MASC Presents: A Diverse College Panel

Multiracial Americans of Southern California presents a Diverse College Panel discussion for high school and community college students. Please join our panelists, who come from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds, as they talk about their college experiences in the U.S. at small liberal arts colleges, a mid-size private college, and a large UC college. As people of diverse races and cultures, we’ll explore issues such as finding community, feeling like you belong, being the first generation to attend college, navigating the college experience as children of immigrant parents, and straddling various groups and activities while in college. We’re here to answer any questions you may have and to listen to any concerns you’d like to share. As with all of our MASC talks, we strive to create an open, respectful space in which people are free to explore what is on their minds and to express themselves. We hope you’ll join us for this unique college discussion moderated by people of diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds for students of diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds.

Our Panelists (alphabetical by last names):

Larissa Chiari-Keith graduated from Pomona College and is Persian and Italian.

Lesli Mitchell began at Santa Monica City College, transferred to UC Berkeley and graduated from there. She is African-American and White of Swiss-German, Irish, and British descent.

Shawn Rae Passalaqua graduated from Middlebury College and is Black, of West African and Western European descent.

Jill Reyna-Jones graduated from UC Berkeley and is Mexican-American Chicana and White, of German descent.

Jeannette Soumbasakis Jose graduated from Yale College and is Filipina American.

Michelle Walker graduated from UC Berkeley and is African American.