Major: UEP
Hometown: Chicago
Sign: Pisces
Youth Coalition for Community Action is a political and social action club on campus. Our mission is to engage both radical political analysis and direct action organizing in struggles for justice. YCCA seeks to organize in solidarity with the ideals of both national and local nonviolent social justice movements.
What inspired you to join YCCA?
I was looking for a community of people who cared about the same things I did and wanted to fight the fight. YCCA turned out to be a really great fit for that!
What issue in the world today are you most passionate about?
My passions and interests really run the gambit. I am committed to working towards breaking down systems of oppression- specifically racism and sexism. Economic justice, environmental justice, education, addressing poverty, and immigrant rights are all core interests. There are also plenty of issues that touch this campus about which I am passionate (the ways our mission of equity is not always realized for example).
How did you pick Occidental College?
I was looking for a small school in a big city and a progressive, interdisciplinary academic department that would support and challenge my intellectual curiosities. Oxy fit these criteria and something just felt right!
What is your favorite memory so far from Occidental?
There are way too many! I just really appreciate how much I laugh when I am with my friends and how I often find myself in spaces where I am challenged to think about the way I operate in our world.
What other organizations are you involved in on campus?
I work as a PA at the Intercultural Community Center, which means I program events on campus that relate to diversity and social justice. I am also co-community service chair of Delta. And I’m on ASOC Sustainability Fund.
What do you like to do in your free time?
I like to spend time with friends, hang out in different parts of LA, go on runs in Eagle Rock and Highland Park, and listen to live music.
Do you have any role models?
Folks like Cesar Chavez, Gandhi, Ella Baker, Angela Davis, and MLK have all deeply influenced me. My real role models are the countless organizers and community leaders who have waged nonviolent struggle for social change whose names i will never know. I also really look up to the strong women of my family.
What is your favorite thing about your hometown Chicago?
Well for one, it’s my home- there are so many great places in the city tied to so many memories I have from growing up. I also really love that Chicago is truly a city of neighborhoods.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
I’ll be happily working as an organizer!
Favorite:
BAND(S): Everything from Flaming Lips to Jurassic 5 to the Fugees to Wilco and so many more!
FOOD: Chana masala
MOVIE(S): Do the Right Thing, Rushmore, Exit Through the Gift Shop
CITY: I’m in love with cities in general, but Chicago and NYC are my favorites.
What advice can you give to youngsters who are interested in getting involved in social action and social justice and those who really want to make changes in the world?
It will not be easy, so make sure to take care of yourself. Find a community of people who share your values and nurture those relationships. Also, work to understand how power relates to identity and difference.