Creating a community that welcomes students from different cultures, The HUB helps to create connections with students of different backgrounds in the SSU community, sparking conversations around the ideas of equity and inclusivity. The HUB’s mission statement is “honoring the past, uniting the present, and building the future”.

The HUB believes that all people should be treated with dignity and respect. The fact that someone is from a different class, gender, sexuality, race, or nationality, should not prohibit them from enjoying their college experience and creating connections with other students.. The HUB believes that honoring a person’s cultural and political perspective is important, and we must take the value of it even though it may be different from our own.

The HUB is a place where students are welcomed to explore the true meaning of an authentic community. With this fact in mind, students are encouraged to share who they truly are. In essence, students may share their identities, perspectives, opinions, emotions, questions and concerns with trusted members of the HUB. This is one of the HUB’s main goals in order to bring together, unite students, and provide a safe space with a sense of community. 

The HUB envisions a world where all people, in all of the different races and cultures, are given the same amount of equitable access to common resources. With this vision in mind, the HUB’s awareness of the inequality, discrimination, and degradation in the world inspired them to start with SSU students in their community to build a more compassionate, and loving community. They advocate cultural expression and creativity among students as they believe that it is necessary to well-being, social movements, and innovation. The HUB’s belief in thoughtful social change as a necessity, and achieving their vision and these social changes is how they imagine social justice will be in a global context.

The HUB’s main goal is to build a community that will nurture connections between students from different cultures. They seek to understand each other’s different life circumstances that help shape a person’s identity and views. When learning and understanding these different circumstances, they hope to teach the students in this community to heal, grow, and create a culture of connection and community; which can help deepen the understanding of the different dynamics between gender, race, sexuality, nationality, etc.

The HUB offers many services, and even if they don’t have the particular help students are seeking, they have the resources to reach out to someone who does. The HUB has a microwave, toaster oven, and refrigerator which is located behind their living room. They encourage students to use them because they realize that for most students, campus is a home away from home. The HUB library has a wide range of books and it is open to anyone at SSU. Students can check out a book with a student assistant or professional staff member. After all, the HUB is all about sharing stories and knowledge in a comfortable space.

The HUB Cultural Center is open for anyone at SSU to use for meetings and events free of charge, but HUB programs and events are prioritized. The form to request the use of their meeting space can be found on their website under “book our space”. Furthermore, the HUB is a platform that can help promote events. Students and faculty can email them at: [email protected], to advertise for events in their social media outlets and weekly newsletters. If there are any people, programs, or events that you would like to see at SSU the HUB can collaborate with students to bring it to campus. The HUB has ongoing programs for students to explore and expand their values, identities, and more. They want to be able to create an environment where students feel comfortable and safe enough to discuss heavy issues. Spoke! is a monthly series showcasing popular poets and musicians, and is also a space where students can share their talent. Real Talk series is an event where students are able to share the ups and downs of identifying as Latinx/Chicanx. Black & Series is a conversation for people who identify as Black and allies. Each month includes a topic or event that aims to help students of different cultural backgrounds feel included and to “find their crowd.” The Trans and Gender Questioning group is led by HUB students interns and is a space for trans and gender questioning students to find support and information about trans-specific resources and sharing experiences. These are a few examples of the ongoing programs the HUB has, and more can be found on the HUB website under “programs and events”. Students can also sign up for their weekly newsletter to find out more about the HUB, and what they will be offering in the future. 

Ultimately, the HUB is a place where all students from different racial and cultural backgrounds can create connections with each other despite their differences. The HUB is a safe haven for students who classify as a person of color, where they’ll be able to voice their own opinions or views without the fear of being judged or misunderstood. Every student who enters the HUB is welcomed with open arms and should feel safe and comfortable with expressing who they truly are.