I sat down with Yolian Ogbu and Hillary Shah to discuss their election platform, their experiences as UNT students and what they plan to accomplish as SGA President and Vice President. I wanted to get some background on the two candidates as well as help the student body learn more about these two powerful women running for office. Yolian and Hillary both are first generation college students as well as first generation American citizens. This unique experience has shaped their views and passions for change on this campus.
Yolian Ogbu is a second-year student at UNT classified as junior with a double major in Political Science and Communications. She is the president of IGNITE, which is a national non-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to getting women to run for office. Yolian also serves as the Director for Community Outreach and Engagement for the Black Student Union (BSU). As the Director for Community Outreach and Engagement, Yolian works to make sure that campus wide service projects are available for all umbrella orgs and for all students in the Black community so that they can give back to their communities. She also serves on the National Women’s March Youth Empowerment Committee to organize and increase civic engagement. She also works on the operations team for Zero Hour which is a climate justice organization run by women of color who are dedicated to the idea that climate change is an issue for all people. She hopes to work in international affairs post graduation and work for the African Union.
Hillary Shah is a first-year student at UNT classified as a junior with a double major in Political Science and Economics. She is a political organizer who has organized the largest growing district wide protest, she has also organized lobbying initiatives, and has also worked as an organizer in 2018 elections. She specializes in youth mobilization with hopes to continue that mobilization on our campus. She is also involved in student orgs on campus such as: Moot Court, Phi Alpha Delta pre-law fraternity, and Golden Key Honor society where she is the Community Outreach Chair.
Why do you all want to run for SGA President and Vice President?
“I am a student that had a lot of frustrations and wanted to turn my frustrations into action. I want to use the megaphone as SGA president to ensure that all students voices are heard.” – Yolian
“Ordinary people have so much more of a voice than they think. Coming to UNT as a first generation American and college student I have a lot of frustrations that many other students share that is not always amplified by an Institution through Student Government traditionally. I want to use my skills and my voice to uplift other student voices and make sure that UNT reflects us.” – Hillary
How will you build upon what the current President and Vice President have started?
“We want to take what they started as far as representation is concerned and use it to mobilize students and recognize that students have the power to enact real substantial change. We want to ensure that SGA is transparent about bills being presented/passed and making sure that they are accessible to the public. We need to make sure not only that student has a seat at the table, but that their voice is amplified through the megaphone. We want to enact policy that will bring change” – Yolian & Hillary
One of your campaign pillars is to fight for $15 minimum wage for students. How do you plan to achieve that?
“It’s ridiculous that students have to work for $7.50 an hour and are expected pay rent and other living costs. Not every student comes to college with financial support from their families. $15 is the goal; we are going to advocate for a minimum wage of $9.50 and we won’t stop until we reach $15. Cost of living in Denton county is increasing and has those costs rise, so should wages.” –Yolian & Hillary
How can UNT improve in Diversity and Inclusion?
“We need more opportunities for first-generation students. More networking and internship opportunities geared specifically toward students of colors or other underserved groups on campus. Partnering with offices that have the resources to create events and provide support that target students of color to succeed.” -Yolian and Hillary
Why “Reflect Us” as a campaign Slogan?
“We needed a phrase that represents what we want to do in office. And I kept thinking and reflect kept coming to mind. We thought about what we needed as a student body and we need UNT to reflect us. Students need to be reflected; not just our skin tone, not just our ethnicities, but reflect the needs of all students. We don’t know what reflects all students. Students tell us what reflects them, and we use our megaphone to tell the administration those needs.”- Yolian and Hillary
What sparks your passion for gender equality/equity on campus?
“Seeing our peers struggle and go through obstacles to feel affirmed and to affirm their identity when they should be able to confidently be on this campus as they are and not be harassed for doing so. They shouldn’t feel unsafe on campus. We want to streamline the process for chosen name and pronouns. We don’t go through that and we want to make sure the students that do can do so in a quick hassle-free way. We want to work with Pride Alliance to make the process smoother with administration so that students don’t have to advocate for their humanity every day. We want to expand gender neutral restrooms on campus. We want to map them and put them on campus literature as well as expand gender neutral bathrooms by creating more single occupancy that aren’t gendered.” -Yolian and Hilary
What sets you two apart from the competition?
“Our campaign is policy focused. We don’t want to just talk the talk. We want to create policy that will bring about change. The idea is to create an environment of coalition building via Student Senate and make a community where students can come to us with their concerns to focus on creating solutions. Not only writing policy and waiting for it to be filed, but taking those policies and initiatives to knock down the admin door.” -Yolian and Hillary
Catch Yolian and Hillary at the President/Vice Presidential Debate this Thursday April 4 at 7 p.m. Union 385. Voting Begins on Monday April 8, 2019 at 8 a.m. and ends Wednesday April 10, 2019 at 5 p.m. You can vote on Orgsync. To keep up with Yolian and Hillary, visit their campaign website www.yolianandhillary.com and follow their campaign socials @YolianHillary on Instagram and Twitter.