To sign up to participate in this group call 801-422-7759
Of the 684,986 people residing in Utah County, only 20.4% identify with a race and ethnicity other than caucasian or white. This is on par with the makeup of the local universities and colleges. During her undergrad, masters student Vanessa Ratunuman felt isolated and like she didn’t belong saying: “due to racist experiences, racial stress and feeling like no one understood my perspective or how I felt … it was hard to push through financial and emotional difficulties when I felt like a lot of my struggles were rooted in my experience as being not as privileged as those around me.”
It wasn’t until she began her Marriage and Family Therapy Training that she learned that her colleagues were having similar experiences. This motivated Ratunuman to create a support group of individuals, specifically students of colour in Utah County, where people can feel safe to discuss their experiences.
“We want relationships to be built. We want students to walk away from this group feeling like they actually have a support system at BYU or that they can now add new people into their support system. We also hope to help students to process whatever kind of experiences they have had and to help students develop coping skills when they encounter triggers or racist experiences. “
This group will start on Monday, January 9th, at 6 pm at 1190 E 900 N Provo, UT.
There will be a one-time fee of $15 for students not currently attending Brigham Young University. For more information and to sign up call: 801-422-7759
Vanessa Ratunuman Hyde is the head group lead and is also a second-year Marriage and Family Therapy Student. Hyde is 25 years old and from California and Indonesia.
Fatma Luka is a second-year Marriage and Family Therapy graduate student from Sudan and Nebraska.
Ivana Borba hails from Montevideo, Uruguay, and is a 28-year-old Marriage and Family Therapy student.