Midwestern State University will host a ribbon cutting and open house for the Charlye O. Farris Social Justice Resource Center (Farris SJRC) from 3:30-5 p.m. Friday, October 29, at the center located in Bea Wood Hall near the Jesse W. Rogers Promenade. The center is a hub for education, advocacy, and training in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI).

Named in honor of the late Charlye O. Farris, the first Black female attorney admitted to practice law in the State of Texas and a pillar of the Wichita Falls community, the Farris Center offers programming, workshops, and resources designed to engage community members and leaders in deepening their understanding and awareness of equity and social justice issues.

“Everyone benefits from a more inclusive environment. In creating stronger links between MSU Texas and Wichita Falls through the work of the Farris SJRC, we will find ways to transform the experience for students and others who do not yet feel included or reflected in the community,” said Cammie Dean, Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs.

With a goal to build a more just, welcoming and inclusive community across MSU Texas and surrounding Wichita Falls, the Farris SJRC will open doors and space for reflection, dialogue and collaboration by empowering all members of the community to engage in meaningful conversations and action on a range of social justice topics.

“With the Farris Center, MSU Texas is leading the way and opening the door for essential conversations to take place,” said alumna Diann Taylor (’74, ’90) of the MSU Texas Alumni Association. “With so much going on in our nation, to have a space on campus for such conversations will be welcome. To name the center for Charlye Farris, a pillar in our own community, is perfectly fitting.”