22岁的Winna Pham和21岁的Suheyla Yoksuloglu是正规博彩十大网站2021年多元化学生冠军, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) recipients.

冠军奖表彰那些体现了大学DEI价值观的太平洋学生. 它们是由大学学生多样性、公平和包容委员会提出的， 教师, 工作人员 类别.

Pham is a third-year dental student. Yoksuloglu是一名主修生物学的大四学生，辅修种族研究和性别研究.

Pham and Yoksuloglu shared their thoughts in recent interviews. 

How did you react to receiving the DEI Champion award?

Yoksuloglu: Honestly, I’m still a little bit in shock that I was even thought of for this award. My academic adviser, Dr. 在我期末考试结束后，Ajna Rivera给我发了一封邮件，我以为我有麻烦了. 然后我看到她和(UCDEI的联合主席)玛莎·普拉特(Marshea Pratt)在Zoom的电话会议上，说不出话来. 我也想借此机会感谢创造太平洋勇敢黑人之声的学生们. Zaunamaat Nuru-Bates, Semaj Martin和Nakylah Houston非常了不起，他们能够与我们的大学校长交谈，并在我们的校园里实施了一些改变, I want that to be highlighted.

范教授: 我从没想过仅仅因为在我最热衷的问题上直言不讳并采取行动，就能获得大学级别的认可. 我的努力得到了同龄人的认可，他们提名我获得这个奖项，这对我来说意义重大. 我还想提一下，如果没有学校多元化委员会成员的支持，我不可能参与这么多活动, Melissa Yamanaka and Stan Constantino, who work tirelessly to cultivate a diverse, equitable and inclusive environment at our school.

What motivated you to become involved in DEI initiatives?

Yoksuloglu: I have always been intrinsically interested in DEI work and initiatives. 我的父母都是来自不同文化和背景的移民. When I was younger, I was a very voracious reader, novelists such as Audre Lorde, James Baldwin and Toni Morrison were my teachers. 他们在民权运动和LGBTQ+努力中的工作是我参与其中的催化剂.  

范教授: 我从来没有特别想过要参与多元化、公平和包容. I grew up in Las Vegas, 内华达, where all my friends and loved ones come from extremely diverse racial, 性别, sexual and economic backgrounds. 从小就开始, 我亲身经历并目睹了我的社区遭受的不公正待遇，而谈论这些问题往往是出于需要. 我对这些话题的热情是由我想保护我周围的人的愿望所激发的. I am not simply becoming involved in DEI initiatives; I am fighting for the rights and safety of those I love.

What was the first DEI-focused project that you were involved in? How has your understanding of and work with DEI projects evolved since?

Yoksuloglu: 我参加的第一个以dei为重点的项目或团体是一个高中俱乐部，我的一些朋友教会了我激进的变革和社会正义运动. 作为第一代美国人的孩子，很不幸，同化是一种游戏. 在我年轻的时候，我经常发现自己在重要的运动中自满或不了解情况，因为这需要教育, un-learning, time to sit down and evaluate why I had these attitudes. My understanding and work with DEI projects have grown vastly since then. Ignorance is not bliss; it is silence and complacency. The evolution and growth of our society must include DEI projects, I’m so grateful to be able to do that.

范教授: 运营一个社会正义博客并在Tumblr上回答匿名问题是否算是DEI项目? If so, my first DEI-focused project was in the 10th grade. I used to love reading about intersectional feminist theory as a teenager, 我会花很多时间回答诸如“什么是微侵犯”之类的问题?” and “Does the wage gap really exist?” I used to engage in a lot of online debates when I was younger, but I haven’t done that in a long time. 如今，我在DEI的大部分工作都集中在学术界历史边缘化身份的平等问题上. 我目前正在从事的一些项目涉及指导，并为研究生项目中的低收入第一代大学生创造包容性空间. Rather than debating others on whether these issues exist, I spend my time doing the work and letting the outcomes speak for themselves.

What DEI-focused project has been most meaningful to you? Is there an experience or accomplishment that stands out from the project?

Yoksuloglu: Being part of Title IX Peer Education. Right before the pandemic started, 我的同事和我正在性别平等中心为需要安静区域的怀孕/护理学生制作一个哺乳空间. I’m hoping to continue that project in the fall when we’re back. 有(性别平等和骄傲中心的副主任)科琳·史密斯作为我的导师和持续的指导，确实帮助我找到了对我很重要的DEI项目，并帮助我计划如何在以后的职业生涯中进一步推进这些项目.

范教授: 在我担任学校美国学生牙科协会分会的社交媒体主席期间, I started a spotlight series for students with marginalized identities. I was constantly awed, inspired and humbled by the stories they shared with me. 我认为，对于即将入学和牙科预科的学生来说，看到在他们之前有其他人已经克服或正在与上研究生院相关的障碍作斗争，这是非常重要的. The series also taught me so much about my own class, 我看到了一点点脆弱对加强人际关系的作用.

How do you hope Pacific will continue to expand DEI programs?

Yoksuloglu: 我希望dei相关的项目、倡议和课程不再被搁置. Minors such as ethnic studies, 性别研究和酷儿研究应该在课程目录中突出，而不仅仅是为了满足多样性要求或次要选择的课程. They should be readily available. 知识就是力量，了解DEI的历史，或缺乏它，是很重要的. 我也希望正规博彩十大网站不要仅仅依靠少数民族学生或员工来完成DEI倡议的所有繁重工作. We are a community, communities are families.

范教授: 我希望正规博彩十大网站继续认识到这么多学生在学术界面临的障碍，并在这些话题不再成为大众媒体的头条新闻之后，将这些价值观纳入他们的教育中. 我希望DEI成为教育的网络和基础，而不仅仅是扩展的程序.

Do you have any advice for students hoping to become more involved in DEI projects?

Yoksuloglu: It’s okay if DEI can feel emotionally taxing. It is exhausting at times to explain, teach and make change. The internet is free, your time is not. Rest, recharge and indulge in self-care. 在你花时间照顾你之后，明天事业就会为你准备好, so you can take care of each other. Also, I promise there is no one else with my name. 所以请, 去学校找我，我们可以一起喝杯咖啡，讨论一下如何完成工作.

范教授: The values of diversity, equity and inclusion can be easily woven into the seams of our everyday lives. They need not exist only in individual projects. 任何组织, 如果你有勇气说出这些价值观，你的领导地位或角色就会为这些价值观提供空间. Also, the small stuff is important too. I think a conversation with a peer, watching a historical documentary, or even simply posting on social media are all DEI projects for ourselves.