Students Lift Voices to Tell Stories
of Overcoming Challenges in Search of Community
"Triton Voices: Diversity and Community at UC San Diego" highlights personal stories of students from diverse backgrounds
Christine Clark | Sept. 27, 2010
The power of community was the message delivered Sept. 20 at “Triton Voices: Diversity and Community at UC San Diego,” a Welcome Week program that featured four students from diverse backgrounds who shared their personal stories of how they made connections on campus to overcome obstacles and find a community.
Nearly 500 students gathered at the Price Center to hear presentations from Aimee Harlib, Elizabeth Gomez, Eliseo Rivas and Victor Brown. The event began with a brief back-in-time video of UC San Diego's history, showing how the campus grew to become more inclusive over the years. The film was created by Martha Hart of UC San Diego’s admissions office.
Sixth college senior Aimee Harlib was the first to share her journey at UC San Diego. “I felt out of place when I came to UC San Diego,” said Harlib. “I’m ten years older than most of my peers and I am the mother of a small child.”
Harlib is from New York and is the first person in her family to attend college. “It was difficult at first,” she said. “But I found refuge in the Women’s Center and founded the Undergraduate Student Parent Organization. I made connections and I encourage all of you to make connections here too.” She added, “When I found out my son was diagnosed with autism, the Women’s Center provided resources to help meet my needs. There, I found shoulders to cry on.”
Eliseo Rivas, a Revelle College sophomore who was born in Mexico and grew up in a single mother home in east San Diego, said he felt isolated at his high school.
“It was a largely white high school,” he said. “I felt I couldn’t be myself. Luckily, I came to Summer Bridge.” He found friends through the program, hosted by UCSD’s Office of Academic Support and Instructional Services (OASIS). The program is designed to help students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds get a preview of the cultural life at UC San Diego so they can become successful students and campus leaders. He also found a sense of community at the Cross Cultural Center.
Elizabeth Gomez, a Sixth College junior, found a sanctuary through another organization, the Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Resource (LGBT) Center.
Gomez, who grew up in a single parent home in Compton, spoke about her struggles to find acceptance as a gay female of color. “I felt so confused and unsure of myself, it led me to depression,” she said. “It wasn’t until my Sixth College resident advisor suggested that I go to the LGBT Resource Center. I found people who accepted me for who I am. They challenged me to know myself and accept myself. I would not have been able to do this if it wasn’t for my community at UCSD.”
Following Gomez’s speech, Victor Brown, a Revelle College senior, spoke about the transitions he had to make to find his niche and thrive at UC San Diego. Brown spoke about how he worked to find his identity as an African-American Christian on campus.
“I couldn’t find a Christian student organization that was aware of Latino or African American culture,” he said. “So, I created my own organization for Christian youth dedicated to the Gospel.” His organization has doubled in size since its founding and continues to strive to bridge the gap between race and faith.
Brown also made connections through the Black Student Union (BSU) and now serves as vice chair of external affairs for the BSU. “Through the BSU, I made a close knit family,” he said. “Members of the BSU met me on Admit Day and did a superb job to make me feel welcome. They showed me that I could make change and increase diversity at UC San Diego, and help other African American students feel at home too.”
The night concluded with an open discussion led by the directors of the Campus Community Centers that encouraged the crowd of students to connect with each other.
“The students who shared their stories tonight were very brave,” said Shaun Travers, director of UCSD’s LGBT Resource Center. “Talking involves risk, so think about your gifts and how you can share them with others and connect.”
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