Diversity & Inclusion
As an educational and cultural institution, California College of the Arts has a responsibility to provide access and opportunities for all people, with special attention to supporting groups historically underrepresented in higher education.
We believe that a culturally diverse and inclusive campus is integral to academic excellence, and our student, faculty, staff, and trustee bodies should reflect the diverse world in which we live, with attention to race, ethnicity, religious creed, national origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, and ability.
Cultural Literacy
Supporting academic excellence and community
Challenging systems of power
In pursuit of academic excellence and community, it’s important for all persons, regardless of their multiple identities, to actively develop cultural literacy skills. It’s the community’s responsibility to help create a welcoming and supportive environment for historically disenfranchised populations.
Continually working on one’s cultural competence and understanding the structural and systematic power that creates privilege and oppression is key to developing as a responsible global citizen.
Community stories and initiatives
Cultural Fluency
Building community infrastructure
Impacting the global village
On a pragmatic level, we’re educating the future shapers of culture, and as our world becomes increasingly international, cultural fluency is central to success. To this end, CCA also sees the need to increase its international student body and foster educational partnerships with more international institutions. At the same time we strive to be a good neighbor and work to partner with the local community. We’re committed to building an infrastructure that will help develop and support leaders in the arts from the rich diverse communities in which the college resides.
If you have any questions about diversity initiatives, values, or goals at CCA, please email us any time at [email protected].
Cultural & Social Diversity
Committed to social change
From coursework to campus culture
Finally, CCA’s curriculum should reflect our commitment to cultural and social diversity. In addition to required courses in Critical Ethnic Studies, the broad curriculum should reflect a commitment to social change and social justice that informs the college’s investigations into the processes and constructions of racial and ethnic, gender, sexual, and socioeconomic inequalities.
While a broad definition of diversity that includes diversity of perspectives and practices and reflects an interest in internationalization is central to the college, a focus on structural inequality and systems of privilege and oppression is key to CCA’s diversity mission.
News & Events
How we take action
Diversity, equity, and inclusion aren’t platitudes to us. They’re action items. We’re committed to making ongoing, substantive change for a more equitable world throughout the college, and recent actions in accountability range from increasing services and spaces for BIPOC students to expanding anti-racism and anti-bias training for faculty and staff. Follow along as we work toward all our Action & Accountability initiatives.
Inclusion and diversity are daily experiences
Pursue your creative practice within a supportive community