ABOUT

Located in the School of Social Sciences at UC Irvine, land of the Acjachemen and Tongva nations, the Center for Racial Justice at UC Irvine (CRJ) is committed to eradicating racism and all forms of oppression, and reducing intolerance, hate, and extremism. We are committed to driving well being for all by modeling creative programming and sustaining trusting community partnerships at UCI and in the surrounding community. The center facilitates campus and community workshops and trainings to promote racial and social justice, cultural humility, advocacy, and community healing.

MISSION

The CRJ brings together community members, researchers, organizers, and stakeholders to support and promote innovative programming, research, and ideas aimed at examining social inequality, jettisoning false beliefs in a hierarchy of human value, and addressing structural barriers to belonging and thriving.

VISION

The Center advances a just and inclusive society through community-centered collaborations to stimulate transformative change.

OUR STATEMENT ON ANTI-RACISM WORK

We recognize it is not the responsibility of BIPOC people to do this work and we will not impose that burden on BIPOC people. Rather, we listen to BIPOC communities to understand how to best act as antiracists and as allies, while building trust across communities and organizations and supporting their efforts within their communities. We acknowledge that some of us have historically been racially privileged, and we take on the work to educate ourselves. We will take bold steps to work internally and externally for social justice and the decolonization of systems through intersectional frameworks as we work on dismantling racism.

Community-centered collaborations inform our work as a center. We maintain integrity in our community work by centering the voices and valuing people as the experts of their own lived experiences. We seek to partner with and invest in the grassroots efforts of our Orange County community, rather than treating the community as our subjects for our research benefit. Through trusting partnerships, strengthened by time and interaction, ultimately yield a greater capacity to effect change.

Upcoming Events

WINTER 2025

February 12th @ 3:00pm
From Selma to Now: A Conversation on Youth Acvitism and Civil Rights with Lynda Blackmon Lowery
Event Flier - From Selma to Now

 

At age 15, Lynda Blackmon Lowery was the youngest person to march from Selma to Montgomery in 1965. Please join us as she recounts her experiences as a member of the Selma, Alabama Civil Rights March in 1965 and discusses the critical role that youth activism plays in creating social change. Q and A to follow.

We have limited spots for this event and we appreciate your completing this interest form on or before February 6th, 2025,  We will notify you of your participation by February 11th. If you are unable to attend this event, please notify us via email at racialjustice@uci.edu so that we can open our waitlist. 

Date: 2/12/25

Time: 3:00pm - 4:30pm

Location: SBSG 1517 

 

 


Past Events

January 23rd - January 22nd

National Day of Racial Healing 2025

The National Day of Racial Healing is a time to contemplate our shared values and create the blueprint together for #HowWeHeal from the effects of racism.  Launched in 2017, it is an opportunity to bring ALL people together, and inspire collective action to build common ground for a more just and equitable world.

Day 1: Briding Divides and Building Communitry

Tuesday, January 21, 2025

On Jan 21, we will join Emory University for a hybrid event featuring Dr. Gayle opening remarks by Dr. Gail Christopher, Executive Director of the National Collaborative for Health Equity and architect of the TRHT framework, followed by a panel exploring healing-centered approaches to bridging divides and building inclusive communities.

Time: 8:30-10AM

Format: Zoom

Day 2: Virtual Healing Circle of Building Community

Wednesday, January 22, 2025

On Wednesday, a select group of participants will have the opportunity to experience and practice racial healing circle components.

Time: 3pm-5pm

Format: Zoom

Location:  Location will be given to selected participants (must pre-register)

Register for one or both events at the link below:

https://forms.gle/DSpWC65rj4HLZioj9


 

 

 


news

  • UCI Experts On: Immigration

    UCI sociologist Irene Vega shares her new book that explores how a largely Latino/a workforce of immigration agents reconciles the moral ambiguities of its work