Staff

Campus Activism and Organizing: Past, Present and Future

Event Description

The role that universities play in social transformation has always been imbued with contradictions. On one hand, campuses serve as critical sites for radical re-imaginings of the world, community mobilization, and organizing. At the same time, the institutional structures that govern these campuses are often placed into an antagonistic and even counterinsurgent relationship to this work.

On February 11, 2026, this panel conversation brought together academic organizers to explore the importance of campus activism in troubled times....

SSSJ Audited Course Offerings

About the Audited Courses

Previously, SSSJ allowed an opportunity for cohorts of up to 25 campus staff per semester (from the Division of Undergraduate Education and beyond) to audit an American Cultures course and participate in discussions about timely and important topics.

Please take a moment to navigate this page to explore the Staff as Students of Social Justice Program's past course offerings.

Please email sssj@berkeley.edu if you have any questions.

SSSJ Projects, Presentations, and Audited Courses

About the Program

The 'Staff as Students of Social Justice' (SSSJ) Program is the first of its kind in the UC system, a cross-disciplinary curriculum centered in social and racial justice available for all staff and the many career paths they follow. Brought to life through the American Cultures Center, SSSJ is an important expression of the campus’s commitment to staff’s intellectual and professional development in issues of diversity, equity, inclusion, belonging, and justice. This program provides a unique...

Projects on Carcerality, Material Antiracisms, and Abolition Geography

Final Projects

Participants participated in a final group project and presentation at the conclusion of the semester. Below is an archive of the final projects submitted by participants focused on carcerality, material antiracisms, and abolition geography. Please take a moment to navigate this page and familiarize yourself with the final projects and presentations.

Please contact us at sssj@berkeley.edu(link sends e-mail) if you have any questions.

Staff as Students of Social Justice

The Staff as Social Justice Leaders program is an opportunity for staff to participate in discussions about timely and important topics, led by American Cultures faculty. Piloted in Fall 2020, the SSSJ/SSSJL program is a unique and amazing opportunity to learn first hand from leading scholars of race, ethnicity, and gender; dig into subject of personal interests; and build connections with faculty, students and fellow VCUE colleagues. Program Overview Attend lectures/meetings for your chosen class Participate in a weekly discussion section with a GSI just for VCUE staff Expect 3-4 hours of...

Advisors Overview

The American Cultures Center is committed to partnering with our campus's outstanding advisors through creating helpful resources, assisting them in navigating the AC requirement, and offering opportunities for them to delve into the richness of the American Cultures requirement, including how AC programs can support them in their professional development.

Advisor Enrichment Opportunities: Staff Support and Getting Involved in AC

About

This section features multiple AC programs and opportunities that support advisors in their professional development and deepen their involvement with the American Cultures Center's programs. As valued staff members who play an essential role in bringing students into all that AC has to offer, we encourage advisors and advising teams to check out the resources and opportunities available for them to develop their own understanding of diversity, equity, inclusion, belonging, and justice in their roles.

Understanding the Richness of American Cultures

About

This section offers advisors a comprehensive deep dive into the key components of the American Cultures requirement and its associated programs. Learn more about the opportunities that the AC curriculum and pedagogy offer students, and review highlights of the AC Center's work, past and present.

Deep Engagement & Partnership: Supporting Advisors on the AC Requirement

About

This section offers advisors an in-depth understanding of the AC requirement’s historical roots, significance, and contemporary applications. Please explore our curated recordings, slides, and expansive explanations, to help you can explore the complex layers that make AC a vital part of students’ political and social education, including:

Historical & Contextual Foundations: The AC Center has made available past recorded presentations tracing the AC requirement’s origins, from student activism, transnational social and racial justice movements, and its evolution as a core...

American Cultures Advancing Practice: Racism isn't rocket science