Grand Valley State University encourages the campus to embrace a social justice and intersectional identity approach to diversity, equity, and inclusion work. Get connected through each center's programming.
The Social Justice Centers collaborates with partners across the university and beyond to cultivate a campus community in which historically oppressed communities can succeed and thrive at GVSU. We work to ensure that students, faculty, and staff can find a deep sense of belonging on our campus. In our work, we center those who are oppressed including Indigenous people. We are committed to unlearning settler colonial frameworks and learning wise practices that center Indigenous knowledge and culture. We are committed to allocating resources, both financial and staff / student positions, for Indigenous programming, furthering Indigenous student support, fostering community partnerships, and developing intersectional events that cultivate Indigenous allyship.
Today, we would like to recognize the People of the Three Fires: the Ojibwe, Odawa, and Bodawademi peoples on whose land we are gathered on today. The Three Fires People are Indigenous to this land which means that this is their ancestral territory. Every university in this country was built on Indigenous land. We conduct land acknowledgments as a reminder of the histories, teachings, traditions, and the first people who originated here and who tend to Mshkiikii (land/earth) always.
We conduct these acknowledgments to be good visitors, as these were always done before colonial contact. To continue to be good visitors, we have the responsibility to learn about the history of settler colonialism and its impact on Indigenous people.
Visit the Land Acknowledge page at the Office of Multicultural Affair's website for more information and resources.
August 27, 2025 12:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Brought to you by the Milton E. Ford LGBT Resource Center, Rainbow Social is a free event for GVSU students, faculty, and staff to gather, enjoy food, and explore campus and community resources. This...
September 25, 2025 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Unnatural Causes is a documentary series that explores the effects of social factors on health and health care in the United States. It focuses specifically on race, socioeconomic standing, geography,...
October 23, 2025 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Unnatural Causes is a documentary series that explores the effects of social factors on health and health care in the United States. It focuses specifically on race, socioeconomic standing, geography,...
November 12, 2025 9:00 AM - 9:00 PM
GVSU's Teach-In is mutual education for the entire campus community, intended to address topics related to inequality and systems of oppression, as well as social justice and liberation....
November 13, 2025 8:30 AM - 7:00 PM
GVSU's Teach-In is mutual education for the entire campus community, intended to address topics related to inequality and systems of oppression, as well as social justice and liberation....
The Make MI Home grant from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation will be tied directly with GVSU’s HBCU/HSI Consortium, with a focus on supporting prospective educators from the HBCU Talladega College in Alabama.
May 28, 2025
Participants in the MVE-Lab accelerated entrepreneurship program competed for prize money in Traverse City.
May 19, 2025
Grand Valley and the Peter Secchia Military and Veterans Resource Center will receive an education innovator award from the Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency (MVAA) on Friday, May 9.
May 7, 2025
The annual event celebrates Indigenous culture through song, dance, feasting and socializing.
Apr 14, 2025
The annual event was hosted by the Asian Student Union and sponsored by the Asian Student Achievement Program and had a variety of elements celebrating numerous Asian cultures.
Mar 24, 2025
