Keene State College's Office of Community & Belonging

Juneteenth is more than history — it’s a celebration of strength, culture, and liberation. Let’s honor the past, uplift the present, and fight for a more just future.

Join us next Monday, Feb 3rd in the Center for Research and Writing in the Mason Library for the next book club meeting! 📖✨⁣
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The theme is Robots and completely low commitment meaning you are welcome regardless of how much you’ve read, just as long as you are ready to talk about it! There will be free snacks & crafts.

Unleash your creativity at Crafternoon! ✂️

Join us every Friday from 12:00 to 1:30 PM in the Cultural Center for an afternoon of crafting, snacks, and relaxation.

The craft changes every week so comment what types of crafts you’d like to see this semester!

Come join our office 2-3pm Thursday in the Cultural Center to craft up some winter paper snowflakes. This is the final Crafternoon of the semester, so be sure to swing by!

On Sunday, two of our student organizations .ksc + got to together to have friendsgiving! This event is a yearly tradition for the two organizations to come together to share food and connect. This year there was a variety of food with Haitian, Nepali, Italian, and French that were all made with personal recipes. This year the activities ranged from games to gratitude cards. It is a meaningful event for both the organizations and they look forward to it every year!

Last Friday, some of our students participated in the Student Involvement Flag Raising Ceremony. Flag Raising honors the connections students have to their cultures and country!

Some students representing Brazil, Uruguay, and Zimbabwe gave speeches to share their stories and connections! Other flags raised were the a Democratic Republic of Congo, Haiti, and Liberia!

This week for Why Get Involved Wednesday we are featuring Global Cultural Club! They work to create engaging opportunities for all students to engage with diverse cultures, build a supportive and interconnected community, and offer educational resources and experiences to expand cultural knowledge! They meet every Friday at 4 in the Science Center, Room 175.

Some insight from Nirmala Tamang (current co-president) on why she joined: “I came to Keene in 2021 as an international student from Nepal. While adjusting to a new life in America, GCC became a space that felt like home from the moment I attended one of their meetings. From chai nights and game sessions to meaningful conversations, I realized it was the little things that made me feel like I belonged. Cooking nights and celebrating festivals have always been my favorite moments. GCC is a beautiful blend of domestic and international students coming together to share and learn - celebrating both American culture and traditions from around the world equally. It’s nice to watch people connect, sharing a part of them, and genuinely enjoying the experience together. Keene State may be small, but over the past four years, I’ve come to appreciate the meaningful diversity we have here. I believe that by coming altogether and embracing what we each bring, we can create a welcoming space where everyone feels valued and connected.”

Tomorrow, November 20th, we are hosting our first ever Crafter Hours! Join us in the Student Center from 4-6pm for some crafts and chats. We will be making lucky stars and CD chandeliers - all supplies included. See you there!

On Friday November 22nd from 1-2pm, KSC Pride will be hosting an LGBTQ+ Drop-In Support Dialogue in collaboration with the Wellness Center and the Office of Student Diversity, Belonging, and Equity. This event is a space for finding community and care among LGBTQ+ community members at Keene State College. The event will be held in the Student Center in Madison Street Lounge.

November 21st from 2-5pm, we are hosting a Stop, Swap, Stitch, and Fix event to provide an opportunity for sustainable and gender-affirming clothing choices for all students at Keene State College! Please join us to grab new-to-you clothes, donate old clothes, and practice mending techniques to repair your tried-and-true closet staples. We will have a few teachers on-site to help you revivify your wardrobe. Also, feel free to bring your fiber arts to hang out for the afternoon - knitting, crochet, sewing, embroidery, and more will be welcome!

Introducing Why Get Involved Wednesdays where we highlight one of our identity based groups and their involvement on campus!

This week is Black Student Union. They work to create a safe space for all black students attending Keene State College, which is done through weekly meetings, trips, and dinners together. They meet every Friday at 2pm in the Cultural Center.

Some insight from Al Costa (current Vice President) on why he joined: “I joined the Black Student Union to find a community of people who really understood me and that I could share my college experience with. One of my best memories so far has been planning the BSU and Global Cultural Club (GCC) cookout last spring and hosting my first meeting as VP! BSU started because we wanted to bring together the black students on this campus and create a community for us, by us; it’s a place where you can be yourself and connect with others who get you. If you’re looking for new friends, fun activities, and a welcoming community, BSU welcomes you!”

This Thursday, staff members from The KSC Equinox will join us to run a Cultural Center Crafternoon! We will be using newspapers to create some paper mache art. Join us Thursday 2-3pm - all supplies included and no experience necessary!