U-FLi Center at Brown University

Are you ready?! The second annual U-FLi Tiny Desk Talent Show is finally upon us! Get ready for some exciting performances— everything from the melodious harmonies of Mariachi de Brown 🎶, to the fiery steps of special dancers🔥, to powerful spoken word, and everything in between! Check out the lineup in the graphic above and get HYPE ‼️

The show is this Friday. Be sure to RSVP (in bio) and meet us before the grand stage. We’re so excited to see you all there! 💗 Doors open at 5:45 pm!

Photos from last year’s U-FLi Tiny Desk Talent Show! 🪩 This production boasted over 15 amazing performances showcasing the special gifts our community members hold. Be sure to RSVP for this year’s show at the link in our bio!! ❤️

The unique array of talent from last year included Mariachi de Brown, Grace Kim ‘23, Jesus Muñoz ‘26, Visaal Leeman ‘26, Brianna Lucas ‘26 and co. among others in song and dance; Yeabfikir Ayele Alemayehu ‘25, Cecile Schreidah ‘24, Genesis Beato ‘24 and others in spoken word; Omar Abdelhamid ‘24 and JZ (Jialing Zhou) ‘24 in rap performances; and several other extraordinary performers.

We were overjoyed to witness over so many community members come together to create a space of affirmation and expression on the evening of Tiny Desk last year ❤️ and we CANNOT wait to do it all over again this Friday. Be sure to RSVP for the program asap!!

Date: Friday, April 26th
Time: 6 pm - 8 pm
Location: U-FLi Center

On Thursday, March 14th, the U-FLi Center invited Laila Ayub from Project ANAR (Afghan Network for Advocacy & Resources) to discuss the work of solidarity building and immigration justice as part of our Breathing Power Speaker Series. Ayub offered many invigorating insights into the work her organization commits to in offering direct legal services, community education, and advocacy for the Afghan community.

As Ayub put it, Project ANAR started out of necessity as an emergency response project and currently works to sustainably assist newly arrived Afghans and those who continue to seek refuge. As such, it has grown into a larger network of services, bridging several communities across ethnic lines with immigration experiences acting as the connecting piece.

The talk allowed students the opportunities to reflect on their own communities and on how coalition building may manifest in the work that they do. Ayub left attendees with Project ANAR’s vision of a world in which “Afghans, and all people, can move freely, without the barriers imposed on them by the systems that displaced them to begin with.”

We are incredibly grateful for the wonderful talk by Laila and look forward to hosting more programming centering immigration justice in the future.

📸: Jessica Plancarte Lopez ‘24, U-FLi Center Photographer .lopez

Whether you’re just gaining your footing at Brown as a first year, or you’ve just declared your concentration as a second year, or you’re a rising senior planning the grand finale to your time as an undergraduate — come learn about the senior thesis writing process with current U-FLi honors candidates across different departments at Brown ✨💫. What’s a senior thesis you ask? In short, it is a year-long independent research project that materializes in a final extended paper, serving as the culmination to your time at Brown 📝🎓.

We will unpack exactly what a senior thesis is, discuss the approaches we’ve taken to develop our research questions, fellowships we’ve pursued to fund our projects, and the timelines of a thesis (and much more!). We will also make space for questions and active brainstorming for attendees to envision what an honors experience might look like for them 🥳

It is never too early to think about how you may want to approach a senior thesis! Wherever you are in your time at Brown, come learn about the thesis process from some stellar U-FLi seniors. Lunch will be provided. 🍛🍽️

↪️ RSVP in bio! ↩️

Date: Monday, April 15, 2024
Event Time: 12-1:00pm
Location: U-FLi Center Classroom
**** Lunch will be provided!

🎨: Ayan Rahman ‘24, U-FLi Center Graphic Designer and Visual Identity Coordinator .rahman

The U-FLi Tiny Desk Event is back by popular demand! Featuring a series of performances from dancers, rappers, musicians, comedians and more, this night will be a celebration of all things creative within the U-FLi community. We welcome you to join us in this space of affirmation, expression and art in which we showcase the talents of our gifted corner of campus. Refreshments will be provided!

🎨: Ayan Rahman ‘24, U-FLi Center Graphic Designer and Visual Identity Coordinator .rahman

🎨: Ayan Rahman ‘24, U-FLi Center Graphic Designer and Visual Identity Coordinator .rahman

Calling the U-FLi Community: Walks with Jennora the Explorer are back for the final time! Join U-FLi Student Staffer and community elder, Jennora the Explorer, on a walk around Brown’s campus or a sit-and-chat in the U-FLi Center. We are approaching the end of her time here at Brown, and she wanted to offer a concluding abundance of moments to deeply connect before the semester ends and graduation ensues.

Any and every U-FLier is welcome! Just glance at the upcoming weeks and sign up for a time slot (or multiple)! And if these times don’t work for you, just email her to find a time that does :) at [email protected]

Check-in about life at Brown, ask questions about campus resources/academic support, or literally chat about anything on your mind! She can answer any question about U-FLi-related resources, independent concentrations, workload management (including how to make time for joy), and interpersonal conflict, while offering any guidance or hand of support.

After you sign up, you will receive a google invite confirming your time slot and any follow up information necessary for your attendance. Thank you!

The U-FLi Center Peer Counselors and Kessler Scholars Program got together to host an amazing first year game night on March 12th 👾🎮! Our stellar community of first year students had fun playing Just Dance 💃 and facing off against each other in an exhilarating Mario Kart Tournament 🏟️ . In the end, Kelly and Crystal were crowned the Just Dance champions 🪩 while Ashley, Julius, and Eduardo ended up as our top 3 Mario Karters 🏆. We look forward to many more community building events in the near future! 😁❤️

The U-FLi Center is partnering with the Center for Career Exploration and Alumni Relations to bring together more events focused on early career exploration and building community with alumni. Read below for more information on our last two events:

You Better (Net)Work:
Are you confused, overwhelmed, or anxious about networking? The U-FLi Center has you covered! Join the U-FLi Center for a workshop on highlighting our identities through networking! We will be teaching you strategies for networking, how to craft compelling public narratives, and how you can utilize networking skills in any situation. Come learn how networking can be an effective tool for finding opportunities, expanding your professional circle, and communicating your unique skill set. This event is catered towards first and second-year U-FLi students, but all students are welcome! Dinner will be provided. Make sure to RSVP here!

Life After Brown Brunch:
Join Olivia Watson ’16 of Alumni Relations and U-FLi recent grads Georgeara Castañeda-Garza ‘22.5, Timmy Jeng ‘18 MD’27, and Santi Hernandez ‘21 for an honest discussion about life after Brown and alumni resources. Bring your questions about searching for jobs, finding community in a new city, and how Brown can stay in your life after you walk out the Van Wickle Gates. This event is catered towards third and fourth-year U-FLi students, but all students are welcome! Brunch will be provided!

RSVP in bio!

🎨: Ayan Rahman ‘24, U-FLi Center Graphic Designer and Visual Identity Coordinator .rahman

The U-FLi Center is partnering with the Center for Career Exploration and Alumni Relations to bring together more events focused on early career exploration and building community with alumni. Read below for more information on our last two events:

You Better (Net)Work:
Are you confused, overwhelmed, or anxious about networking? The U-FLi Center has you covered! Join the U-FLi Center for a workshop on highlighting our identities through networking! We will be teaching you strategies for networking, how to craft compelling public narratives, and how you can utilize networking skills in any situation. Come learn how networking can be an effective tool for finding opportunities, expanding your professional circle, and communicating your unique skill set. This event is catered towards first and second-year U-FLi students, but all students are welcome! Dinner will be provided. Make sure to RSVP here!

Life After Brown Brunch:
Join Olivia Watson ’16 of Alumni Relations and U-FLi recent grads Georgeara Castañeda-Garza ‘22.5, Timmy Jeng ‘18 MD’27, and Santi Hernandez ‘21 for an honest discussion about life after Brown and alumni resources. Bring your questions about searching for jobs, finding community in a new city, and how Brown can stay in your life after you walk out the Van Wickle Gates. This event is catered towards third and fourth-year U-FLi students, but all students are welcome! Brunch will be provided!

RSVP in bio!

On February 25th, our U-FLi Peer Counselors tag teamed with the Center for Career Exploration’s Peer Career Advisors to host the first part of our Grab A Drink event series! 🧋 U-FLi students got the chance to get some free boba while getting one-on-one resume support from both PCs and PCAs.

Be sure to attend our next installment of our Grab A Drink event series in collaboration with BWell’s Wellness Peer Educators on March 17th from 3:30pm - 5:00pm at the U-FLi Center! We will be making mocktails and discussing wellness practices then 🥂🥰

Who’s ready for Spring Break?! 🌸 Come make and enjoy mocktails 🍸 with the U-FLi Peer Counselors and Wellness Peer Educators on Sunday, March 17 from 3:30 pm to 5 pm. We will be trying fun mocktail recipes and exploring how students can implement wellness practices into the upcoming break. Stop by to chat with the Peer Counselors and Wellness Peer Educators about implementing health and wellness practices as U-FLi Students! 💆🏽💝🌟