Diversity & Inclusion

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Human Rights Film Festival Shows the Faces of Injustice

The unflinching demand for justice drives the moving images and impassioned ideas packed into the agenda of this year’s UC Merced Human Rights Film Festival, presented by the university’s Global Arts, Media & Writing Studies department.

Project Positions W.E.B. Du Bois as Inspiration for STEM Students

Editor's note: In honor of Black History Month, the UC Merced newsroom is highlighting some of the organizations, services and people who serve or represent the Black community on campus.

We all need heroes.

Perhaps that was on Roy Wilkins’ mind as he faced the sea of humanity – 250,000 strong – on a warm August afternoon in 1963. At the podium on the Lincoln Memorial, the executive secretary of the NAACP stood to inspire the throng gathered for the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom.

Groundbreaking Sorority Hosts Black History Month Celebration

Editor's note: In honor of Black History Month, the UC Merced newsroom is highlighting some of the organizations, services and people who serve or represent the Black community on campus.

Three months ago, UC Merced welcomed its first historically African-American international sorority. On Saturday afternoon, the Phi Alpha chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., will open the doors of the California Room for an inaugural Black History Month Celebration.

AFRO Hall Students Find Community, Support and Success

Editor's note: In honor of Black History Month, the UC Merced newsroom is highlighting some of the organizations, services and people who serve or represent the Black community on campus.

Like many first-year students, Layla Muhammed stumbled a bit at the beginning of her journey at UC Merced.

But one of the most surprising things she learned was how much other people cared and would help her.

1300 Campaign Continues to Lift up Young Men of Color to Pursue Higher Education

Editor's note: In honor of Black History Month, the UC Merced newsroom is highlighting some of the organizations, services and people who serve or represent the Black community on campus.

For many aspiring college students, it can be hard to picture themselves attending a four-year university, especially when they will be the first in their family to attend. UC Merced's partnership with The 1300 Campaign is giving local young men of color a first-hand experience of what being a student at UC Merced might feel like for themselves - from the dorm room to the research lab.

Black Alliance at UC Merced Growing, Serving and Advocating

Editor's note: In honor of Black History Month, the UC Merced newsroom is highlighting some of the organizations, services and people who serve or represent the Black community on campus.

An organization that was created in a time of tragedy and crisis has been a force for good for UC Merced's Black community.

Wang Curates New Traveling Exhibition of Three Trailblazing Japanese American Women

A new art exhibition curated by Professor ShiPu Wang is reintroducing the diverse art of three California painters to a national audience by bringing representative works from each together for the first time.

Pictures of Belonging: Miki Hayakawa, Hisako Hibi, and Miné Okubo” will travel to five museums across the country, including a nine-month display at the Smithsonian American Art Museum.

Students From Nine UC Campus Will Be Represented at Student of Color Conference Hosted by UC Merced

Hundreds of students representing all nine University of California undergraduate campuses will descend upon Merced this weekend for the annual Student of Color Conference.

The conference is sponsored by the University of California Student Association (UCSA) - the official voice of students from across the UC system. Organizers say the conference's mission is for students of color to come together and share their experiences to better identify targeted advocacy among different identity groups.

2023: A Look Back

2023 was a remarkable year in which UC Merced experienced tremendous growth and acclaim. Several milestones were reached, setting up the university to continue thriving in the near future and beyond. As we embark on a new year, here's a look back at the stories that shaped 2023.

New Collaborations Designed to Increase Access to Data Science for All Students

UC Merced is part of several new initiatives aimed at increasing the accessibility and inclusivity of data science studies and opening new opportunities for historically underserved students after graduation.

New grants from the National Science Foundation (NSF), the Department of Energy (DOE) and the California Learning Lab are funding collaborations with a sister campus and several community colleges as well as the Joint Genome Institute (JGI) to accomplish these goals.