Cal-SOAP (California Student Opportunity and Access Program) partnered with the CSUSB Anthropology Museum to bring over 1,000 elementary, middle and high school students to campus to experience the yearlong exhibit, “Afróntalo.” The exhibit, which opened Sept. 21, highlights the experiences of four communities in Mexico and 21 Californians, exploring the rich histories, cultures and identities of Afrolatine people.

“Afróntalo” is on display at the Anthropology Museum, located on the third floor of CSUSB’s College of Social and Behavioral Sciences, through June 19. From February through May, the exhibit was the centerpiece of several field trips organized by Cal-SOAP. These trips brought 15 schools from across the Inland Empire and fourth-12th grade students to CSUSB.

Guided by Cal-SOAP student success coaches, students viewed the “Afróntalo” exhibit, participated in a cultural activity and explored the CSUSB campus while learning about college. The tours also included lunch at the Coyote Commons Dining Hall, giving students a taste of campus life.

During the field trips, students viewed the “Afróntalo” exhibit, participated in a cultural activity and explored the CSUSB campus while learning about college.  
During the field trips, students viewed the “Afróntalo” exhibit, participated in a cultural activity and explored the CSUSB campus while learning about college.  

Students were introduced to “Afróntalo” by the Anthropology Museum’s graduate student assistant, Evy Zermeno, and were provided engaging material to work on as they went through the exhibit. The anthropology department created an original Lotería Afrolatina, a traditional Mexican bingo game featuring 54 Afrolatine people, communities and cultural icons, providing an interactive and educational experience for the students to enjoy.

Grace Fry-Garcia, Cal-SOAP events manager, facilitated the tours and witnessed students' enthusiasm and engagement during their visits.

“Our ‘Afróntalo’ exhibit and CSUSB tours have been a great success! We had an amazing response, and the outcome has been fantastic,” said Fry-Garcia. “I was able to see first-hand how important it is for students, especially the younger ones, to have this type of opportunity. They saw themselves in a college environment and gained knowledge about what resources we have available.

“They were excited to see the museum and engaged with our activities and campus tour,” she added. “It was fun hearing them exclaim at the end of the day that they wanted to go to college and how CSUSB is the best! They especially loved having lunch in our dining hall, which impressed all of them. They left content and excited about their futures.”

Jasmin Marin, a counselor from Sunnymead Elementary, brought over 200 students to the museum.

“The (Anthropology Museum) was informative and culturally insightful,” said Marin. “Our students enjoyed it, and I know it exposed them to a different narrative of histories, cultures and identities they have previously not heard or read about.”

Students experience “Afróntalo,” which is on display at the Anthropology Museum through June 19.
Students experience “Afróntalo,” which is on display at the Anthropology Museum through June 19. 

Arianna Huhn, Anthropology Museum director and associate professor of anthropology, shared the positive impact the museum and Cal-SOAP collaboration has had on students.

“Cal-SOAP has been a phenomenal campus partner for the Anthropology Museum,” said Huhn. “By providing the logistical support and the infrastructure for K-12 students to see what our campus has to offer, we were able to extend the reach of our current exhibition deeper into the community and allow many of these students to see themselves represented and their cultures and histories celebrated in a formal academic space. That sense of belonging is key to the pursuit of a higher education.”

Cal-SOAP addresses a range of students’ needs, offering services that reflect the diversity of students in the Inland Empire. These services include academic support, advising and outreach activities. Administered by the California Student Aid Commission, the program raises awareness among its underrepresented students about attending college and helps them raise their academic achievement levels.

Cal State San Bernardino is part of the San Bernardino County Cal-SOAP Program consortium, which consists of secondary and postsecondary schools and community agencies. In addition to CSUSB, Cal-SOAP projects operate in 15 locations throughout California. For more information, visit the Cal-SOAP website.