other Alliances at the open house and invites them to present.
00:25:00 In this section, the speakers discuss the goals and purpose of their STEM Equity Alliance, which aims to create a safe and inclusive space for underrepresented students in STEM fields. The Alliance’s purposes include educating and raising awareness about the issues surrounding underrepresented populations in STEM, fighting discrimination and exclusion on campus, and connecting these populations to resources and networks to help them succeed. The Alliance hopes to increase the number of women, undocumented students, students of color, and LGBT individuals in STEM fields and prepare them for future careers, especially as professionals predict a mass exodus of Baby Boomers in STEM fields. The Alliance also plans to hold events, such as workshops, guest speaker presentations, and virtual labs, to provide both academic and professional development to students.
00:30:00 In this section, members of the STEM Equity Alliance discuss the various events they would like to hold in the future, such as scholarships for underrepresented STEM students and addressing the stigma surrounding math. The group’s goal is to create connections and a community for underrepresented students in STEM, and they are hoping to work with other alliances to make sure their resources are available to all parties involved. Additionally, members of the Gender and Sexuality Alliance (GSA) talk about their weekly meetings and how they support LGBTQ+ students and allies through socialization during COVID.
00:35:00 In this section, the speakers discuss the Queer SCV team and their collaboration with Alliances to create a Zine with contributions from over 40 people including COC students and other community members. The Zine includes different types of artwork, poems, stories, and images. The Alliances provided funding to print the Zine. In addition, the GSA and Queer SCV teamed up to organize events such as Pride Day and National Coming Out Day, providing resources and support to the LGBTQ community. Due to COVID, meetings are now conducted online, with guided discussions on various topics, and games played to provide support to members. Speakers from Queer SCV discussed their team, how they started the group to create a space for themselves and others due to the lack of resources focused on the LGBTQ community. They offer programs without a cutoff age, serving all the way from 13 to 57-58-year-olds.
00:40:00 In this section, representatives from Queer SV and the Autism Social Alliance discuss their organizations and the work they do in the Santa Clarita Valley. Queer SV was formed to provide services specifically geared towards LGBTQ folks in the area, as there was a service gap for this community. They have partnered with COC GSA to put on events and information panels while also providing safe zone trainings. They partnered with Boston Scientific and PFLAG to put on the first ever public Santa Clarita Valley Pride event last year and a virtual Pride event this year. Autism Social Alliance, on the other hand, provides a safe space for students on the Spectrum who face barriers such as isolation, frustration, and difficulty communicating. They meet once a week and aim to build an alliance between students and staff who are interested in learning more about those on the Spectrum. Overall, both organizations aim to provide safe spaces and community engagement for underserved communities in the Santa Clarita Valley.
00:45:00 In this section of the video, Larry Kohn from the College Living Experience describes the services that the organization offers to students on the autism spectrum, including peer counseling, staff meetings, training, outdoor activities, socialization events, and guest speakers. The group creates a welcoming environment that is free from judgement for students who may have been isolated or bullied in the past. They also provide opportunities for students to connect with the community by partnering with other organizations like the Regional Center and the Uniquely Able Academy. In addition, the video briefly mentions two other alliances, including the Valor Alliance for veterans and the Trans Alliance for trans and non-binary students.
00:50:00 In this section of the video, different alliances led by faculty and staff at the College of the Canyons (COC) in California were discussed. The LGBTQ Alliance, led by Aaron McFerran, organizes support group meetings for students focusing on topics such as coming out as trans and self-care. The Multicultural Alliance, led by Michael McCaffrey, highlights awareness and sensitivity to diverse perspectives and cultures. The First Generation Student Alliance, led by Stephanie Tesoro and Desiree Goding, provides mentoring and education resources for those whose parents did not attend college. The alliances aim to provide an inclusive environment for all students at COC.