Retriever Immigrants United: Familial and Self-Love

RIU is a discussion-based program that centers the experiences of UMBC community members who identify as first, 1.5, or second-generation immigrants regardless of race, ethnicity, nationality, and/or citizenship status. This structured, topic-based program discusses the diverse immigrant experiences with a focus on intersectionality, community building, and social justice, while providing a safe space for UMBC immigrant students, staff, faculty, and alumni to share their feelings and experiences with other community members.

Relationships, if done well, require a lot of continuous work, communication, and compromise. Technology has allowed love to transcend borders and for cross-cultural relationships to become more common in our intersectional world. As we develop and foster relationships with our birth or chosen family members, self-awareness of how our held identities come into play in order to create the healthiest relationship possible. Join us as we discuss best practices on developing stronger relationships with ourselves and loved ones, face our own internalized barriers, as well as communicating our boundaries with others while debriefing select scenes from Disney’s 2021 animated film, Encanto.

*Please note that this group centers on immigrants and on the immigrant experience. This is subject to change according to attendees and potential future event opportunities and initiatives for allies. Click "going" and fill out our RSVP Form if you are planning to attend. Once you RSVP, you will receive a calendar invite.