James Farmer Multicultural Center helps students become agents of social change

When you think of a college education, you might focus on academics and career preparation. But for more than three decades, a special center at the University of Mary Washington has worked to help students become agents of social change and engaged citizens. 

Growing up in Fairfax County, Owen Chong graduated from Mount Vernon High School, where he was always surrounded by diversity. A full-ride scholarship led him to the University of Mary Washington, a predominantly white institution, as a computer science major. 

But quickly Chong found a home at the James Farmer Multicultural Center, or JFMC as students call it. 

“Coming to the JFMC, it’s a very homey space, and so it was just very comforting to have a space where I can meet other students of color or especially administrators. These are people I can look up to, confide in,” Chong said. 

The JFMC is a hub for more than a dozen student groups and a place where many campus events are planned, promoting a better understanding of racial and cultural differences. 

The center offers students an education they won’t get in the classroom, JFMC Assistant Director Chris Williams. 

“The information they are gaining from the events that we put on they do not get in the classroom,” Williams said. “Our center is positioned to offer a different type of educational experience.” 

The center is named after the late James Farmer, one of the original Freedom Riders — the civil rights activists who took buses into the South to challenge segregation in the 1960s. He later became a member of the Mary Washington faculty. His classes were so popular there were sometimes standing room only.

Williams got to know Farmer as a teenager growing up in Fredericksburg. 

“Dr. Farmer was all about inclusivity and lifting the voices of everyone and creating an environment where everyone was heard,” Williams said. 

Chong is the men’s soccer club president. Along with his involvement in the NAACP, he is a Farmer Fellow. The fellows meet with student groups, doing presentations on topics like racism and microaggression. The sessions give students of all backgrounds a chance to dig into tough topics. 

“This isn’t something to walk on eggshells. There’s nothing to be scared about. We can talk about these tough issues in a very comfortable setting,” Chong said. 

It will take the next generation to carry the torch forward, Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs Marion Sanford said. 

“We’ll only be able to stay on the front lines so much, but it’s our responsibility to give them the tools, the skills, and the resources where they can pick up the mantle and keep it going," Sanford said.