United Minorities Council expands representation

In an effort to give a voice to underrepresented students, the United Minorities Council revived their Members at Large constituent group this semester.

Any member of the community with an interest in minority issues and intercuturalism is invited join the Members at Large, said Wharton and Nursing sophomore Ben Hardy, who was one of the students responsible for bringing back the group’s presence.

Although the group has existed for more than 30 years and is stipulated by UMC’s constitution, “it wasn’t on the forefront of our agenda and didn’t carry much momentum,” Wharton sophomore and Vice Chairwoman of UMC Sasha Lagombra said.

“Members at Large is a way of bringing together under-voiced members of constituent groups, encouraging discussion and getting people thinking more about interculturalism,” she added.

The revival will also serve as an opportunity for individuals who are not associated with a particular cultural group to join the discussion on interculturalism, Lagombra said.

As a member at large, Hardy said he will reach out community members not involved in UMC and hopes to represent their perspective in the discussion on minority affairs.

College and Wharton sophomore Youssouf Camara, who also helped revive the group, hopes the Members at Large will provide a venue to discuss “significant issues that the UMC doesn’t tackle or is not in a position to address.”

Hardy added that the mission of the Members at Large will be slightly different from that of UMC.

“Our goal is the encourage more discussion and education on interculturalism, instead of just celebrating it,” he said.

Lagombra, who serves as a liaison between the Members at Large and the UMC Executive board, believes there is a lot of potential for the revived group this time around.

“They’re a driven and ambitious group, working to help the board revive certain groups on campus, help with marketing and helping us shape an identity. They’re just really excited,” she said.

Their agenda for the semester includes revamping their website, reviving certain cultural groups on campus and hosting an event with professor lecturers, Camara said.

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