Years of student activism culminated last Friday with the grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony celebrating Michigan State University’s first freestanding Multicultural Center.
The effort dates back to the 1960s, when students began advocating for greater representation, eventually leading to a long-standing push for a dedicated space that has now become a reality.
The new $38 million Multicultural Center is the result of decades of advocacy led by the Council of Racial and Ethnic Students, which has called for a freestanding space since the 1990s. The dedication ceremony honored the efforts of alumni, students, faculty and staff who fought to make the center come to life.
The event featured a variety of speakers, ending with the ribbon cutting and an open house celebration where guests got the opportunity to explore the new space.
The day marked a full circle moment for Francisco Velazquez, who advocated for the space as a student in the 2000s. Although no longer a student advocate, he’s now the associate director of communications for MSU Student Life and Engagement, where he leads communications efforts for the department of diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging.
“A lot of the students, what they’re fighting for they can’t see. But that doesn’t mean you stop fighting for it,” Velazquez said. “I hope this building serves as a reminder that sometimes when it doesn’t feel like you’re going to win, you still can win.”
The new Multicultural Center features many types of spaces including a cultural fire pit, a community kitchen and a group reflection room.
“We want this to be a space where people can come and feel comfortable and encouraged to be exactly who they are in every and all forms,” Velazquez said. “It’s a place to embrace one’s identity, but also that you can be part of a community.”
MSU worked with SmithGroup on the design for the 34,000-square-foot building. Senior Principal Architect Monteil Crawley served as the lead designer for this project, one that he described as once in a lifetime.
“This is a project that’s 20 years in the making and to see its culmination come together in a wonderful celebration is something that brings joy,” Crawley said. “We have nothing but respect for the students and faculty and everyone whose mission it was to bring this building to life, and we’re honored to be a part of it.”
The Multicultural Center is located on the corner of Farm Lane and Shaw Lane. The building is open daily from 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. and has student employees prepared to give tours of the new space from 3-6 p.m. starting this week.
