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BaJEDI

Ed Beaty Hall
| Room: 126C

5401 West 20th Street, 80634, United States

Belonging, Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (BaJEDI)

A colorful mural featuring people from many cultures and Aims landmarks on a wall in the Aims Community College Student Commons with the words “You Belong”
Aims alumna Felisha Bustos designed the mural in the Student Commons on the Greeley campus, encapsulating themes of resilience, determination, grit, and strength. She skillfully wove symbols representing dreams, goals, and endless possibilities, along with Aims imagery. The figures in the mural, chosen for their diverse stories and backgrounds, reflect the wide-ranging ages and walks of life within the Aims community.

Welcome to the online home for the Belonging, Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (BaJEDI) program that serves Aims Community College faculty and staff. You can learn more about our mission, see upcoming events and announcements, and access learning tools and other resources to help you be a positive force for college-wide inclusivity.

A Message From the BaJEDI Program Manager

Teresa CribelliI would like to share a bit of my story as a way of inviting you on your own journey related to belonging, justice, equity, diversity and inclusion.

Aims and I go way back; I was born in Greeley and started my higher education journey here, teaching courses in ELL and citizenship at Aims while I was in graduate school. Even before that, my mother was an ELL instructor at Aims, and as a young child I watched her work with students from all over the world, witnessing how people came together to help each other. I credit Aims with instilling within me a deep curiosity about diverse peoples and cultures that ultimately led to my research in Latin America.

After eleven years as a tenured professor teaching Latin American History at the University of Alabama, I am back at Aims and excited to begin the work as Program Manager of the inaugural BaJEDI program. I first became aware of the importance of campus diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives (DEI) when my students at UA started coming to me to talk about their experiences as people of color on campus, from microaggressions to overt racism. Neurodiverse students (Autism, ADHD, and beyond) taught me about accommodations that addressed their learning styles and neurocognition, such as knitting while listening to a lecture to help them focus. One semester, I worked with our Office of Disability Services to create a tactile map of Latin America for a blind student.

Drawing from the lived experiences of these students, I realized that beyond course content, interactions with the diverse members of our campus community had the potential to transform our perspectives and expand our understanding of the world. I incorporated an exercise at the beginning of each semester that asked students to take a moment and look around the room and recognize that their diverse classmates were one of their most powerful resources on campus. This understanding is especially important for students today because the ability to collaborate and work with diverse teams is a crucial—and fruitful—workplace skill.

By developing ways to understand each other through reading about, hearing and learning different perspectives, we can make institutional changes that ensure everyone feels welcome and fully supported on campus. Each of us comes from a unique background with diverse experiences, identities, talents and needs. By working together to support initiatives that make Aims inclusive, we can experience the rich diversity on campus as a strength that we all will learn from every day.

I look forward to working with you at Aims.

Teresa Cribelli, Program Manager, BaJEDI

The BaJEDI Mission

The BaJEDI mission at Aims Community College is to cultivate a community where belonging, justice, equity, diversity and inclusion are enfolded into all levels of the institution. Working with stakeholders across our campuses and the communities we serve, BaJEDI strengthens and institutionalizes the values of Aims. We are dedicated to fostering an environment where every individual feels valued, respected, included and heard.

BaJEDI Council Members

Standing Members

Headshot of Jill Beck

Jill Beck

Title IX Coordinator/Compliance Manager
Headshot of Ashley Becker

Ashley Becker

Director, Center for Diversity & Inclusion
Headshot of Jessica Brevig

Jessica Brevig

Program Coordinator II, Faculty, Teaching, & Learning Center
Teresa Cribelli, BaJEDI Program Manager II, poses for a portrait.

Teresa Cribelli

BaJEDI Program Manager II
Zac McFarlane

Zachary McFarlane

Chief Marketing & Communication Officer
Alia Morris headshot

MOSAIC Community Engagement Specialist
Christopher Peterson

Christopher Peterson

Executive Director, Student Financial Aid
Russ Rothamer

Russ Rothamer

Executive Vice President
Kaylea Kesterson

Kaylea Sharp

Advisor I, Disability Access Center
Photo of Rachal Walsh

Rachal Walsh

Program Manager
Employee Wellness & Recognition
Center for Professional Development

Non-Standing Members

Jeff Klein

Jeff Klein

Professor, Welding
Headshot of Laura Lewis

Laura Lewis

Director of Institutional Effectiveness
Headshot of Amy McFarland

Amy McFarland

Department Chair, Agriculture
Headshot of Aims Physics and Astronomy Professor Fana Mulu-Moore

Fana Mulu-Moore

Associate Professor, Physics and Astronomy
Trish Rivino headshot

Trish Rivino

Classic Advisor
Gabriela Sanchez, Finish What You Started

Gabriela Sanchez

Program Coordinator II, Finish What You Started
John Sowder headshot

Johnny Sowder

Professor, Computer Aid Drafting
Jennifer Webb in front of plane

Jennifer Webb

Instructor, Aviation

The BaJEDI Awards

The Belonging, Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Awards (BaJEDI) honor individuals or teams who have demonstrated an emerging or sustained commitment to the values of belonging, diversity, equity, inclusion, social justice and multiculturalism within Aims and the greater community.

Aims honors faculty, staff, administrators and teams at the President’s Reception. Student awards are presented at the Academic Honors Ceremony. 

To learn more, contact Heather Lelchook, Council for Equity and Inclusion Co-chair at heather.lelchook@aims.edu.


BaJEDI News and Announcements

Here is where you will find updates about the BaJEDI program and items of interest in the field of diversity, equity and inclusion.

Upcoming Events

Meet the BaJEDI Program Manager