2023 Annual Report by The Harvard Foundation

HARVARD FOUNDATION FOR INTERCULTURAL AND RACE RELATIONS HARVARD FOUNDATION FOR INTERCULTURAL AND RACE RELATIONS HARVARD FOUNDATION FOR INTERCULTURAL AND RACE RELATIONS 2022-2023 REPORT

HARVARD FOUNDATION FOR INTERCULTURAL AND RACE RELATIONS HARVARD FOUNDATION FOR INTERCULTURAL AND RACE RELATIONS HARVARD FOUNDATION FOR INTERCULTURAL AND RACE RELATIONS HARVARD FOUNDATION FOR INTERCULTURAL AND RACE RELATIONS HARVARD FOUNDATION FOR INTERCULTURAL AND RACE RELATIONS HARVARD FOUNDATION FOR INTERCULTURAL AND RACE RELATIONS HARVARD FOUNDATION FOR INTERCULTURAL AND RACE RELATIONS 2

Table of Contents Flag Ship Programs First-Year Retreat & Experience (FYRE) Pre-Orientation Program Community Conversations Internship Program Portraiture Project First-Generation Visibility Week Diversity Dialogue Series Cultural Rhythms Academic Inclusion, Engagement & Success Foundation Fridays First-Year Faculty Dinner Intimate Conversations Traditional Ecological Knowledge Panel Visitas Faculty Meet & Greet for First-Generation, Low-Income Students Study Jams & Study Breaks First-Generation/Next-Generation Graduation Ceremony

Social Justice & Engaged Scholarship SFFA v. Harvard Oral Argument Listening Event Fellowships, Research, & Summer Funding 101 Scholarship & Social Justice (SSJ) Conference Diversity Education Student Leadership Summit Intersectional Literacy workshop for First Year Students Harvard Foundation Leadership Awards

Community Advocacy & Support Student Advisory Committee Undocumented Student Support First-Generation, Low-Income Student Welcome Heritage Month & Identity Recognitions Alumni Database

Holistic Wellness Social Events Intern Trainings Mindfulness for Self-Care and Flourishing Workshop Visitas: EDI Unit Ice Cream Truck A Spring Restorative Foundation Friday

Faculty of Arts and Sciences Dean's Distinction

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or over 40 years, the Harvard Foundation has hosted a number of relevant programming to enhance the quality of common life for all students at Harvard College. Some programs have College. Some programs have been part of the campus community for over 30 years, while other programs have recently been added to the Harvard Foundation's portfolio. Our flagship programs vary in scope, size, and form. We engage with thousands of students and collaborate with dozens of partner offices across campus.

After FYRE, this figure jumped to 94.74% of students reported feeling confident about having a sense of belonging, with 60.53% strongly agreeing with this statement. 100% of FYRE participants also reported being satisfied with their FYRE experience, demonstrating the success of a highly impactful FYRE 2022 experience.

First-Year Retreat & Experience (FYRE) Pre-Orientation Program

As the college's pre-orientation program for first-generation, low-income, and underrepresented students, FYRE returned to a fully in-person program for the first time since 2019, from Saturday, August 20 to Wednesday, August 24, 2022. In its fifth iteration, FYRE served 124 students and was led by the FYRE Director and two student cochairs with the support of four steering committee members and 28 additional team leaders who served as peer mentors for students throughout the week. The unwavering passion and commitment demonstrated by our FYRE team and campus partners allowed us to provide students with a transformational cohort experience. Students were welcomed by faculty, staff, and student leaders who introduced them to the myriad of college resources and offices available to support their transition to student life at Harvard College. Our participants engaged in a combination of community building activities and research topics, which included academics, financial aid, social life, wellness, networking, and other on-campus opportunities. We also continued to host our flagship programming, including our Opening and Closing Ceremonies, Office Speed Friending, Silent Disco Party, and “Harvard, I Messed Up", a stand-up comedystyle event where faculty, staff, and students shared their experiences of growing from their failures. Through conducting pre- and post-program surveys, we found significant increases in students' confidence levels, feelings of belonging, access to agency, academic, social, and navigational capital. In particular, prior to the program, only 19.46% of students were confident in having a sense of belonging at Harvard.

Pictured above is the FYRE 2022 cohort, which includes 124 FYRE participants, 32 team leaders, 2 co-chairs, and the director, in front of the steps of Widener Library.

Community Conversations Community Conversations, an initiative sponsored by the Harvard Foundation for Intercultural and Race Relations and supported by the First-Year Experience (FYE) Office successfully concluded its annual program for the College community. This year's program aimed to foster dialogue and understanding about diversity and inclusion among first-year students and had the goal of creating a compassionate and respectful community at Harvard. The Community Conversations initiative has played a vital role in fostering a more inclusive and understanding community at Harvard College. Through thought-provoking discussions, students have been encouraged to reflect on their identities, challenge stereotypes, and engage in meaningful conversations about privilege, power, and social responsibility. The program's success is evident in the positive feedback received and the increased awareness and empathy among participants. These skills will be a strong foundation upon which they can continue to develop positive intercultural and interpersonal relationships beyond this program. As the initiative continues to evolve, it will contribute to creating a more inclusive and compassionate environment for all members of the Harvard College community. The program's curriculum, training, and facilitation materials were developed by a team of dedicated diversity and inclusion professionals. The Harvard Library, Office for BGLTQ+ Student Life, Harvard College Women's Center, Harvard Office of Undergraduate Education, Advising Programs

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Women's Center, Harvard Office of Undergraduate Education, Advising Programs Office, and Dean of Students Office provided valuable guidance in preparing the texts and facilitation activities. Donna Mumme also played a significant role in framing and selecting the texts. The engagement and support of proctors and Peer Advising Fellows (PAFs) were instrumental in facilitating these important conversations.

Portraiture Project

Internship Program

On Monday, February 13, the Harvard Foundation hosted a celebration of the Portraiture Project, featuring a conversation with the distinguished portraitist Stephen Coit (’71, MBA ’77). This event took place in the Faculty Room at University Hall and was part of the FAS' inaugural Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. & Coretta Scott King Celebration chaired by Dean Alta Mauro and Associate University Librarian (AUL) for Antiracism Jerome Offord Jr. It brought together various stakeholders, including senior university leaders, to commemorate the impact of the Portraiture Project on the Harvard community.

The Harvard Foundation Undergraduate Internship consists of a cohort of fourteen students who are passionate about diversity education, culturally affirming programming, and matters of identity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. Interns engage in an academic year-long professional development opportunity to help advance projects and events within the internship’s two core components of diversity education and programming. Our diversity education work includes facilitating peer-led diversity dialogues, developing training materials, and creating resources that equip students and organizations to take ownership of their ongoing learning and commitment to sustainable change on campus. Our programming work includes supporting the planning and implementation of our office’s programming meant to promote campus visibility and appreciation of marginalized communities and their contributions. These programs include the Cultural Rhythms Festival, First-Generation Visibility Week, and recognition events for History and Heritage Month as well as specific social identities. In total, Harvard Foundation interns spearheaded almost 30 events and diversity initiatives that embodied our mission of improving relations among racial and ethnic groups within the university and enhancing the quality of our common life.

Pictured above is 2022-2023 Harvard Foundation Undergraduate Intern Cohort. Left to Right: Santy Mendoza '23, Nayleth Lopez-Lopez '23, Bhargavi Garimella '23, Leslie Arroyo '23, Cindy Phan '24, Jett Strayhorn '25, Hayat Hassan '25, Kyla Golding '24, Isabela GonzalezLawand '26, Karen Torres '24, Mariana Haro '23, LeMonie Hutt '26, Tiffany Onyeiwu '25, and Cody Chou '25.

The Harvard Foundation Portraiture Project was established in 2002 by Founding Director of the Harvard Foundation and a distinguished Professor of Neurology, Dr. S. Allen Counter. This project seeks to increase the representation and recognition of the successes of professionals from diverse backgrounds at Harvard by commissioning and displaying their portraits.

One of the standout elements of the Portraiture Project was the engagement of the Harvard University Men's Lacrosse Team. The project aimed to honor Lucien V. Alexis Jr. '42, the first Black player on the team, with a commissioned painting. Lucien's legacy and trailblazing contributions were celebrated during the announcement event. The Harvard Foundation's Portraiture Project stands as a testament to the university's ongoing commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Through the power of art, the project fosters a sense of belonging for all members of the Harvard community by increasing representation, and it inspires future generations to shape a more inclusive and equitable campus.

Pictured above are members of the men's Lacrosse team. Their attendance represents the team's commitment to inclusivity and acknowledging the historical significance of Lucien Alexis' achievements.

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Flagship Programs

First-Generation Visibility Week

Designed as an initiative to continue to support a sense of belonging for firstgeneration college students at Harvard College, the Harvard Foundation coordinated the inaugural First-Generation Visibility Week on November 3-9. The goals of this initiative were to increase awareness around the systemic barriers that impact firstgeneration college students, validate and celebrate the identities of this resilient population, and equip first-generation college students with the community cultural wealth to thrive at Harvard. To achieve these three goals, this initiative was comprised of multiple programmatic elements - including 22 community engaging events like socials and giveaways, peer-led dialogues, professional development workshops and opportunities, and events hosted by student organizations at Harvard. The preparation and promotion for First-Generation Visibility Week included many digital and in-person visibility campaigns such as creating lamp post banners, attending tabling opportunities, designing and hanging up posters, posting student features on our social media accounts, highlighting newsletter features, and sending targeted emails.

To assess the impact of this initiative, we conducted pre- and post-program surveys that assessed quantitative data, such as participants' overall satisfaction and agreement levels with attitudes related to the program's goals, and qualitative data, which included students' personal reports of the most meaningful aspects of the initiative, visibility campaigns, and recommendations for future programming. We found a 97.9% overall satisfaction rate among program participants and significant increases in students strongly agreeing (17.7%) with being more aware about the systemic barriers that impact first-generation college students, strongly agreeing (34.3%) with feeling that their identity as a first-generation college student is celebrated at Harvard, and overall agreeing (28.4%) with feeling connected to resources and supports to thrive at Harvard. Students also named positive sentiments around gaining a sense of community, feeling seen and celebrated, the success of the targeted visibility campaigns, and connecting with resources. Students also provided recommendations to improve this initiative through adjustments to type, flow, and timing of the programming. Given the overwhelmingly positive response of this initiative, we hope to continue to uplift and support first-generation college students for years to come.

Pictured above are snapshots from different events throughout First=Generation Visibility Week (top to bottom): First-Gen Brunch & Networking with Alumni, National First-Generation Day of Celebration Sunflower & Red Book Giveaway, Morning Prayers & First-Gen Breakfast, and the LinkedIn Headshots & Office of Career Services Drop-Ins.

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Diversity Dialogue Series Ever since the merger of the Harvard Foundation and the Office of Diversity Education and Support, which included the Diversity Peer Educators, Harvard Foundation interns have facilitated a number of diversity dialogues that address issues of equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging. This year, the Harvard Foundation interns facilitated eight dialogues. As part of First-Generation Visibility Week, interns hosted an open affinity space called “Queer in More Ways than One: The Intersection of Race and Queerness” in collaboration with the Office of BGLTQ Student Life, Queer Students Association, and Association for Black Harvard Women, as well as “Life as a First-Generation College Student.” In the Spring semester, interns hosted a variety of other diversity dialogues, such as “All About Love: a bell hooks Inspired Community Valentine’s Day Event” with the Harvard College Women’s Center, Office of BGLTQ Student Life, and the Committee on Ethnicity, Migration, and Rights. Moreover, interns facilitated “Exploring Afro-Latinidad” with Concilio Latino, Dominican Students Association, Fuerza Latina, and the Caribbean Club. In partnership with the Harvard College Women’s Center, intern, Isabela GonzalezLawand ‘26 facilitated “Big Girls Talk: Size and Sexuality”. During Cultural Rhythms, intern, Hayat Hassan ‘25 faciliated “Art as Revolutionary Work,” which highlighted the works of Harvard Foundation Artist of the Year Issa Rae, and intern, Santy Mendoza ‘23 partnered with professor Dr. Karthik Pandian and his colleague Anthony Romero on “Serving Brown,” which is about the unity felt between Brown communities. As a follow up to her previous dialogue, intern, Isabela Gonzales-Lawand ‘26 facilitated “Big Bodies in Hollywood.” Finally, intern, LeMonie Hutt ‘26 facilitated a dialogue for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and People’s Day on May 5th. Through hosting a total of nine Diversity Dialogues, Harvard Foundation interns partnered with many student organizations, offices, and faculty members and provided opportunities for dozens of students to engage in peer-to-peer learning across differences on timely and relevant topics.

Pictured above are the student-designed posters for the nine different Diversity Dialogues hosted during this academic year.

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Cultural Rhythms

Taking place between March 20 to March 25, the Harvard Foundation returned to an inperson week-long line up of programming for the office’s 37th Annual Cultural Rhythms Festival. Cultural Rhythms is the college’s oldest and largest festival that celebrates the rich cultural and ethnic diversity on campus. Harvard Foundation Interns, Kyla Golding ‘24, Tiffany Onyeiwu ‘25, and Hayat Hassan ‘25 served as the Cultural Rhythms Directors, and they led the production, marketing, and programming committees, respectively. The theme of this year’s Cultural Rhythms Festival was “The Block Party,” which honors the age-old tradition of meeting up for fun, fellowship, food, music, and more. In our nation, the origins of block parties are rooted in cultural migration. Throughout the 20th century to present day, people across identities and affinities arrived in the United States in search of better educational and employment opportunities for their families. These lineages and legacies have led many to the Harvard campus. The Harvard Block is full of cultural density, and the theme for this year's Cultural Rhythms was designed to help us all remember what is like to celebrate that rich cultural diversity. The festival started with a block party-style kick-off in the Science Center Central Arcade, and attendees moved into Science Center Lecture Hall B, where the Cultural Rhythms Directors revealed our Artist of the Year: Emmy and Golden Globe-nominated writer, producer, actress, and entrepreneur, best known for her work in the HBO hit series Insecure: Issa Rae. Other programmatic elements consisted of peer-led diversity dialogues (see above) and a Latin Dance Workshop. We also partnered with student organizations on a few social events, such as a Paint Night with Fuerza Latina, Quilt Decorating with the Black Arts Collective, and a Movie Night with Indigo Peer Counseling. We partnered with the Hip Hop Archive and featured their Women in Hip Hop Film Festival. Furthermore, we hosted our Cultural Rhythms Food Festival for the first time in many years, where 18 cultural student organizations affiliated with the Harvard Foundation’s Student Advisory Committee distributed food from local restaurants to over 200 attendees. While on his visit to Harvard, Montenegro Prime Minister Drita Abazovic greeted attendees at the Food Festival.

The last day of festivities started with the Artist Luncheon, where student leaders from the Association for Black Harvard Women and the Black Students Association shared their tributes for Issa Rae. Remka Nwana ‘23 and Madison Webb ‘25 also performed a spoken word piece and song, respectively, during the event. To close the festivities, we hosted our 37th Annual Cultural Rhythms Show to a sold-out crowd in Sanders Theatre, with phenomenal cultural student performances by Devon Gates & Friends (jazz performance), Harvard College Bhangra (Punjabi Dance), Candela Latin Dance Troupe, UNIQUE: Harvard College STEP Team, Harvard Philippine Forum (Philippine folk dance of Tinikling), Harvard Asian American Dance Troupe, Mai Nguyen featuring Sergio Javier Jara-Reynoso (traditional Vietnamese musical performance), Omo Naija x the Wahala Boys (West African dance with a modern twist), Mariachi Vetiras, RAZA Ballet Folklorico, and the Kuumba Singers of Harvard College. Harvard Foundation Senior Director, Sade Abraham and Associate Dean for Inclusion and Belonging, Alta Mauro recognized Issa Rae with the Artist of the Year Award, and the Cultural Rhythms Directors hosted a conversation with her. In addition to the programmatic elements, the Harvard Foundation also coordinated various visibility campaigns to promote Cultural Rhythms. This consisted of a large Cultural Rhythms banner in front of Memorial Church, sixteen banners highlighting the performers and directors, and multiple features on the Harvard College Instagram and college-wide newsletters. The Harvard Foundation also worked closely with the Office of Student Engagement to concurrently host Junior Family Weekend and Cultural Rhythms. Through Cultural Rhythms, we hoped to bring back the thrill of what a cultural explosion on this campus looks like— celebrating a new age, a new era, and a new season. It was a time to rejoice and a cultural expression of solidarity across Harvard's campus where we celebrated culture and community together.

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Academic Inclusion, Engagement, & Success

Foundation Fridays

Launched last Fall, Foundation Fridays was designed to engage and support BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color), FGLI (First-Generation and Low-Income), DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals), and historically marginalized student populations. Through a combination of academic skillbuilding and social activities, Foundation Fridays have become a cornerstone of our efforts to foster inclusivity and support the diverse needs of our constituents. Foundation Friday No. 1 set the precedent for successful events throughout the semester. The day commenced with a workshop on Time Management and Organization in collaboration with the Academic Resource Center. This workshop provided students with valuable insights and strategies to effectively manage their time and enhance their organizational skills. In the afternoon, the Foundation Social provided an opportunity for students to unwind, build relationships, and engage with their peers in a relaxed and inclusive environment. The event showcased the power of community and highlighted the significance of socializing as an essential aspect of student well-being and overall success. Foundation Friday No. 2 further showcased our commitment to empowering students and building a strong sense of community. The day consisted of two parts: a learning session in the afternoon and a social gathering later in the day. Katie Baker, Academic Coach at the Academic Resource Center, led a session on "Strategies for Success in Math & Sciences Courses," which addressed the challenges faced by students in college-level math and science courses. Participants engaged in discussions on effective learning strategies and academic life management that facilitate a successful transition. The session catered to both students new to STEM subjects and those with prior experience looking to enhance their approaches. Following the informative learning session, students gathered at Grays Hall Lower Level for an afternoon of enjoyment and camaraderie. The Foundation Social offered a range of activities including karaoke, painting, games, and delicious treats which created a vibrant atmosphere for students, staff, faculty, and all attendees to connect and relax.

The Foundation Fridays initiative is a testament to the Harvard Foundation's dedication to fostering inclusivity, supporting student success, and nurturing a sense of belonging for all. We express our gratitude to all those involved in making these events possible, including the Academic Resource Center, guest speakers, and the Foundation's dedicated staff and volunteers. Based on the overwhelming support we received, the Foundation Fridays initiative will continue to play a vital role in building a stronger, more inclusive Harvard community.

Pictured above : Foundation staff and interns pose with the chalk board in celebration of Foundation Fridays' success.

First-Year Faculty Dinner

Adams House hosted the Harvard Foundation at the temporarily-named “Adams Oaktel” for this year’s First-Year and Faculty Dinner. This historic building housed Adams House undergraduates this year due to the ongoing Harvard Houses renovation project, and provided a cozy, welcoming atmosphere for exquisite dining, lively music, and honest storytelling. Dean Alta Mauro, Senior Director Sade Abraham, and Associate Director Matias Ramos were among the speakers providing short greetings to the invited guests, which consisted of Harvard faculty, administrators, and first-year students who were not hosting any family members for “First-Year Family Weekend.” Promotional materials for the event strongly encouraged first-generation, low-income, and undocumented immigrant students to sign up. Dean Nekesa Straker, Senior Assistant Dean of Residential Life and First-Year Students, addressed attendees with an empowering reflection of her own experiences as a first-generation student athlete turned higher education professional. Musical entertainment was provided by Nicolas Vallenas ‘23 and Mai K. Nguyen ‘ 24.

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Musical entertainment was provided by Nicolas Vallenas ‘23 and Mai K. Nguyen ‘ 24.

Pictured above is Senior Assistant Dean of Residential Life and FirstYear Students, Nekesa Straker, delivering the keynote speech at the First-Year Faculty Dinner.

Intimate Conversations "Intimate Conversations" was a fireside chat style conversation between students and Wall Street Bestselling Author of "The Unspoken Rules: Secrets to Starting Your Career Off Right," and Harvard Alum, Gorick Ng. The program was held on October 8th with a goal of providing students with a unique opportunity to engage in a meaningful dialogue with a prominent figure and gain insights into career navigation. Gorick graciously shared his expertise and experiences with a select group of 20-35 students over dinner. This intimate setting created an environment conducive to open and candid conversations.

Throughout the evening, Gorick shared his personal journey and provided practical advice on navigating the professional world. His expertise and extensive experience in management consulting, investment banking, and research added depth and relevance to the discussions. Attendees were inspired by Gorick's insights and motivated to apply them to their own career paths. The event garnered particular attention and recognition from the student community due to Goricks rising profile as author. Gorick’s presence was truly an inspiration to our students. His achievements resonate strongly with the Harvard Community since he identities as a first-generation college student as well as a graduate of Harvard College and Harvard Business School. Gorick's achievements resonate strongly with the Harvard community. We extend our gratitude to Gorick Ng for his participation and for sharing his valuable knowledge and experiences with our students. We also express our appreciation to all the attendees who actively engaged in the conversation, which made the event a resounding success. The "Intimate Conversations" event with Gorick exemplifies the Harvard Foundation's commitment to providing unique and enriching experiences for our students. We look forward to organizing similar events in the future, fostering meaningful discussions, and supporting the professional development of our student community.

The event took place on Tuesday, October 18, from 6 PM to 7:30 PM at Adams House, which was Goricks former residence on campus. The response was overwhelming, and we were thrilled to witness the enthusiasm and eagerness of the attendees to learn from Gorick’s story. Gorick's book served as a valuable resource for attendees and gave them guidance on taking control of their careers. As a career adviser at Harvard College and a faculty member at the University of California, Berkeley, Gorick specializes in coaching firstgeneration and low-income students, and he offers insights into the unspoken rules of career navigation.

Pictured above are students and Gorrick Ng (top middle) with their copy of his book The Unspoken Rules.

Traditional Ecological Knowledge Panel

The Harvard Foundation highlighted the importance of Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) in a panel discussion with DR. Cutcha RIsling Baldy, DR. Melissa K Nelson, Cody Henrickson, and Elsie DuBray. This panel was put together and moderated by firstyear Foundation intern, LeMonie Hutt, and a Hoopa Tribal member, who grew up on the Hoopa reservation learning traditional

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Knowledge (TEK) in a panel discussion with Dr. Cutcha RIsling Baldy, Dr. Melissa K Nelson, Cody Henrickson, and Elsie DuBray. This panel was put together and moderated by firstyear Foundation intern and Hoopa Tribal member, LeMonie Hutt. Hutt grew up on the Hoopa reservation learning traditional knowledge systems from elders in her Tribe. She wanted to create a space that held traditional knowledge systems equal to Western knowledge systems at Harvard College. Another inspiration for the panel was the newly released book, “Traditional Ecological Knowledge Systems: Learning from Indigenous Practices for Environmental Sustainability" edited by Dr. Nelson. The panel featured Indigenous people who have done groundbreaking work in the field of Traditional Ecological Knowledge: Dr. Risling Baldy - Hoopa Tribal Member, and department chair of Indigenous studies at Cal, Poly Humbodlt who teaches a course on Indian Natural Resource Practice, Elsie Dubray- Lakota Tribal member and Senior at Stanford University who has done tremendous work in Buffalo revitalization, Cody Henrickson - Ninilchik tribal member and marine biologist who is working on Indigenous K-12 curriculum development, and Dr. Nelson - Turtle Mountain Chippawe Tribal member and Professor of Indigenous Sustainability in the School of Sustainability at Arizona State University. We had a total of 16 Harvard students in attendance, and they were captivated by the way the panelists described their passion for their work in TEK. Panelist, Elsie DuBray, highlighted her own experience as a student at a prestigious academic institution and brought to light a recurring theme of the prioritization of Western knowledge over Indigenous knowledge. She expressed the difficulty of being an Indigenous student in STEM. This duality created tension when she wanted to utilize traditional teachings in her research in buffalo revitalization while participating in a western classroom. Dubray's words especially resonated with the Indigenous students in STEM in attendance. Harvard College currently does not offer an Indigenous Studies program, which leaves little room for students to bring their traditional teachings into their coursework. The students who attended the TEK panel left with a deeper understanding of Indigenous people's current contributions to environmental sciences.

Pictured above are students listening in on the Traditional Ecological Knowledge Panel, with panelists Dr. Risling Baldy, Elsie Dubray, Cody Henrikson, and Dr. Nelson being projected on the screen.

Visitas: Faculty Meet & Greet for FirstGeneration, Low-Income Students

As part of the programming efforts across the campus during Harvard Visitas the Harvard Foundation team, along with student leaders from the First-Generation, LowIncome (FGLI) Student Task Group and Primus created a space where faculty members and over 40 FGLI students could connect while sharing Boba tea and snacks. Faculty members in attendance included Americo Mendoza Mori (Latinx Studies), Jeffrey Swindle (Sociology), Mercedes Becerra (Global Health and Social Medicine), Stephen Chong (Computer Science), Eric Beerbohm (Government), Damina Khaira (Anthropology), and Caroline Light (Women, Gender, and Sexuality). The event took place on Monday, April 24th at the Harvard Foundation. The goal of the event was to give FGLI students direct access to faculty and make them feel more comfortable engaging with faculty and utilizing them as a resource throughout their time at Harvard.

Pictured above are Senior Director Sade Abraham and FGLI Student Task Group Board Members, Tenzin Dadak and Laila Nasher at the registration table for the Visitas Faculty Meet & Greet for FGLI Students

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Study Jams & Study Breaks To support students during the reading and finals period in the Fall semester while also promoting the visibility, accessibility, and utility of our space, Harvard Foundation staff set up tables in our lounge and breakfast lounge as additional study space. They also provided snacks, tea, and coffee during this time. For one of the days of study jams, staff also gave out waffles from Zinnekin’s as a study break opportunity in our space, bringing in over 50 students. In the Spring semester, FYRE Co-Chairs, Emily Ramirez ‘24 and Cindy Phan ‘24 hosted a FYRE Study Break during reading period as a way to reconnect and celebrate our FYRE participants who completed their first year of college. They served food from Halal Guys and handed out goodie bags which included snacks and hand written emails to help them get through finals.

Pictured above (left to right) are Math Professor Dr. Hakim Walker, Senior Director Sade Abraham, Assistant Director for Student Programming Marvin Baclig, and Graduate Commons Director Lisa Valela at the First-Generation/Next Generation Graduation Ceremony.

Pictured above are Zinnekin Waffles and toppings that were distributed during one of the Study Jams days in the fall semester.

First-Generation/Next Generation Graduation Ceremony

Each year, students on the First-Gen Affinity Celebration Student Advisory Committee select staff and faculty that have been supportive in creating a safe and welcoming campus environment for the first-generation student community to participate in the student stole presentation. For this year’s First-Gen Affinity Commencement on May 22, in Sever Quad, Senior Director, Sade Abraham, and Assistant Director for Student Programming, Marvin Baclig, were invited for this ceremony - along with math professor Dr. Hakim Walker and Graduate Commons Director, Lisa Valela. As each graduate came to the stage, they had a stole placed on their shoulders by one of these staff and faculty members.

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Social Justice & Engaged Scholarship

SFFA v. Harvard Oral Argument Listening Event

Fellowships, Research, & Summer Funding 101

On October 31st, the Harvard Foundation hosted an open-door event for people to gather and hear the live broadcast of arguments in a set of historic Supreme Court cases weighing in the future of consideration of race college admissions. The Foundation lounge became a meeting point for camaraderie, mutual support, clarifying questions, and debate. The court held hearings in two related cases: Students for Fair Admissions (SFFA) v. Harvard and Students for Fair Admissions (SFFA) v. University of North Carolina (UNC). Following the conclusion of the C-SPAN audio-only broadcast, students debated the merit of each argument and the performance of the legal representatives in front of the court.

Aligning with First-Generation Visibility Week’s goal of connecting first-generation college students with the resources necessary to thrive, Director of the Harvard College Office of Undergraduate Research and Fellowships (URAF) Gregory Llacer and Research Ambassador, Adede Appah-Sampong ‘23 facilitated a “Fellowships, Research, and Summer Funding 101” workshop on November 9th in the Phillips Brooks House Association (PHBA) Parlor Room.

Days later, the Harvard Foundation addressed the campus community through an online message, focusing on the longterm view of advocating for justice while maintaining personal and community care: “This moment has created a heightened sense of concern and action within our campus community. As we engage in this critical work, we invite you to center care and attention on your physical, emotional, and mental well-being. Womanist activist Audre Lorde reminds us that ‘Caring for myself is not self-indulgence, it is self-preservation’ and we encourage you to avail yourself of carefocused resources and spaces of community. The Harvard Foundation is committed to continuing our legacy, history, and practice of actualizing inclusive excellence and embodying our highest hopes and aspirations for our campus community.”

Through this session, dozens of students came to PBHA Parlor Room to learn about the timelines, resources, and best practices to secure fellowship, research, and summer funding opportunities, applying their interests inside and outside of the classroom to professional opportunities.

Pictured above is a candid shot of the Fellowships, Research, and Summer Funding 101 Workshop facilitated by the Harvard College Office of Undergraduate Research and Fellowships Director Gregory Llacer and Research Ambassador Adede Appah-Sampong '23 in the the PBHA Parlor Room.

Scholarship & Social Justice (SSJ) Conference The Undergraduate Research on Scholarship and Social Justice Conference returned to campus in its 2023 edition, introducing a hybrid format that allowed remote presenters and audience members to engage with in-person attendees. This annual event, hosted in collaboration with the Phillips Brooks House Center for Public Service and Engaged Scholarship, first took place in 2015. It has proudly become a space to celebrate the work of students creating nascent pathways for careers in academia, research, and public policy.

A major focus of this year’s conference was how traditionally excluded voices can thrive in a higher education setting. The conference began on April 13th with a panel titled

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"Collaboration & Community: Research on Indigeneity, Afro-diaspora and Latinidad,” which included Faculty Chair, Américo Mendoza-Mori of Harvard University’s Committee on Ethnicity, Migration, Rights, Araceli Hernandez-Laroche (University of South Carolina Upstate), Mneesha Gellman (Emerson College), Wade Campbell (Boston University), and Michel DeGraff, PhD, (Massachusetts Institute of Technology). Interviewed by the Harvard Gazette, Mendoza-Mori commented, “It’s so important to have these kinds of gatherings,” adding that the panelists felt inspired from their conversations with undergraduate student presenters. Undergraduate students presented on six panels on topics such as Access to Public Health, New Challenges in Health Disparities in the Post-Pandemic Context, Education, Incarceration, Policy Advocacy and Gender Justice. Students from Harvard College and sixteen other colleges were selected as presenters in either panel sessions or online poster presentations. The event was an exploration of how outstanding scholars have leveraged their academic disciplines to further human rights work, and how current students can envision themselves following these pathways in their future academic careers.

Images from the Scholarship and Social Justice Conference above

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Diversity Education Student Leadership Summit What do campus diversity education programs provide students? How can student leaders take action in making campuses more inclusive as student populations diversify? These and other questions were central to the 2023 Diversity Education Student Leadership Summit, hosted in April. Students from Harvard College, Wellesley College, and Bunker Hill Community College gathered in the Phillips Brooks House Parlor Room for a day of training and self-reflection workshops. Harvard Foundation for Intercultural and Race Relations interns, led by Nayleth LopezLopez ‘23 and Karen Torres ‘24, organized this event with the support of Foundation staff and a SOCIAL Challenge grant from the Phillips Brooks House Center for Public Service and Engaged Scholarship. Participants worked together to complete a series of workshops on topics such organizational leadership and personal narrative, and took a campus tour to reflect on the history of Harvard student leadership in higher education. The effort was a forwardthinking initiative that sought to revive the Foundation’s peer-led diversity education work. As we equip more student to lead others in reflection, training, and mutual empowerment, we can envision a more welcoming campus and more fulfilling experience of belonging for Harvard College students at large.

Intersectional Literacy Workshop for First-Year Students Harvard Foundation Interns Bhargavi Garimella ‘23 and LeMonite Hutt ‘26 worked together on developing a First-Year Intersectional Literacy Training that would build on the work of Community Conversations. Its objectives include facilitating a holistic understanding of how identity, intersectionality, and equity play a role in how students navigate their first year at the College; activating critical thinking; prompt self-reflection and changes to interpersonal actions in social and academic life; and bridging the classroom and social spheres. While the workshop is not fully developed, this is a project that diversity education interns will be continuing in the next academic year.

Harvard Foundation Leadership Awards The Harvard Foundation for Intercultural and Race Relations played a vital role in the annual Harvard DSO (Dean of Students Office) Leadership Awards, which celebrate outstanding individuals and student organizations within Harvard College who have demonstrated exceptional leadership and made significant contributions to student life. These individuals and groups have not only shown dedication and excellence but have also actively worked towards improving intercultural and race relations, aligning with the mission and vision of our office. The Leadership Awards ceremony, held on May 1st at the Smith Campus Center, was a momentous occasion that brought together family, friends, senior leaders, and administrators, all united in their support for our exceptional students. This extraordinary event was made possible through the hard work and dedication of the Student Engagement Office, which meticulously organized every aspect of the ceremony.

Pictured above are diversity education student leaders from Harvard College, Wesley College, and Bunker Hill Community College who attended the Diversity Education Student Leadership Summit.

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Social Justice & Engaged Scholarship

We are thrilled to highlight the remarkable achievements of our award recipients, who have left an indelible impact on our campus. The winners of the prestigious Harvard Foundation Insignia Award have been instrumental in improving intercultural and race relations, creating a more inclusive environment, and enhancing the experiences of historically marginalized BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) students at Harvard College.

Pictured above is Insignia Award Winner Ebony Smith '24.

Pictured above is Insignia Award Winner, Marie Ayiah '23

One of our Insignia Award winners is Marie Ayiah, a selfless and compassionate individual who has tirelessly served her community during her time at Harvard. She is passionate about race relations, children's health, and public health. Her commitment to her passions is unwavering- giving freely of her time and effort- and she has led many successful initiatives in these area. Marie was president of the Green Scott Scholars: Harvard's premier soulful mentorship program between Black undergraduate and graduate students. She worked tirelessly to build the success of the organization: she, recruited and paired 41 mentors with 65 mentees and organized events throughout the school year to help the students bond within the cohorts. As director of the Franklin After School Enrichment program, Marie went above and beyond the responsibilities of her position to involve the BIPOC community at Harvard. She organized field trips and created initiatives for students to share their career aspirations and perspectives with schoolchildren. Marie's efforts have had a pervasive and undeniable impact on marginalized communities at Harvard.

We also recognize Ebony Smith, a joint concentrator in Government and African American Studies, and Harvard Foundation Insignia Award recipient. As the Alumnae Representative for the Association of Black Harvard Women, Ebony strengthened the Black woman alumni network and encouraged the alumni to not only give back to the group but to provide valuable insight on career paths for young Black graduates. After being inspired by a GENED course, Power to the People, Ebony created her own newspaper about the Black Liberation Movements and the Black Panthers and published it. Additionally, Ebony has been a Team Leader for the FYRE (First-Year Retreat and Experience) pre-orientation program for 3 years. She often works with low-income, first-generation, Black and Brown students in order to teach them how to navigate college.

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Social Justice & Engaged Scholarship Chidera Ejikeme, recipient of the Harvard Foundation Distinguished Senior Award, has been a passionate advocate for students of color from diverse backgrounds throughout her college career. As co-chair of the Harvard Foundation Student Advisory Committee, Chidera oversaw the allocation of funding to culturally-focused student groups, to ensure they received the support needed to host events for their members. She also played a pivotal role as the public service and inclusivity chair of the Harvard Black Student Association, by creating a welcoming and inclusive environment for Black students on campus. Chidera's work with the Harvard Indigo Peer Counselor, as a mentor for the Mission Hill After School Program and Franklin After School Enrichment, further reflects her commitment to supporting Black and Brown youth.

Pictured above is Elsayed '23

Distinguished Senior Award Winner Salma

For our Distinguished Senior Awards, we recognize Salma Elsayed, whose dedication to improving intercultural and race relations has been evident since her first year at Harvard College. As a Diversity Peer Educator, Salma facilitated dialogues and provided training to student organizations on diversity, inclusion, and belonging. She initiated conversations within the Society of Arab Students and Harvard Islamic Society, addressing anti-Blackness in the Muslim community and fostering inclusion for Arab internationals and the Arab diaspora. Salma's involvement in the Harvard Square Homeless Shelter and her academic pursuits in social studies further exemplify her commitment to fostering equity and social justice.

Pictured above is Distinguished Senior Award Winner Chidera "ChiChi" Ejikeme '23

We extend our heartfelt congratulations to all our award recipients and express our deepest appreciation to the Student Engagement Office for their exceptional efforts in organizing the Leadership Awards ceremony. Their hard work and dedication have played a pivotal role in making this event a resounding success.

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Community Advocacy & Support

Student Advisory Committee

The Harvard Foundation Student Advisory Committee (HFSAC or simply “SAC”) supported a full year of in-person programming and events organized by Harvard College’s registered student cultural and identity-based student organizations. The four-person committee supported student organizations by administering grants obtained through the Student Activity Fee Committee. The HFSAC is one of the student-run grantmaking bodies along with the Harvard Undergraduate Association (HUA), College Events Board (CEB), and House Committees for each Residential Community (HoCos). This year’s HFSAC CoChairs were Abigail Romero ‘23 and Chidera Ejikeme ‘23. Caleb Gordon ‘23 served as Communications Chair, and Jordan Young ‘24 was this year’s Finance Chair. The SAC strives to support its affiliate cultural, identity, or affinity organizations financially and logistically, as well as to generate programming that promotes a culturally interconnected environment at Harvard College. SAC Board Members have established student organizational leaders who are elected by their peers in an annual election. SAC Board defends the ideals of inclusion and engagement with diversity and fosters a space for relationship building and mutual support. This year, the Harvard Foundation Student Advisory Committee returned to a full slate of in-person monthly meetings for organizational members. Initial meetings were held at the Harvard Foundation, but high-interest levels established the need for a larger gathering space. The last several meetings, and the election of the 23-24 SAC Board, occurred at Phillips Brooks House. Below are the organizations that received grant funding from the HFSAC over the past year. We were proud to administer support and show solidarity to events and programs hosted by: Association of Black Harvard Women Bengali Association of Students at Harvard Black Men's Forum Concilio Latino de Harvard College Greener Scott Scholar Mentorship Program Harvard African Students Association Harvard Asian Students Arts Project Harvard Black Students Association Harvard Undergraduate Black Muslim Collective Harvard Caribbean Club Harvard College Pakistani Students Association Harvard College SoulFood Christian

Harvard Undergraduate Black Muslim Collective Harvard Caribbean Club Harvard College Pakistani Students Association Harvard College SoulFood Christian Fellowship Harvard Francophone Society Harvard Islamic Society Harvard Radcliffe Chinese Students Association Harvard Radio Broadcasting Harvard Undergraduate Christian Fellowship Harvard Undergraduate PRIMUS Harvard-Radcliffe RAZA Latinas Unidas de Harvard College Nigerian Students Association Science Club for Girls Society of Arab Students The Harvard Francophone Society The Lavender Room

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Community Advocacy & Support

Undocumented Student Support The Harvard Foundation supported undocumented students at Harvard College through a series of critical engagement points and coordination. In what has become a recent departmental tradition, the Foundation hosted an “Undocumented Student Welcome” in September with cohosting Harvard College's student organization, Act on a Dream (AOD). A targeted email invitation administered by the Harvard Admissions and Financial Aid office alerted students who were most likely to be affected while maintaining their privacy. Others heard about it through grassroots means, word-of-mouth, and communitybuilding outreach work of AOD. This student organization has provided a comforting and empowering space for undergraduate students advocating for immigrant rights and protections for almost two decades. Representatives of Harvard Law School were present to inform students about their work to provide legal representation and social service support to all of the undocumented/DACAmented members of the Harvard community and to assist those who are concerned about falling out of legal status. With the future of DACA held up in the courts and no new developments from Congress, AOD’s focus this year was on providing campus support and recruiting new leaders to direct AOD’s post-pandemic work. The Harvard Foundation opened its doors for weekly Sunday brunch meetings, as well as special community-building efforts such as the “First-Gen and Immigrant Rights” workshop during First-Gen Visibility Week, an open narrative event titled “Our Stories” cosponsored by the Harvard Immigration Initiative, and a workshop on climate migration as part of Intersectional Earth Week. The Harvard Foundation also provided specialized support for undocumented students through the coordination of the Undocumented Students Working Group, a network of staff in critical student service roles that act as a source of support in navigating unique institutional and legal situations that students might face.

First-Generation, Low-Income Student Welcome

In partnership with Primus, the Harvard Foundation hosted the inaugural FirstGeneration, Low-Income (FGLI) Student Welcome on Saturday, September 24 in Memorial Church. We welcomed over 100 Harvard College first-year students who identified as first-generation and/or lowincome students. Featured performers included Mariachi Veritas de Harvard and Onovughakpor Ottigbe-Dangerfield, and speakers included student leaders, Laila Nasher ‘25 and Janna Ramadan ‘23, professor Dr. Americo Mendoza-Mori, and then-Vice President, now-President of the First-Generation Harvard Alumni, Harold Lewis ‘95. Former Sweden Prime Minister, Stefan Lofven served as the keynote speaker for the event. Attendees told The Crimson that the ceremony reinforced a sense of belonging,

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Community Advocacy & Support

Attendees told The Crimson that the ceremony reinforced a sense of belonging, with one attendee stating, “I know everybody feels that we don’t belong here— or at least that’s how I feel sometimes— but I think these types of events and types of community building that PRIMUS and other organizations here at Harvard create really make a person like me and other students feel at home and feel that we belong here.” Pictured above is Harvard Foundation intern Santy Mendoza '23 serving as host for Familia Feud.

Latino Pioneers in Boston

Pictured above is a snapshot of the FGLI Student Welcome from Memorial Church

Heritage Month & Identity Recognitions

To celebrate and raise awareness of historically marginalized communities, the Harvard Foundation coordinated programming efforts and visibility campaigns for several history and heritage months and identity recognition days, which included Latinx/Hispanic Heritage Month, Native American Heritage Month, National First-Generation Day of Celebration, Lunar New Year, Black History Month, Women’s History Month, Arab American Heritage Month, and Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month.

Latinx Heritage Month Familia Feud Harvard Foundation intern Santy Mendoza ‘23 partnered with Raza, Fuerza Latina, and Latinas Unidas to coordinate Familia Feud, an event based on the popular television game show Family Feud. The event took place on October 13th in the Harvard Foundation Lounge, where students competed in four different teams to test their general knowledge on Latinx culture and answer survey-based questions on popular Latinx cultural topics, such as “Name a popular Latinx music artist.” Around 30 students joined the event and ate delicious food from La Neta Taqueria, and the winners received a free dinner for their team.

In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, the Harvard Foundation partnered with Phillips Brooks House Association; the Department of Romance Languages; The FAS Committee on Ethnicity, Migration, & Rights; and Fuerza Latina to hold a documentary screening of “Latino Pioneers in Boston''––a tribute to the unheard voices of the Latin American community who with “mucho sudor (lots of sweat)” paved the way for the next generations. The file uses print and exhibition to follow the journeys of eight leaders: Antonio Molina, Alfredo de Jesus, Maria Sanchez, Carmen Pola, Alberto Vassallo, Frieda Garcia, Jaime Rodriguez, and Regla Gonzalez. The documentary was followed by a fireside conversation with documentary maker, Blanca Bonilla and Latino Pioneers: Tony Molina, Frieda Garcia, and Regla Gonzalez. There was also a reception afterward for students, staff, faculty, alumni, and community members to connect and eat delicious food. The event was well attended and impactful for those present. Ultimately, this event was an example of the Foundation’s strategic areas of community, advocacy, support, academic inclusion, engagement, and success. It effectively brought together different organizations on campus, including two different academic departments to collaborate on planning the event. Once it was planned, it connected not only members of the Harvard community but also members of the broader community to the Smith Campus Center––a building open not only to Harvard students and faculty but also to community members and visitors.

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Community Advocacy & Support Chickasaw Stickball Game

Pictured above are Associate Director Matias Ramos and former Program Coordinator (Current Women's Center Assistant Director) Alejandro Rincon on the stage at Latino Pioneers in Boston.

Native American Heritage Month Student Highlights

We also celebrated Chickasaw culture with a game of Stickball or Itti' kapochcha to'li' in Chickasaw taught by Joel Chastain, Chickasaw Tribal member, and MIT MBA candidate. The game lacrosse originates from Stickball, we played with a traditional stick that Chastain had hand-crafted, and the goal of the game was to hit the blue fish on top of a tall pole by scooping up the ball in the net of the stick and flinging it at the goal while your opponents tried to block your aim. The game of stickball was held on the quad lawn where a few Indigenous students and those who passed by joined in on the fun! Native American heritage month this year was a beautiful celebration of the Indigenous cultures represented on campus.

Harvard has a vibrant Indigenous student population, so to celebrate their identities we put together a series of insightful interviews where Indigenous students shared their experiences on campus. The Native American students we interviewed were: Kylie Huntsinwinter, Lena Tinker, Sophia Madrigal, Olivia Madrigal, Lakota James, and Ames Chalan. In Lakota's interview, a member of the Chickasaw Nation, shared a proverb from his tribe “We are the unconquered and unconquerable.” Lakota expressed that being a Native American student at Harvard can be hard but when he faces these challenges, he can always lean back on this proverb that highlights the strength of his tribe. This Chickasaw proverb represents Indigenous resistance to a legacy of colonialism, and many Indigenous students on campus can find strength as they face similar challenges on campus.

Lunar New Year Solidarity and Celebration Amidst Loss Candle Light Vigil & Solidarity Space

Top (Left to Right): Lakota James '26, Amy Chalan '23, Isabella Madrigal '24, Bottom (Left to Right): Lena Tinker '25, Sophia Madrigal '26, Kylie Huntsinwinter '25

In light of the shootings that occurred in California during the Lunar New Year celebrations, the Harvard Foundation partnered with proctors, Senior administrators, Counseling and Mental Health Services (CAMHS), and the Harvard Chaplains to host our Solidarity and Celebration Amidst Loss event on January 26, 2023. Dozens attended our Candlelight Vigil in front of the John Harvard Statue to honor the lives lost in the shootings, and many of the attendees joined us for a Community Solidarity Space in the Harvard Foundation to have an open dialogue that allowed folks to reflect and process the recent events.

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Community Advocacy & Support

lives lost in the shootings, and many of the attendees joined us for a Community Solidarity Space in the Harvard Foundation to have an open dialogue that allowed folks to reflect and process the recent events.

Black History Month Hella Black Trivia To celebrate Black History Month, the Harvard Foundation partnered with Black Community Leaders and the Black Students Assocation to host Hella Black Trivia on the evening of February 17th at Cambridge Queen’s Head with Quiz Master Jeff Rogers. Dozens of students competed in several teams answering several questions related to Black culture, such as naming African countries and Will Smith movies. The top three teams won prizes, such as Harvard Foundation water bottles, a free dinner, and the top prize of seats at the Cultural Rhythms Artist Luncheon.

Pictured above is a snapshot of the Candlelight Vigil with Weld House Proctor Catherine Huang on the microphone.

Pictured above is Trivia Master Jeff Rogers on the stage at the Harvard Foundation's Hella Black Trivia event.

Pictured above is a snapshot of the Solidarity Space at the Harvard Foundation. Associate Director Matias Ramos and Senior Director Sade Abraham are seen giving remarks and setting the tone of the event.

Tet Celebration

As part of the festivities for Lunar New Year, the Harvard Foundation partnered with the Harvard Vietnamese Association to host the Vietnamese New Year Tet Celebration on the evening of January 26, 2023 at Lowell House. Dozens of students were able to learn more about and celebrate Vietnamese culture with delicious food from Banh Mi Ba Le, games, and traditional Vietnamese music.

Pictured above is a group of Vietnamese students in traditional clothing at the Tet Celebration.

Exploring Afro-Latinidad Diversity Dialogue

In partnership with Concilio Latino, Dominican Students Association, Fuerza Latina, and the Carribean Club, Harvard Foundation intern Mariana Haro ‘23 facilitated a diversity dialogue on “Exploring Afro-Latinidad” to discuss the representation and inclusion of Blackness in the Latine diaspora and experience. Hosted on February 28th in the Harvard Foundation Lounge, dozens of students attended the dialogue and addressed questions about who is included and excluded from the narrative of Latinidad, why Blackness is often excluded from the Latine identity, and how to have a more inclusive Latine community at Harvard.

Pictured above is a snapshot of students at the Exploring AfroLatinidad Diversity Dialogue.

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Community Advocacy & Support

Posters

Harvard Foundation intern, Santy Mendoza ‘23 created several posters and sharable digital content that highlighted several Black artists and historical figures, which included actresses Zoe Saldana and Lupita Nyong’o, singer Celia Cruz, former astronaut Mae Jemison, and Mexican War of Independence movement leader Jose Maria Morelos.

Pictured above is a snapshot of the Big Girls Talk: Size and Sexuality Diversity Dialogue with guest speaker Samyra Miller '22 highlighted on the screen.

Arab American Heritage Month Posters

Women's History Month Big Girls Talk: Size and Sexuality Diversity Dialogue

As part of Women’s Week, Harvard Foundation intern Isabela Gonzalez-Lawand partnered with the Harvard College Women’s Center to host a diversity dialogue entitled “Big Girls Talk: Size and Sexuality.” Hosted on March 2, 2023 in the Harvard Foundation Lounge, the dialogue explored the experiences of plus size women on campus and their journey’s of exploring their sexuality. Harvard alumna Samyra Miller ‘21, who has a massive following on social media with 1.6 million Tik Tok followers, virtually joined over a dozen students to share her previous experiences as a plus-size student at Harvard and cited that she wished these types of spaces existed when she was a student.

To highlight the achievements and contributions of Arab Americans, Harvard Foundation intern Mariano Haro ‘23 created several posters and sharable content in honor of Arab American Heritage Month. Those highlighted included Rashida Tlaib, the first Palestianian American to serve in congress, Paula Abdul, a Grammy- and Emmy-winning singer and choreographer, Rami Malek, an Oscar- and Emmy-winning actor, Mona Hana-Atisha, a pediatrician and professor who was a key player in raising national awareness on the Flint Water Crisis, and Dr. Farouk el-Baz, an Egyptian geologist who helped plan all of the Apollo moon landings and pioneered the use of space photography to study the Earth.

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Community Advocacy & Support

Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month Posters For Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, the Harvard Foundation created several posters and sharable content to honor the achievements and contributions of members of this community. Those highlighted included Michelle Yeoh, who became the first Asian actress to win the Oscar for Best Actress, Larry Itliong, a FilipinoAmerican labor organizer and civil rights activist who played a central role in the founding of the United Farm Workers Union, Grace Lee Boggs, a Chinese-American activist best known for her work in Black Power advocacy, and Fred Korematsu, a Japanese-American civil rights activist who resisted the internment of Japanese Americans in World War II.

The MMIW-P Dialogue was hosted by three members of Natives at Harvard College (NaHC), Kyile Huntsinwinter, Dakota Daghnhart, and Lena Tinker, along with Foundation intern and NaHC member, LeMonie Hutt. This is the first event in a very long time that the Harvard Foundation has done to honor Missing and Murdered Indigenous People, it was a great experience to have students recognize this very intimate issue in a safe space.

Top Picture: The organizers of the MMIP Remembrance Day, including Harvard Foundation Intern, LeMonie Hutt '26 and student leaders from the Indigenous community at Harvard. Bottom Picture: A snapshot of the diversity dialogue at the Harvard Foundation lounge.

Missing & Murdered Indigenous Women and Peoples Remembrance Day Dialogue In honor of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Peoples (MMIW-P) Remembrance Day on May 5th, the Harvard Foundation hosted a dialogue Indigenous people being disproportionately affected by sexual harassment, sex trafficking, rape, and homicide. The dialogue sparked a greater understanding of the issue and provided a space for the Indigenous students to share how they have been impacted by MMIW-P. MMIP Dialogue was hosted by three members of Natives at Harvard College (NaHC), Kyile Huntsinwinter, Dakota Daghnhart, and Lena Tinker, along with Foundation intern and

Alumni Database This Spring semester, the Community Outreach team interns, Leslie Arroyo, Isabela Gonzalez-Lawand, and Cody Chou, worked on compiling an alumni database for the Harvard Foundation. After the passing of Dr. Counter in 2017, the merger between Diversity Peer Educators and the Harvard Foundation interns, and the introduction of new staff and interns, the Community Outreach team realized the importance of building institutional memory. Institutional memory is important for the Foundation as it allows the interns and staff to learn from the past and work towards new initiatives to continue building on our mission. In addition to institutional memory, the interns are excited

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Community Advocacy & Support

interns and staff to learn from the past and work towards new initiatives to continue building on our mission. In addition to institutional memory, the interns are excited to create networking and mentoring opportunities through this database. To compile the alumni database, the Community Outreach interns turned to the Harvard Foundation past journals and recorded the names of past interns and Student Advisory Committee (SAC) board members. From here, the interns worked on collecting the email addresses of these interns and SAC board members. In the end, the interns collected 132 past interns and SAC board members. Now, the interns are completing the first outreach email which will invite all HF alumni to join our alumni database. By joining the database, alumni will opt in to receive monthly newsletters which provide the following opportunities: 1. Engagement opportunities with the Foundation, such as an invitation to a panel with current interns and staff 2. Information on current events at the Foundation 3. Information from alumni, which may include featured stories, advice, or professional opportunities for current and past interns

Pictured above is Harvard Foundation intern Leslie Arroyo '23, now alumna of Harvard College, who spearheaded the alumni database.

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Holistic Wellness

Social Events Jordan Peele Movie Marathon

Since Oscar-winning Director Jordan Peele is known for his psychological horror and satirical films that address issues of race relations, Harvard Foundation intern, Jett Strayhorn ‘25 honored his impressive impact on the film industry by coordinating a Jordan Peele Movie Marathon on Halloween Night in the Harvard Foundation Lounge. Students stopped by to grab candies from around the world and watch his three films: Get Out, Us, and Nope.

attendees at halftime, and encouraged them to get involved in the advocacy for worker protections and rights in FIFA-related construction projects. As the games went on, students continued to use the Harvard Foundation as a gathering place to witness athletic excellence, engage in friendly debate, and ponder on the social impact that sports can bring to the communities to which we belong.

Pictured above is a group of students who attended the World Cup Opening Match Watch Party.

Intern Trainings

World Cup Opening Match Watch Party The Harvard Foundation office was abuzz with love and passion for the beautiful game of soccer on Sunday, November 18. In a social community event organized by Harvard Foundation interns, about 50 attendees gathered in our lounge to watch the opening game of the 2022 FIFA World Cup between Ecuador and Qatar. For many, it was the culmination for a sports-filled weekend, which also included the return of the Harvard-Yale football game to Cambridge after a long hiatus. Students enjoyed bagels, donuts, refreshments, coffee, and cultural treats as they debated who was going to come out on top after the month-long tournament. But the event also provided an opportunity to engage in critical dialogue and learn through different perspectives: a group of student activists, inspired by the calls for justice for World Cup migrant workers, presented to attendees at halftime, and encouraged them to get involved in the advocacy for worker protections and rights in FIFA-related construction projects. As the games went on,

Every Wednesday in the Fall semester, Harvard Foundation interns participated in mandatory intern trainings as a way to develop interns as leaders and equip them with the tools to better navigate equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging work at Harvard. These topics included: Public Narrative: Leadership, Storytelling, and Action Intersectionality: Power, Privilege, and Oppression Facilitating Diversity Dialogues Trauma Informed-Practice facilitated by the Office of Gender Equity Mindful of Race with Center for Wellness instructor, Abraham Dejene Wellness and Somatic Responses with Bok Center Assistant Director Ashlie Sandoval Strategic Organizing with Trotter Collaborative for Social Justice Staff Director Devon Crawford Disability Justice with University Disability Resources staff Indigeneity with professors Dr. Americo Mendoza-Mori and Dr. Jorge Sanchez Cruz.

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Holistic Wellness Visitas: EDI Unit Ice Cream Truck

Pictured above is our Harvard Foundation interns and staff with Trotter Collaborative for Social Justice Staff Director Devon Crawford after his facilitation on Strategic Organizing.

Mindfulness for Self-Care and Flourishing Workshop As part of the weeklong programming for First-Generation Visibility Week, the Harvard Foundation partnered with the Center for Wellness to facilitate an experiential session on November 7 that gave students an opportunity to practice mindfulness through brief guided meditations for resting the mind, restoring the body, and finding greater connection to their authentic selves. Laura Arena, a first-generation college graduate herself, facilitated this session and emphasized that mindfulness can help firstgeneration students better navigate the many stressors they encounter while staying connected to a deeper peace.

As part of a joint effort hosted by the Harvard BGLTQ Office, the Harvard Foundation along with the Harvard Women’s Center rented an ice cream truck during Visitas and gave away ice cream to students while engaging in information about the EDI offices and their partners. Students had the opportunity to discuss program initiatives as well as ask interns and staff about internship opportunities for the Fall semester and events that each office hosts. This event occurred on Monday, April 24 at Thayer Hall in front of the BGLTQ Office. Several staff from the EDI units along with their interns and Dean Alta Mauro stopped by to help in this joint event for the community.

Pictured above is a snapshot of the Ice Cream Truck next to the EDI offices who tabled: The Harvard Foundation for Intercultural and Race Relations, Harvard College Women's Center, and Office of BGLTQ Student Life.

A Spring Restorative Foundation Friday A mid-to-end semester event in the Fall and Spring semester of 2023 that the Harvard Foundation put on for the Undergraduate students and college staff celebrating progress and wellness in the community. Staff hosted catering from local restaurants as well as activities centered around wellness and restoration such as painting, video games, volleyball in the Harvard Yard, photo booths, karaoke and more. The event provided an opportunity for all members to engage with each other while celebrating the end of semester.

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Holistic Wellness

Faculty of Arts and Sciences Dean's Distinction Harvard Foundation staff is honored to have been awarded the 2023 Dean’s Distinction Award. This award is the highest honor bestowed upon staff and recognizes employees for their hard work and skillful collaboration that have delivered results for the academic community of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences (FAS). We are proud to have been one of two teams to receive the Team Dean’s Distinction.

In receiving this recognition, our team extends our gratitude to our families, friends, campus partners, and the AMAZING Harvard Foundation intern cohort!

“2022 witnessed the renaissance of the Harvard Foundation for Intercultural and Race Relations. The completely new team has reinvigorated DEIB work with a renewed spirit and set a progressive tone for affirming and supporting historically marginalized students. The Foundation has revived languishing partnerships, boosted the College’s capacity, and launched timely new initiatives, all toward honoring the unit’s storied history and traditions.” - Alta Mauro

Pictured above (left to right) are former Program Coordinator (and current Assistant Director) Alejandra Rincon, Administrative Coordinator Hugo Cardona, Assistant Director for Student Programming Marvin Baclig, Edgerly Family Dean of the Harvard Faculty of Arts and Sciences & Harvard University President-Elect Claudine Gay, Harvard Foundation Senior Director Sade Abraham, and Associate Director Matias Ramos.

Meet the 2022-2023 Harvard Foundation Team Sade Abraham Senior Director

Matias Ramos Associate Director

Marvin Baclig Assistant Director

Hugo Cardona Administrative Coordinator

Harvard Foundation Interns Student Advisory Committee Bhargavi Garimella '23 (SAC) Board: Cindy Phan '24 Abigail Romero '23 Cody Chou '25 Chidera Ojikeme '23 Hayat Hassan '25 Caleb Gordon '23 Isabela Gonzalez-Lawand '26 Jordan Young '25 Jetta Strayhorn '25 Karen Torres '24 Kyla Golding '24 LeMonie Hutt '26 Leslie Arroyo '23 Mariana Haro '23 Nayleth Lopez-Lopez '23 Tiffany Onyeiwu '25