The IU campus is home to many diverse culture centers that are always willing to share their respective cultures with both students and faculty.
Asian Culture Center
The Asian Culture Center opens the fall semester with a welcome reception from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday.\nThe ACC anticipates hosting a monthly ethnic cooking demonstration and recipe exchange, open to everyone, in addition to weekly mah-jong tournaments and a new weekly lunch discussion, “Who are Asian-Pacific Americans?” Students who want to learn Mandarin, Tagalog (Filipino), Hindi, Korean or Japanese, can find a free tutoring session available to them at the ACC. \nWeekly lectures featured for the fall semester include topics such as human trafficking, stereotypes of Asian Americans and immigration issues. The center also plans to hold a monthly movie series, which will feature films such as “Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle” and “Monkey Dance.” In addition to providing resources to students to learn more about Asian culture, the ACC also provides a service called Responding to Incidents of Casual and Everyday Racism, or RICER. Support meetings are held on the first Friday of every month, between 12 and 1 p.m., and a light lunch will \nbe provided.
CONTACT INFO: (812) 856-5361 or at acc@indiana.edu\nOFFICE HOURS: 9 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday
Leo R. Dowling International Center
The Leo. R. Dowling International Center, located at 111 S. Jordan Ave., provides a home away from home for both local and international students.\nThe International Center, as it is more commonly known, offers free concerts every Friday at noon, featuring international student performers on ethnic instruments, as well as student coffee hours and language conversation clubs. The International Center is also willing to pair a student studying a foreign language with a native speaker of that language, providing a tutorship for language learners. The International Center also provides a program called Practical English Tutorials, which is held between 12 and 1 p.m. Saturdays, to provide non-English speakers the opportunity to chat with native English speakers. International dance classes and a monthly international movie night are also highlights of the \nInternational Center. \nSituated next to Read Center, the International Center is open to all students and faculty members on Monday through Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
CONTACT INFO: (812) 855-7133 or at intlcent@indiana.edu
Neal-Marshall Black Cultural Center
As the oldest culture center on campus, the Neal-Marshall Black Culture Center will be holding several large events next week. Students are invited to attend Student Resource Night on Sept. 5, to learn about the programs and information available at the NMBCC, and Black Faculty and Staff Night at 7 p.m. Sept. 6 to meet other students and faculty members. The NMBCC will also be holding its Fish Fry at 4 p.m. Sept. 7 to further encourage students to meet others and become acquainted with the Black Greek Organizations at IU. \nIn the spring, the NMBCC will host the Africana Festival, which honors the heritage of both those from Africa and those of African descent. Food, music, dancing and an African fashion show are highlights of this event. Other events throughout the year include a Black Knowledge Bowl, student development conferences and the Juneteenth Celebration, or the day that slavery ended in the United States.
CONTACT INFO: (812) 855-9271 or at nmbcc@indiana.edu.
First Nations Educational and Cultural Center
The First Nations Educational and Cultural Center, which opened in April, is located in Eigenmann Hall 601 and 602. The FNECC is a resource center for those interested in American Indian culture and life. The center also hosts two student groups, the American Indian Student Association and the Native American Graduate Student Association, which provide support to both Native American and non-Native American students. \nFeatured events to be held at the FNECC this semester include a Native Film Series, arts and crafts workshops and monthly social gatherings. The AISA also holds the Marilyn Cleveland Honorary Distinguished Artist Workshop, which honors a local community artist and teaches the public different styles of American Indian art. The date for this event is to be announced.\nThe FNECC also celebrates the Native American Heritage Month, held each November.\n \nCONTACT INFO: (812) 855-4814 or at fnecc@indiana.edu
La Casa Center
La Casa has programs beginning in September with National Hispanic Heritage Month. An opening reception for National Hispanic Heritage Month will be held from 4 to 6 p.m. on September 14 at the Neal-Marshall Black Culture Center Grand Hall.\nFeatured lectures for the fall semester at La Casa include a presentation on Quinceañeras, a Latino coming-of-age celebration, the gift of corn and Ernesto “Che” Guevara. Festivals will be held by La Casa to celebrate Dia de la Raza, the date of Christopher Columbus’ arrival in the Americas, and Fiesta del Otoño, which will bring National Hispanic Heritage Month to a close.\nMusically-inclined students might want to consider attending Sounds of Brazil, a performance by Brazilian vocalist, guitarist and composer Valeria DeCastro, held at 7 p.m. on Sept. 21 at the Mathers Museum. Aspiring chefs can learn how to cook authentic Latino dishes at the City of Bloomington Latino Celebration on at the Bloomington Farmers’ Market on \nSeptember 29.\nLa Casa not only serves as a resource to students by providing information and activities, but also provides support to Latino students who are victims of racism and hate crimes.
CONTACT INFO: (812) 855-0174 or at lacasa@indiana.edu\nOFFICE HOURS: 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday
