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
Samantha Thornton
Asian Pacific American Network (APAN)
Past Chair (2024-2026)
Dr. Karla Silva
Latinx Network (LN)
Past Chair
J Ravancho
Multiracial and Transracial Adoptee Network (MTAN)
Chair-Elect
LaSabra Williams
Pan African Network (PAN)
Immediate Past Chair
Xavier-Thomas Mendoza
Asian Pacific American Network (APAN)
Chair (2025-2027)
Enrique Robles
Latinx Network (LN)
Co-Chair
Dr. Stephen Santa-Ramirez
Latinx Network (LN)
Past Chair
Dr. Brian Armstrong-Wright
Pan African Network (PAN)
Chair
Dr. Nicholas Wright
ACPA Racial Justice Strategies Chair
Shannon Sy
Asian Pacific American Network (APAN)
Co-Chair (2025-2028)
Mercedes Diaz
Latinx Network (LN)
Co-Chair
Juna Matsuda-Johnson
Multiracial and Transracial Adoptee Network (MTAN)
Chair
Dr. Jewel Bourne
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.
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
If you are seeking to give back to the community, we are also looking for willing hands and hears to serve and preserve this work!
Detailed Position Descriptions are located here:
CMA 2026-2027 Position Descriptions
The leadership application is located here: https://bit.ly/CMALeadApp2627
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.
Specifically, our CMA value of CELEBRATION not only calls us to recognize the accomplishments of individuals and groups from historically marginalized racial, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds within ACPA and higher education. It also tasks us to acknowledge and honor the weight that is carried when they do/act/move in excellence. Celebration allows our communities to tangibly practice joy as a form of resistance and as declaration that we will not be erased or minimized. Our bright lights, carrying the legacies of those who came before us, will not be dimmed or extinguished.
There are two (2) CMA award categories available for nomination: Outstanding Contribution to Multicultural Education and Research and the Preservation of Community Award (New).
The 2027 Awards Nomination Application is due 10/31 and located here: https://bit.ly/CMAAwards27
OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION TO MULTICULTURAL EDUCATION AND RESEARCH –
This award recognizes a professional(s) or a body of work that has significant contribution to multicultural education and research. The recipient of this award demonstrated the ability to educate Student Affairs professionals within ACPA/the field 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 awardee will have contributed to Student Affairs and multicultural education through research.
PRESERVATION OF COMMUNITY AWARD (NEW) –
Developed in response to the context of the times. 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 3.0, it’s that WE have to be the vehicles and vessels to preserve our legacies. 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.
Support our T-Shirt Fundraiser
Feel free to check out our new merch on the ACPA Storefront! Our T-shirt fundraiser supports how we are reimagining the partnership and coalition of this space.
Link to the ACPA storefront below. Tag us in any pictures wearing our new CMA shirts!
Long Sleeve STILL HERE Shirt
Short Sleeve STILL HERE Shirt
cma News & Updates
Announcing APAN’s 2026 Awards Recipients!
Congratulations to all of our APAN AwardsNominees & Recipients! Aeriel A. Ashlee, Ph.D. Associate Professor St. Cloud State University Bona Lee Assistant Director University of California, Berkeley Dan Xayaphanh, Ed.D. Director of CIELO University of Arizona...
Connect with APAN at ACPA26 in Baltimore!
APAN at ACPA 2026 – Baltimore, MD Below is a list of all the events APAN is hosting or will be a part of at the upcoming ACPA Annual Convention. All times listed are in the local time zone of the Convention host site. Please check the program book and/or our Instagram...
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
Coalitions & Networks Open House
Join us for a Virtual Open House to meet the leaders of all twelve Coalitions & Networks, learn more about their work and areas of focus, and hear about upcoming programs, events, and opportunities to get involved.
5th Annual Institute for Critical Perspectives on Men & Masculinities
The 5th Annual Institute for Critical Perspectives on Men & Masculinities, hosted by ACPA's Coalition on Men and Masculinities (CMM), will be on International Men's Day, 19 November 2026 at 12-5pm ET. The mission of the CMM Institute is to bring together faculty, scholars, researchers, practitioners, and students together in a curricular experience to discuss transformative, liberatory, and critical ways to envision masculinity. Join us for this half-day virtual institute featuring Drs. Keenan Colquitt, Jr. (University of MIchigan), Mark Carbonara (Dominion University), Adrian Huerta (University of Southern California), and Joshua Wallace (University of Louisville).