Thank you for stopping by to learn more about the Coalition for Multicultural Affairs. Take some time to look through our content and don’t hesitate to share how you’d like to get involved. Use the menu below to jump to a section of interest.
Please contact us at cma@acpa.nche.edu or connect with the members of our Directorate Body with questions or ideas.
Who we are
The Coalition for Multicultural Affairs (CMA) is one of seven different coalitions within the American College Personnel Association (ACPA). Specifically, CMA is composed of four singular Networks: (1) Asian Pacific American, (2) Latin@/x, (3) Multiracial, and (4) Pan African. All four Networks work collectively to promote diversity within ACPA. CMA is a nationally visible and action-oriented group that addresses the changing cultural dynamics within higher education institutions and works to create multicultural strategies and solutions.
purpose & mission
core values
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Celebration: Celebrating accomplishments of individuals and groups from historically marginalized racial, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds within ACPA and higher education;
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Advocacy: Being proactive and responsive in addressing issues and concerns that impact our constituencies;
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Respect: Deepening consciousness of the history of individuals and groups from historically marginalized racial, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds while honoring the multiple identities that exist within our communities;
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Education: Raising awareness and engage professionals within ACPA and higher education about multicultural education and the concerns of individuals and groups from historically marginalized racial, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds;
- Support: Providing support that centers on inclusion and understanding to members of ACPA and within the higher education community.
Meet the Leadership
Monique C. Atherley, Ed.D.
Coalition Chair
William Hsu
Asian Pacific American Network (APAN)
Past Chair
Juna Matsuda-Johnson
Multiracial and Transracial Adoptee Network (MTAN)
Chair
Dr. Brandon Johnson
Pan African Network (PAN)
Immediate Past Chair
Samantha Thornton
Asian Pacific American Network (APAN)
Co-Chair (2024-2026)
Dr. Karla Silva
Latinx Network (LN)
Chair
LaSabra Williams
Pan African Network (PAN)
Chair
Dr. Nicholas Wright
ACPA Racial Justice Strategies Chair
Xavier-Thomas Mendoza
Asian Pacific American Network (APAN)
Co-Chair (2025-2027)
Dr. Stephen Santa-Ramirez
Latinx Network (LN)
Co-Chair
Brian Armstrong-Wright
Pan African Network (PAN)
Chair-Elect
Get Involved
Become a member of the Coalition for Multicultural Affairs! Actively participate in opportunities that provide resources and support to members, both personally and professionally, with care, respect, and encouragement.
UPDATE COMING SOON!
Ready to join?
Joining an Entity through the ACPA Member Portal automatically identifies you as a member of that Entity! You will begin to receive Entity communications through their respective email listserv and have access to any resources they share!
- Login to your ACPA Member Account
- Click on Community Groups (Chatter)
- Click Groups
- Click Active Groups
- Find the entity you want to join and within that group, click +Join
Contact cma@acpa.nche.edu for more information or to ask any questions about getting involved!
Any ACPA member can become involved and there are varying levels of involvement:
- Attend our open business meeting at the annual ACPA convention
- Review conference programs for the annual convention
- Submit a sponsored program proposal for the annual convention
- Host a webinar
- Submit a proposal for a paper to be published on our website
CMA Awards
Each year the Coalition for Multicultural Affairs (CMA) presents awards to professionals that have demonstrated success in their area of expertise and whose work is in alignment with the core values of CMA.
This award recognizes a professional who has significant contributions to multicultural education and research. The recipient of this award demonstrated the ability to educate Student Affairs professionals within ACPA about the issues and concerns of people of color in higher education and has successfully contributed innovative approaches to support the evolving cultural dynamics within higher education. Additionally, the recipient will have contributed to Student Affairs and multicultural education through research.
PRESERVATION OF COMMUNITY AWARD (NEW)
Preservation is defined as the activity or process of keeping something valued alive, intact, or free from damage or decay. The movement of Preserving refers to keeping something safe from harm or loss to maintain its original state or intended significance. If there is anything that has been learned during these times of Civil Rights 2.0, it’s that WE have to be the vehicles and vessels to preserve our legacies and take care of our own. This award recognizes colleagues who have taken great efforts to ensure that the essence of who we are is not watered down, white-washed, or completely erased. We want to give honor to the energy, diligence, sacrifice, and brilliance exhibited; especially noting the costs of maintaining and guiding our communities through moments of significant challenge and vast insecurity.
cma News & Updates
No Longer My Ministry: The State of Black Women in Academia Webinar Recording
"No Longer My Ministry: The State of Black Women in Academia" Webinar Recording (February 15, 2024) Scholar and feminist bell hooks noted, “Choosing wellness is an act of political resistance.” This webinar explores the current experiences of Black women in academia....
Resources from CMA
Asian Pacific American Educational Resources Asian American Studies Center (UCLA) Asian Studies WWW Virtual Library Center for Pacific Islands Studies (University of Hawaii) East - West Center Higher Education in the United States: An Encyclopedia (order form)...
Pan African Network Committees
Awards Recognizes individuals working within the student affairs profession who are committed to supporting the needs of students and professionals of Pan African descent. Awards honor those who have excelled in the areas of citizenship, innovation, advocacy,...
PAN Newsletters & Podcasts
ACPA 2023 Convention Newsletter May 2019 Newsletter May 2019 Podcast - Apple May 2019 Podcast - SoundCloud April 2019 Newsletter April 2019 Podcast - Apple April 2019 Podcast - SoundCloud Feburary 2019 Newsletter February 2019 Podcast - Apple Feburary 2019 Podcast -...
APAN Scholarship, Research, and Advocacy
Scholarship, Research, and Advocacy As higher education professionals, APAN is of course passionate about education. APAN's research, scholarship, and advocacy efforts focus on: Gathering and distributing information about APIDA-related issues, major incidents, and...
Networking in APAN
Network Socials (Regional & Convention) Community and relationship-building is a central component to APAN’s activities. To facilitate connections between members, APAN organizes socials and gatherings to bring people together, whether at Convention each spring or...
Asian Pacific Islander Desi Americans (APIDA) in Higher Education Database
APAN maintains a database of APIDA professionals in higher education. This is a public database that is distributed amongst our APAN members to help facilitate the networking of APIDA professionals based on region, areas of interest, positions, and more. To add...
2020 APAN Award Nominations are open!
Asian Pacific American Network (APAN) is now seeking nominations for our annual awards, which recognize members of ACPA who have contributed significantly to the Asian Pacific Islander Desi American (APIDA) community within student affairs and higher education. As you...
upcoming events
Anchored at Convention: Coalitions & Networks ACPA26 Virtual Preview
Join us for a pre-convention virtual social with ACPA's Coalitions and Networks, which foster mentoring, advance scholarship, and build community across roles and identities. This session offers a preview of what to expect from the Coalitions and Networks at the ACPA26 Annual Convention in Baltimore, Maryland. Participants will connect directly with Coalition and Network leaders to learn about upcoming socials, sponsored programs, and open business meetings. Attendees will also be entered into a giveaway raffle for a chance to win books during the session.