Names: Ariella Assouline, Tina Nguyen, Gaby Sandor, and Swati Kaushik
Years:
AA: Senior
TN: Senior
GS: Sophomore
SK: Sophomore
Hometowns:
AA: Miami, Florida
TN: Medford, MA
GS: Burlingame, CA
SK: Jamison, PA
Majors/Minors:
AA: Majors: Women’s, Gender, and Sexualities Studies and Film, Television and Interactive Media Studies; Minor: Creative Writing
TN: Anthropology and Women’s, Gender, and Sexualities Studies
GS: Women’s, Gender, and Sexualities Studies and Hispanic Studies
SK: Majors: AAAS (Afro and African American Studies) and Cosi; Minor: South Asian Studies
Her Campus Brandeis: For people who may not know, what is FMLA? As an organization, what do you do?
Ariella Assouline: The Feminist Majority Leadership Alliance (FMLA) is a chapter organization of the Feminist Majority Foundation. We are part of a nationwide coalition of feminist groups on college campuses.
Tina Nguyen: You may know FMLA best from our very cute stickers, but as an organization we host weekly meetings in the Women’s Resource Center (SCC Room 324) and provide a space for growth and learning about our feminism.
Gaby Sandor: FMLA is a two-part organization. We have weekly meetings where we discuss issues affecting women and feminists nationally, and we also put on events each semester.
Swati Kaushik: FMLA hosts events like Love Your Body Day, Sexual Violence Awareness Day, and Galentine’s Day to help breed love for oneself and others!
HC: What is your favorite part about being involved in FMLA?
AA: My favorite part is definitely the bonding that happens between the board and the club as a whole. I’ve been a part of FMLA since my first semester and it has been a huge part of my development at Brandeis! I was so lucky to have such strong feminists as role models from the very beginning.
TN: I’ve been part of FMLA since my first semester at Brandeis, and it is has been such a formative space of learning more about feminism and helping shape my activism. The reason why I decided to become a WGS major was FMLA.
GS: My favorite part of FMLA, similar to what Ariella said, is having been able to meet incredible people. Not only the board, but the club members as well. I could not imagine my Brandeis experience without such amazing people.
SK: My favorite part is having a safe space to vent and decompress alongside fellow feminists who can empathize with whatever I’m going through.
HC: What is your favorite event or activity that FMLA hosts?
AA: Not necessarily my favorite, but the most important event we host is Sexual Violence Awareness Week. It is a week of education on sexual violence in America, across the world, and, sadly, at Brandeis. It’s so important that people on campus are aware of sexual violence and how to support survivors.
TN: Galentine’s Day! The event is a celebration of platonic love and other forms of love excluded from the mainstream commercialization of Valentine’s Day. Every year we also have free custom-made postcards that people can write and send. In true Parks and Recreation style, this year we had waffles and whipped cream at our speed-friending event.
GS: My favorite event that FMLA hosts is Love Your Body Day. Self-love is such a complex and fragile concept. Body positivity is often a continual process and I love that FMLA puts on an event specifically to honor how difficult and beautiful self-love can be.
SK: My favorite events are the coffeehouses! They’re usually held at Chums and are a night full of student performances and Dunkin Donuts. I love to see how other students across campus express their feminism.
HC: Who is your favorite female role model?
AA: Mindy Kaling, 100%. Her combination of activism and art is a driving reason behind why I want to get involved in film and television.
TN: Lucy Liu (who I actually saw speak at Harvard last year)! She has been one of the key Asian-American role models in my life because she represents endless opportunities by working as an actress, producer, director, visual artist, and philanthropist.
GS: Roxane Gay. Her book, Bad Feminist, changed my life. Her analyses of popular culture are some of the best I’ve seen. I’ve been meaning to read her newest work, Difficult Women, but where is the time?!
SK: Angela Davis. She is a Brandeis alum who took America by storm during the 70s. She was seen as a militant by the FBI, landing herself a spot on the Most Wanted List. I met her last year when she came to Brandeis, and I have never been in that much awe of one person. She is a badass who fought for her rights and the rights of all black folk. She epitomizes strength in my eyes.
Quick Facts
Favorite song or singer:
AA: Anything by The 1975, but specifically “Menswear”.
TN: Listen to Carly Rae Jepsen’s EMOTION and EMOTION B-Sides, you won’t regret it.
GS: Alabama Shakes, for sure.
SK: Drake, problematic–yes but he da goat.
Favorite quote:
AA: “When we speak we are afraid our words will not be heard or welcomed. But when we are silent, we are still afraid. So it is better to speak.” – Audre Lorde
TN: “Immigrants: we get the job done.” – Hamilton: An American Musical
GS: “I belong deeply to myself.” – Warsan Shire
SK: “My arrogance knows no bounds and I will make no peace today and you shall be so lucky to find a woman like me.” –Mohja Kahf
Favorite spot on campus:
AA: The Women’s Resource Center (SCC Room 324) of course!!
TN: Intercultural Center
GS: The Mandel Atrium — all the windows make it a beautiful place to study.
SK: My bed, hehe.
Image credits: Ariella Assouline, Tina Nguyen, Gaby Sandor, and Swati Kaushik