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The Unpaved Road to Diversity, Equity & Inclusion at UC Berkeley
As a first-generation college student and persxn of color, Kai Schelly faced challenges when he first attended the University of California, Berkeley (Cal) in 2019.
Almost a year later, Schelly, a rising second-year studying molecular cell biology and applied mathematics, found support from Mixed @ Berkeley Recruitment & Retention Center (MRRC), one of seven different recruitment & retention centers (RRCs) that form bridges, a multicultural resource center at Cal.
“The people that I’ve met in bridges are like family to me,” said Schelly, a pre-med student. “They’ve given me a lot of resources and a lot of help navigating college.”
Schelly is among about 100 students who currently hold leadership roles in bridges and is part of thousands that they have served, according to bridges staff.
bridges is unique, according to supporters and organizers, because it acknowledges the hxstory of systemic inequities facing people of color.
“Something specific about bridges that I was drawn to compared to other spaces for students of color was its focus on the education system,”…
