Center for Racial Justice and Inclusive Excellence (CRJIE)

​​​​​​The Center for Racial Justice and Inclusive Excellence (CRJIE – pronounced “Surge-y”) is a space of belonging for all members of the SUNY Oneonta community. Operating under the Office of Equity and Inclusion (OEI), CRJIE sponsors a variety of education programs, social events, and community-building activities. The center aims to teach, foster, and celebrate the diversity of the campus by advancing equity, inclusion, and social justice throughout the community.

Located in Lee Hall, CRJIE is intended as a place where students and employees will be welcomed, protected, and supported. It is a popular place to network and socialize. The center features a study lounge equipped with computers, a dry-erase board, a printer, and television. Whether students are engaged in a study group or studying independently, students are encouraged to work at their own pace. The Freedom Room is equipped with a computer and projector and is used for various programs and meetings. The Great Room hosts larger events with community leaders, political/public figures, and nationally recognized scholars. The Freedom Room and Great Room, as well as a kitchen area, can be reserved by students for events, meetings, and rehearsals. For more information about CRJIE, please email CRJIE Faculty Director Dr. Sallie Han (Sallie.Han@oneonta.edu) or CRJIE Associate Director Dr. Van Havercome (Van.Havercome@oneonta.edu).

For announcements and information about current and upcoming CRJIE events during the academic year, please visit the CRJIE Campus Connection page or follow us on Instagram.

CRJIE partners with academic departments, student clubs, campus offices, and community organizations to co-sponsor guest lectures, roundtables, films, and literary and artistic performances that are free and open to campus and community members. The center organizes and co-sponsors events in observance of heritage and history months such as Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15-October 15), Indigenous People’s Day (in October) and Native American Heritage Month (November), Martin Luther King, Jr. Day (in January) and Black History Month (February), and Women’s History Month (March). Recent programs also include a Day of Remembrance marking the anniversary of the internment of Japanese Americans during World War 2 and a celebration of International Mother Language Day.

CRJIE welcomes new and continuing partnerships on campus and in the larger community. Please email CRJIE Faculty Director Dr. Sallie Han (Sallie.Han@oneonta.edu) or CRJIE Associate Director Dr. Van Havercome (Van.Havercome@oneonta.edu).

Operating under the umbrella of the Office of Equity and Inclusion, CRJIE offers students with opportunities for support and development, including:

• Student work opportunities
• Credit-bearing internships
• Multicultural Club Council
• Student Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Council (SDEIC)
• Student Diversity Leadership Conference
• Annual Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Social Justice Workshops and Trainings
• Faculty–in-Residence Programs
• Mini grants for campus community members to sponsor and facilitate programs related to DEI, Social Justice, Community Building and Belonging, Health and Well-being, Trauma and Self-Care

The Kente Graduation ceremony recognizes and celebrates the diversity of all graduating seniors and their contributions to the values of diversity, equity, inclusion, and social justice. The ceremony, held every spring, provides a platform to acknowledge the personal journeys and academic achievements of the graduates, notably their determination and resilience to persist, excel, and graduate.

Class of 2026, please save the date for April 23, 2026. An invitation to Kente Graduation, including links for registration, will be available here in early spring 2026. For more information about Kente, please email the co-chairs of the Kente Planning Committee (2025-2026): Dr. Van Havercome (Van.Havercome@oneonta.edu) and Dr. Penina Kamina (Penina.Kamina@oneonta.edu).

At the ceremony, each graduate receives a Kente cloth to wear at commencement. The donning of the Kente stole celebrates excellence, achievement, overcoming adversity, and prestige.

What the Kente stole represents: The Kente cloth is a traditional African cloth – the colors and design hold a specific meaning. It is the most popular and best known of all African textiles. Originally, royalty exclusively wore Kente, but since Ghana’s independence from Britain in 1957, Kente has become a symbol of national pride. The Kente cloth has also become an important symbol for African Americans and their allies to highlight their achievements and connection to the first learning centers of the world in Africa.

Kente Awards

Every year, graduates are recognized for creating and supporting inclusive excellence at SUNY Oneonta.

• Ida B. Wells/Dolores Huerta Civil Rights Advocacy Award
  Courageous advocacy of equality and civil rights.
  2025 recipient: Diandra Sangeti-Daniels
• Oprah Winfrey/Mumia Abu-Jamal Leadership & Courage Award
  Motivates others to action and demonstrates courage and speaks out in the face of opposition.
  2025 recipient: Quadir Noel
• Nuyorican Poets/Guerilla Girls New Direction Award
  Creates new avenues and space of expression and awareness.
  2025 recipient: Spirit Alves
• Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz/Booker T. Washington Higher Learning Award
  Embraces higher education to its fullest and sets examples for others.
  2025 recipient: Emily Ceballos
• Rigoberta Menchu Indigenous Languages Advocacy Award
  Community engagement and advocacy of linguistic, ethnic, and racial diversity.
  2025 recipient: Yesenia Perez
• Mariama Ba African Feminist Literature Award
  Engagement with intersectionality in the quest for liberation and creative expression.
  2025 recipient: Kiara Payne
• Mae Jemison/Percy Julian Exploration Award
  School of Social Sciences student excelling in science, technology, or science education.
  2025 recipient: Arman Yasin
• Dr. Ralph R Watkins Scholar Award
  School of Liberal Arts and Business student who excels academically, shows a passion for their work, and an intellectual curiosity.
  2025 recipient: Delielah Tinsley
• Pura Belpre/Ann Lowe/Bill Russell Multicultural Award
  School of Education, Human Ecology, and Sports Management student who has shown a desire to engage marginalized populations and expand their understanding of the global society.
  2025 recipient: Daniela “Dani” Suarez
• Georgianna Simpson Award
  The Georgiana Simpson Graduate Studies Award is awarded to a student whose scholarship represents their devotion to personal development and their mission to broaden their professional horizons.
  2025 recipient: Fernando Trejo

The CRJIE logo was designed by Kelsey Etienne, a student majoring in business administration and digital and studio art who graduated in 2023. She describes the design in this statement:

"The mission of CRJIE is to provide a safe space for students on campus and the broader public. The crescent shapes are dynamic elements that depict a sense of movement to form a circle. This visual represents unity and wholeness. The main four muted colors were chosen to make the target audience feel welcomed.

• Purple represents justice, royalty, and spirituality.
• Orange represents freedom, optimism, and youth.
• Turquoise represents wisdom, tranquility, and protection.
• Brown represents resilience, dependability, and safety. "