Photo along the path during the JEDI Adventures walk to Goose Lake. Photo by Taylor Heckart
A handful of students gathered around the Student Union with their free Wild Scoops ice cream in hand to participate in Multicultural Student Services’ first campus-wide JEDI Adventure: an “Ice Cream ‘N Lake Stroll” around goose lake on March 31.
JEDI Adventures are an opportunity for individuals with marginalized identities to explore different interests in spaces where they are often underrepresented, said Multicultural Student Services Engagement and Belonging Coordinator Quacyya Cuaresma.
She said in the coming months students can look forward to a diverse offering of JEDI Adventures: bike rides, hikes, First Fridays at the museum, arts and crafts, and more.
JEDI is not a reference to a certain movie franchise. Instead, it stands for social justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion — a kind of programming that Cuaresma has been working hard to bring to campus.
JEDI Adventures is a part of the JEDI Leadership Program. Cuaresma said the program also includes Jedi Leaders — paid student staff who assist UAA’s New Student Orientation and Multicultural Student Services — and the Jedi Alliance, a “group of student advocates and leaders committed to the advancement of JEDI at UAA.”
“JEDI Adventures is meant to increase access and break down those barriers that a lot of different marginalized people face when they want to explore different hobbies and interests,” said Cuaresma.
She said that there is a long list of reasons why people with marginalized identities may be underrepresented, including a lack of access, finances, and a lack of people who can help them explore potential hobbies.
“A big part of the JEDI Alliance and JEDI Adventures is to center connection and play in our work. We cannot fully achieve social justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion without strengthening our sense of community … and we do that through connection and play,” said Cuaresma, “Not everything is so serious all the time. A lot of the things we do in college and after we graduate is geared towards professionalism and being productive in society and being so serious all the time. In reality, it’s connection, meaningful relationships, and play that really ground us and give us a sense of belonging and community.”
She said that during the summer, each month will have one “active” adventure, such as outdoor-focused events, and one “relaxed” adventure. Cuaresma said that the goal is to make these adventures accessible to everyone.
“The word ‘adventure’ can seem like this very intimidating thing, but it doesn’t have to be. Art and music and creativity is also an adventure.”
Information about future JEDI programming, including JEDI Adventures, can be found at Multicultural Student Services’ Instagram, @uaa.mss.
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