Multicultural Lounges
Welcome to the Multicultural Lounge Program! On this page, you will find information on the history of the program and the student activism which led to the creation of the first multicultural lounge on campus. We invite you to explore the pages and learn about the history and legacy of the multicultural lounges and share your findings with others!
Enjoy!
About the Multicultural Lounge Program
“Campus protest on Diag, late 1960s; HS1804”. https://quod.lib.umich.edu/b/bhl/x-hs1804/hs1804. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed January 22, 2024. (Image cropped from original)
The Multicultural and Minority Culture Lounges have their roots in student activism during the Black Action Movement (BAM), beginning in the late 1960s. They were initially established to offer students of color a space for them to relax, build and be in community together, and engage in an environment where they could be authentically themselves.
Since the establishment of the first multicultural lounge in 1971, numerous identity-based student groups and residents have advocated for the creation of additional multicultural lounges. Today, these spaces serve as safe havens for students to engage with, celebrate, and learn about various cultures and identities. They also honor the legacies of historical figures through programming and events as well as the art, writing and design of the physical spaces themselves.
Multicultural Spaces Supported by Diversity and Inclusion
Currently, the University of Michigan is home to a network of:
- 16 multicultural lounges across campus
- 1 multicultural engagement center, called The Connector
- 4 reflection rooms
Each of these multicultural lounges is a unique glimpse and representation of the incredible stories of people and communities who have impacted the world around us. They offer each of us the opportunity to reflect on our lived experiences and see the world from a different view.
History and legacy are cornerstone to the continuation of the Multicultural Lounge Program and the namesakes they represent. Multicultural spaces within the multicultural lounge program are referred to as either Minority Culture or Multicultural Lounges because of the history of those names to the generations that came before us.
Minority Culture Lounges were named to reference the spirit in which they were established and referencing a federally recognized underrepresented group. Although the term is not as widely used now, minority culture serves to educate and recognize our campus and nation’s struggle for civil rights.
Multicultural Lounges were previously named as a way to share a piece of culture and provide space for gathering. This term refers to the opportunity for residents to observe and participate in appreciating different cultures.
- Abeng
- Ambatana
- Angela Davis
- Asubuhi
- Audre Lorde
- C.A.M.E.O.
- César Chávez
- Edward Said
- Grace Lee Boggs
- Mahatma Gandhi
- Martin Luther King Jr.
- Nikki Giovanni
- Rosa Parks
- Umoja
- Vicky Barner
- Yuri Kochiyama
Abeng Minority Culture Lounge
Established in 1971
Visit the Abeng Minority Culture Lounge
“Abeng” is a Twi word from Ghana, signifying both an animal horn and a musical instrument. Enslaved individuals in Jamaica and other parts of the Caribbean and West Indies used abengs, often accompanied by a drum, to call meetings or communicate with one another. The inception of the Abeng Multicultural Council and Minority Culture Lounge in 1971 can be traced back to the impassioned efforts of the Black Action Movement (BAM) and residents of East Quad who wanted a space for Black and African American students to be in community. Like its namesake, Abeng serves as a call to action for future generations of students.
East Quadrangle
701 East University Avenue
Ann Arbor, MI 48109
Ambatana – The Afro-American Minority Culture Lounge
Established in 1972
Established in 1972 as a result of the first Black Action Movement (BAM), Ambatana – The Afro American Minority Culture Lounge was the first residence hall lounge designed in a way that reflected African American culture and history. Lee Gill, a South Quad resident and the first Black president of the Central Student Government, was instrumental in the advocacy for and establishment of the multicultural lounge. Jon Onye Lockard, an artist from Detroit and a co-founder of the Department of Afroamerican and African Studies (DAAS), selected his own pieces to be housed in the multicultural lounge and used them in the classes he taught there. During the renovation of Ambatana – The Afro American Minority Culture Lounge in 2023, local Detroit-based artists were selected to create new, original pieces for the hallway leading to the multicultural lounge. This artwork seeks to invite new generations of students into the space to engage with the history and broaden their perspectives and understanding of the Black and African American experience.
South Quad
600 East Madison
Ann Arbor, MI 48109
Angela Davis Minority Culture Lounge
Established in 1991
The Angela Davis Minority Culture Lounge, dedicated on October 17, 1991, stands as a tribute to the influential and controversial political activist, Angela Davis. Growing up, Davis encountered segregation in housing, school, stores, church, and in social spheres. Davis has spoken publicly about her opposition to the Vietnam war, racism, sexism, and her support of gay rights and many other social movements. Her political association with the communist party led to her place on the FBI wanted list and a period of incarceration, though she was eventually acquitted. Davis remains politically active and is a prominent advocate for the rights of incarcerated people and for dismantling the prison-industrial complex.
Mary Markley Hall
1482 East Medical Center Drive
Ann Arbor, MI 48109
Asubuhi Minority Culture Lounge
Established in 1981
The West Quad Asubuhi Council was established in 1981, providing a space for West Quad residents to gather for social, recreational, and educational activities. They named themself Asubuhi, which means “next morning” or “new beginnings” in Swahili. The Asubuhi Council worked to establish West Quad’s own multicultural lounge and on February 5, 1985, the original Asubuhi Minority Culture Lounge was opened. It became a haven of solidarity for many students of color, who would gather in Asubuhi to process and reflect on campus and national events in the community. Jon Onye Lockard, a University of Michigan faculty member and artist, worked alongside the lounge designers and contributed an original mural to the multicultural lounge that remains in the space to this day. In 2015, the Asubuhi Minority Culture Lounge was moved to a larger location on the first floor in West Quad as part of an all-building renovation. It was then fully renovated in the summer of 2023.
West Quad
541 Thompson Street
Ann Arbor, MI 48109
Audre Lorde Minority Culture Lounge
Established in 2008
In 2008, the multicultural lounge in Newberry Residence Hall was named in honor of Audre Lorde. Lorde was a lesbian poet, teacher, librarian, and intersectional feminist who gained widespread respect through unyielding commitment to dismantling oppression rooted in factors such as race, sexual orientation, and gender. In addition, Lorde founded multiple organizations that sought to advance LGBTQ and women’s rights, including Sisterhood in Support of Sisters and the Women’s Coalition of St. Croix. Lorde often wrote about the theory of intersectionality, a term coined by Kimberlé Crenshaw in 1989, which acknowledges that people have multiple social identities and cautions against viewing people through a single-issue lens.
Helen Newberry
432 State Street
Ann Arbor, MI 48109
C.A.M.E.O. Minority Culture Lounge
Established in 1980
The C.A.M.E.O. Minority Culture Lounge in Couzens Hall derives its name from the hall’s dedicated multicultural council, Couzens Active Minority Ethnic Organization (C.A.M.E.O.). The council represents residents of Couzens Hall who share common interests and seek to make their peers aware of multicultural concerns and issues of diversity. The multicultural lounge itself pays homage to decades of student activism at the University of Michigan. The Multicultural Lounge Program, itself, was born out of students advocating for their needs, and the C.A.M.E.O. Minority Culture Lounge is a testament to the enduring legacy of students making their voices heard on this campus.
Couzens Hall
1300 East Ann Street
Ann Arbor, MI 48109
César Chávez Multicultural Lounge
Established in 1995
The César Chávez Multicultural Lounge, established in 1995, pays homage to the enduring legacy of César Chávez and the struggle of the United Farm Workers (UFW) to secure economic and social justice for farm workers. Born in 1927 to a Mexican family in Arizona, Chávez grew up as a migrant farm worker. He became a community organizer battling racial and economic discrimination against Chicanos. During the 1950s and 1960s, Chávez worked for a self-help group, the Community Service Organization (CSO).
Mosher-Jordan Hall
200 Observatory Street
Ann Arbor, MI 48109
Edward Said Minority Culture Lounge
Established in 2015
Visit the Edward Said Minority Culture Lounge
The Edward Said Minority Culture Lounge, dedicated in 2015, celebrates the contributions of Edward Said to humanities and to Arab American culture. Born in 1935, Said and his family were profoundly affected by conflicts in the region, beginning with the Arab-Israeli War of 1948, and Said was sent to live in the United States. He taught at Columbia University for more than 40 years and helped create the field of Post-Colonial Studies through his books, including Orientalism (1978). Said’s works had the unique ability to be specific to the history of Arab countries while also being more broadly applicable to those experiencing colonialism around the world.
North Quad
105 South State Street
Ann Arbor, MI 48109
Grace Lee Boggs Minority Culture Lounge
Established in 2010
Located in the Thieme House of Baits, the Grace Lee Boggs Minority Culture lounge was dedicated in April 2010 to recognize her work as a social activist. Born in 1915 to Chinese immigrant parents in Rhode Island Boggs earned her BA from Barnard College and her PhD in Philosophy from Bryn Mawr College. As a Chinese American woman, Boggs confronted formidable racial barriers in her pursuit of employment opportunities. Boggs and her husband, James, championed social issues related to labor and civil rights, feminism, Black Power, Asian Americans, and the environment. They also founded the James and Grace Lee Boggs School, a charter school that aims to serve the black and low-income families in the community where the school is located.
Baits II Hall
1440 Hubbard Avenue
Ann Arbor, MI 48109
Mahatma Gandhi Minority Culture Lounge
Established in 2005
The multicultural lounge of Oxford Hall, dedicated in 2005, serves as tribute to the indomitable spirit of Mahatma Gandhi, a civil rights pioneer who initiated the practice of nonviolent protest for achieving social and political change. Despite his peaceful approach to change, Gandhi’s practices and work have sparked controversy. Gandhi has been called a racist for remarks related to white superiority in South Africa, considered by some as anti-Hindu. He was also questioned for not drawing enough attention to dismantling the caste system in India, and seen by some as a puritan and misogynist who perpetuated negative views on sex. In 1948, Gandhi was assassinated in Delhi, India at the age of 78. American civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr. was strongly influenced by Gandhi and patterned his own political and social activism after Gandhi’s non-violent methods.
Oxford Houses
623 Oxford Road
Ann Arbor, MI 48109
Martin Luther King Jr. Minority Culture Lounge
Established in 1979
This multicultural lounge in Bursley Hall, dedicated in 1976, is named after one of the nation’s foremost civil rights leaders, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Born in Atlanta, Georgia on January 15, 1929 Dr. King’s unwavering commitment to the cause of equality for minorities in the United States propelled him through the crucible of harassment, unjust arrest, and other perils. Non-violent protests, such as sit-ins, boycotts, and civil disobedience, were hallmarks of Dr. King’s legacy. He delivered some of the most powerful speeches of the 20th century, including the well-known “I Have a Dream” speech in front of the Lincoln Memorial in August 1963.
Bursley Hall
1931 Duffield Street
Ann Arbor, MI 48109
Nikki Giovanni Minority Culture Lounge
Established in 1999
The Nikki Giovanni Minority Culture Lounge celebrates the activism and literary contributions of poet, writer and lecturer NIkki Giovanni. Giovanni visited the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor in January 1999 to speak at the annual MLK Jr. Day Symposium and then again in February 2023, where she sat down in the Nikki Giovanni Minority Culture Lounge for lunch with student leaders. During Giovanni’s 1999 visit she also spoke to a group of students in the Nikki Giovanni Minority Culture Lounge, as part of the dedication. Giovanni’s work centers on race, gender, sexuality, and the African American family; she has won numerous accolades, including the NAACP Image Award, the Rosa Parks Women of Courage Award, a Literary Excellence Award, and the Langston Hughes Medal.
Mosher-Jordan Hall
200 Observatory Street
Ann Arbor, MI 48109
Rosa Parks Minority Culture Lounge
Established in 1973
The Rosa Parks Minority Culture Lounge in Stockwell Hall was dedicated in 1973. Rosa Parks, an icon of the civil rights movement, was born in Tuskegee, Alabama in 1913. She grew up in the Jim Crow South, under laws that effectively disenfranchised black voters and allowed racial segregation in public facilities and retail stores, including public transportation. In 1955, Parks refused to give up her seat in the “colored” section of a bus to a white man who was standing, as was required by Montgomery city ordinance at the time. This action started the Montgomery Bus Boycott that lasted over a year and inspired civil rights protests nationwide. The Supreme Court ruled such segregation unconstitutional in 1956.
Stockwell Hall
324 Observatory Street
Ann Arbor, MI 48109
Umoja Minority Culture Lounge
Established in 1991
The Umoja Minority Culture Lounge was dedicated in Alice Lloyd Hall in 1991. This multicultural lounge derives its name from Kwanzaa, an African American holiday observed annually from December 26th to January 1st. Rooted in Swahili, the term “Kwanzaa” translates to “first fruits of the harvest.”The decision to name this multicultural lounge as “Umoja” sprung from the aspirations of Alice Lloyd’s residents. It echoes the multicultural lounge’s original purpose: to promote unity among students of color.
Alice Lloyd Hall
100 Observatory Street
Ann Arbor, MI 48109
Vicky Barner Multicultural Lounge
Established in 2000
This multicultural lounge was rededicated in Vicky Barner’s honor in 2000 to commemorate her activism on issues of equality and respect for the Native American community at the University of Michigan. As a student at the University, she founded the student organization, American Indians Unlimited which put on Ann Arbor’s first pow-wow, a tradition that continues to this day. Additionally, she was one of the first students to condemn the honor society, Michigamua, for its portrayal of negative stereotypes of Native Americans. The multicultural lounge features artwork and artifacts by Native American people, chosen by the Native community in Southeast Michigan, which share a piece of the story and teachings of indigenous communities.
Alice Lloyd Hall
100 Observatory Street
Ann Arbor, MI 48109
Yuri Kochiyama Multicultural Lounge
Established in 1997
Visit the Yuri Kochiyama Multicultural Lounge
The Yuri Kochiyama Multicultural Lounge in South Quad was opened in 1997. After graduating from Compton Junior College, where Kochiyama pursued studies in English, journalism, and art, her world was profoundly affected by the events following Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941. Kochiyama, along with her family, endured internment in camps, an experience that ignited her commitment to the civil rights movement and coalition building, advocating for black liberation, promoting solidarity between black and Asian Americans, and seeking government redress for the injustice of internment.
South Quad
600 East Madison
Ann Arbor, MI 48109
Complete List: Individual Multicultural and Minority Culture Lounges
Abeng Minority Culture Lounge
Established in 1971
Visit the Abeng Minority Culture Lounge
“Abeng” is a Twi word from Ghana, signifying both an animal horn and a musical instrument. Enslaved individuals in Jamaica and other parts of the Caribbean and West Indies used abengs, often accompanied by a drum, to call meetings or communicate with one another. The inception of the Abeng Multicultural Council and Minority Culture Lounge in 1971 can be traced back to the impassioned efforts of the Black Action Movement (BAM) and residents of East Quad who wanted a space for Black and African American students to be in community. Like its namesake, Abeng serves as a call to action for future generations of students.
East Quadrangle
701 East University Avenue
Ann Arbor, MI 48109
Ambatana - The Afro-American Minority Culture Lounge
Established in 1972
Established in 1972 as a result of the first Black Action Movement (BAM), Ambatana – The Afro American Minority Culture Lounge was the first residence hall lounge designed in a way that reflected African American culture and history. Lee Gill, a South Quad resident and the first Black president of the Central Student Government, was instrumental in the advocacy for and establishment of the multicultural lounge. Jon Onye Lockard, an artist from Detroit and a co-founder of the Department of Afroamerican and African Studies (DAAS), selected his own pieces to be housed in the multicultural lounge and used them in the classes he taught there. During the renovation of Ambatana – The Afro American Minority Culture Lounge in 2023, local Detroit-based artists were selected to create new, original pieces for the hallway leading to the multicultural lounge. This artwork seeks to invite new generations of students into the space to engage with the history and broaden their perspectives and understanding of the Black and African American experience.
South Quad
600 East Madison
Ann Arbor, MI 48109
Angela Davis Minority Culture Lounge
(1991) – Markley Hall
The Angela Davis Minority Culture Lounge, dedicated on October 17, 1991, stands as a tribute to the influential and controversial political activist, Angela Davis. Growing up, Davis encountered segregation in housing, school, stores, church, and in social spheres. Davis has spoken publicly about her opposition to the Vietnam war, racism, sexism, and her support of gay rights and many other social movements. Her political association with the communist party led to her place on the FBI wanted list and a period of incarceration, though she was eventually acquitted. Davis remains politically active and is a prominent advocate for the rights of incarcerated people and for dismantling the prison-industrial complex.
Mary Markley Hall
1482 East Medical Center Drive
Ann Arbor, MI 48109
Asubuhi Minority Culture Lounge
(1981) – West Quad
The West Quad Asubuhi Council was established in 1981, providing a space for West Quad residents to gather for social, recreational, and educational activities. They named themself Asubuhi, which means “next morning” or “new beginnings” in Swahili. The Asubuhi Council worked to establish West Quad’s own multicultural lounge and on February 5, 1985, the original Asubuhi Minority Culture Lounge was opened. It became a haven of solidarity for many students of color, who would gather in Asubuhi to process and reflect on campus and national events in the community. Jon Onye Lockard, a University of Michigan faculty member and artist, worked alongside the lounge designers and contributed an original mural to the multicultural lounge that remains in the space to this day. In 2015, the Asubuhi Minority Culture Lounge was moved to a larger location on the first floor in West Quad as part of an all-building renovation. It was then fully renovated in the summer of 2023.
West Quad
541 Thompson Street
Ann Arbor, MI 48109
Audre Lorde Minority Culture Lounge
(2008) – Newberry Hall
In 2008, the multicultural lounge in Newberry Residence Hall was named in honor of Audre Lorde. Lorde was a lesbian poet, teacher, librarian, and intersectional feminist who gained widespread respect through unyielding commitment to dismantling oppression rooted in factors such as race, sexual orientation, and gender. In addition, Lorde founded multiple organizations that sought to advance LGBTQ and women’s rights, including Sisterhood in Support of Sisters and the Women’s Coalition of St. Croix. Lorde often wrote about the theory of intersectionality, a term coined by Kimberlé Crenshaw in 1989, which acknowledges that people have multiple social identities and cautions against viewing people through a single-issue lens.
Helen Newberry
432 State Street
Ann Arbor, MI 48109
C.A.M.E.O. Minority Culture Lounge
(1980) – Couzens Hall
The C.A.M.E.O. Minority Culture Lounge in Couzens Hall derives its name from the hall’s dedicated multicultural council, Couzens Active Minority Ethnic Organization (C.A.M.E.O.). The council represents residents of Couzens Hall who share common interests and seek to make their peers aware of multicultural concerns and issues of diversity. The multicultural lounge itself pays homage to decades of student activism at the University of Michigan. The Multicultural Lounge Program, itself, was born out of students advocating for their needs, and the C.A.M.E.O. Minority Culture Lounge is a testament to the enduring legacy of students making their voices heard on this campus.
Couzens Hall
1300 East Ann Street
Ann Arbor, MI 48109
César Chávez Multicultural Lounge
(1995) – Mosher Jordan Hall
The César Chávez Multicultural Lounge, established in 1995, pays homage to the enduring legacy of César Chávez and the struggle of the United Farm Workers (UFW) to secure economic and social justice for farm workers. Born in 1927 to a Mexican family in Arizona, Chávez grew up as a migrant farm worker. He became a community organizer battling racial and economic discrimination against Chicanos. During the 1950s and 1960s, Chávez worked for a self-help group, the Community Service Organization (CSO).
Mosher-Jordan Hall
200 Observatory Street
Ann Arbor, MI 48109
Edward Said Minority Culture Lounge
(2015) – North Quad
Visit the Edward Said Minority Culture Lounge
The Edward Said Minority Culture Lounge, dedicated in 2015, celebrates the contributions of Edward Said to humanities and to Arab American culture. Born in 1935, Said and his family were profoundly affected by conflicts in the region, beginning with the Arab-Israeli War of 1948, and Said was sent to live in the United States. He taught at Columbia University for more than 40 years and helped create the field of Post-Colonial Studies through his books, including Orientalism (1978). Said’s works had the unique ability to be specific to the history of Arab countries while also being more broadly applicable to those experiencing colonialism around the world.
North Quad
105 South State Street
Ann Arbor, MI 48109
Grace Lee Boggs Minority Culture Lounge
(2010) – Baits II
Located in the Thieme House of Baits, the Grace Lee Boggs Minority Culture lounge was dedicated in April 2010 to recognize her work as a social activist. Born in 1915 to Chinese immigrant parents in Rhode Island Boggs earned her BA from Barnard College and her PhD in Philosophy from Bryn Mawr College. As a Chinese American woman, Boggs confronted formidable racial barriers in her pursuit of employment opportunities. Boggs and her husband, James, championed social issues related to labor and civil rights, feminism, Black Power, Asian Americans, and the environment. They also founded the James and Grace Lee Boggs School, a charter school that aims to serve the black and low-income families in the community where the school is located.
Baits II Hall
1440 Hubbard Avenue
Ann Arbor, MI 48109
Mahatma Gandhi Minority Culture Lounge
(2005) – Oxford Hall
The multicultural lounge of Oxford Hall, dedicated in 2005, serves as tribute to the indomitable spirit of Mahatma Gandhi, a civil rights pioneer who initiated the practice of nonviolent protest for achieving social and political change. Despite his peaceful approach to change, Gandhi’s practices and work have sparked controversy. Gandhi has been called a racist for remarks related to white superiority in South Africa, considered by some as anti-Hindu. He was also questioned for not drawing enough attention to dismantling the caste system in India, and seen by some as a puritan and misogynist who perpetuated negative views on sex. In 1948, Gandhi was assassinated in Delhi, India at the age of 78. American civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr. was strongly influenced by Gandhi and patterned his own political and social activism after Gandhi’s non-violent methods.
Oxford Houses
623 Oxford Road
Ann Arbor, MI 48109
Martin Luther King Jr. Minority Culture Lounge
(1979) – Bursley Hall
This multicultural lounge in Bursley Hall, dedicated in 1976, is named after one of the nation’s foremost civil rights leaders, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Born in Atlanta, Georgia on January 15, 1929 Dr. King’s unwavering commitment to the cause of equality for minorities in the United States propelled him through the crucible of harassment, unjust arrest, and other perils. Non-violent protests, such as sit-ins, boycotts, and civil disobedience, were hallmarks of Dr. King’s legacy. He delivered some of the most powerful speeches of the 20th century, including the well-known “I Have a Dream” speech in front of the Lincoln Memorial in August 1963.
Bursley Hall
1931 Duffield Street
Ann Arbor, MI 48109
Nikki Giovanni Minority Culture Lounge
(1999) – Mosher-Jordan Hall
The Nikki Giovanni Minority Culture Lounge celebrates the activism and literary contributions of poet, writer and lecturer NIkki Giovanni. Giovanni visited the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor in January 1999 to speak at the annual MLK Jr. Day Symposium and then again in February 2023, where she sat down in the Nikki Giovanni Minority Culture Lounge for lunch with student leaders. During Giovanni’s 1999 visit she also spoke to a group of students in the Nikki Giovanni Minority Culture Lounge, as part of the dedication. Giovanni’s work centers on race, gender, sexuality, and the African American family; she has won numerous accolades, including the NAACP Image Award, the Rosa Parks Women of Courage Award, a Literary Excellence Award, and the Langston Hughes Medal.
Mosher-Jordan Hall
200 Observatory Street
Ann Arbor, MI 48109
Rosa Parks Minority Culture Lounge
(1973) – Stockwell Hall
The Rosa Parks Minority Culture Lounge in Stockwell Hall was dedicated in 1973. Rosa Parks, an icon of the civil rights movement, was born in Tuskegee, Alabama in 1913. She grew up in the Jim Crow South, under laws that effectively disenfranchised black voters and allowed racial segregation in public facilities and retail stores, including public transportation. In 1955, Parks refused to give up her seat in the “colored” section of a bus to a white man who was standing, as was required by Montgomery city ordinance at the time. This action started the Montgomery Bus Boycott that lasted over a year and inspired civil rights protests nationwide. The Supreme Court ruled such segregation unconstitutional in 1956.
Stockwell Hall
324 Observatory Street
Ann Arbor, MI 48109
Umoja Minority Culture Lounge
(1991) – Alice Lloyd Hall
The Umoja Minority Culture Lounge was dedicated in Alice Lloyd Hall in 1991. This multicultural lounge derives its name from Kwanzaa, an African American holiday observed annually from December 26th to January 1st. Rooted in Swahili, the term “Kwanzaa” translates to “first fruits of the harvest.”The decision to name this multicultural lounge as “Umoja” sprung from the aspirations of Alice Lloyd’s residents. It echoes the multicultural lounge’s original purpose: to promote unity among students of color.
Alice Lloyd Hall
100 Observatory Street
Ann Arbor, MI 48109
Vicky Barner Multicultural Lounge
(2000) – Alice Lloyd Hall
This multicultural lounge was rededicated in Vicky Barner’s honor in 2000 to commemorate her activism on issues of equality and respect for the Native American community at the University of Michigan. As a student at the University, she founded the student organization, American Indians Unlimited which put on Ann Arbor’s first pow-wow, a tradition that continues to this day. Additionally, she was one of the first students to condemn the honor society, Michigamua, for its portrayal of negative stereotypes of Native Americans. The multicultural lounge features artwork and artifacts by Native American people, chosen by the Native community in Southeast Michigan, which share a piece of the story and teachings of indigenous communities.
Alice Lloyd Hall
100 Observatory Street
Ann Arbor, MI 48109
Yuri Kochiyama Multicultural Lounge
(1997) – South Quad
Visit the Yuri Kochiyama Multicultural Lounge
The Yuri Kochiyama Multicultural Lounge in South Quad was opened in 1997. After graduating from Compton Junior College, where Kochiyama pursued studies in English, journalism, and art, her world was profoundly affected by the events following Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941. Kochiyama, along with her family, endured internment in camps, an experience that ignited her commitment to the civil rights movement and coalition building, advocating for black liberation, promoting solidarity between black and Asian Americans, and seeking government redress for the injustice of internment.
South Quad
600 East Madison Street
Ann Arbor, MI 48109