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Carla Yuridia Balvaneda (’22)

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On March 2, 2020

In Student Group, Student Highlight

Meet Carla Yuridia Balvaneda (she/hers), a sophomore from Southern California. Carla plans to concentrate in International and Public Affairs, and potentially Education Studies as well. She is also the Community Outreach Chair for First-Gens@Brown. Read the full interview below:

How are you?
I’m alive. I’ve actually been doing pretty well I think. I almost don’t recognize myself with how well I’m doing. I’m putting support systems in place and taking care of myself in ways that I didn’t prioritize in other semesters. I really enjoy my classes this semester also.

Why did you decide to get involved with First-Gens@Brown?
I think coming in as a first-year, move-in day was probably the worst day. I remember during orientation week there was an event for U-FLi students. I almost cried because I remember hearing things that resonate with me. Coming here and not knowing a single soul was kind of alienating, along with the introduction to academia. Being involved with First-Gens@Brown was a way to be involved with the U-FLi Center and a group that works together to empower students. I think it was helpful for me to find that community and help foster that community I was looking for. 

Any advice for first years?
Go to CAPS. I think it’s okay to not know, whether that’s what I want to concentrate in or feeling lost. I’ve realized that that’s not something only I was experiencing. Also definitely take advantage of resources, like being able to communicate with alumni, talking to deans, going to office hours. It’s definitely something I wasn’t comfortable with my first year because I didn’t have experience with it and was learning how to navigate it. I wish I had taken more risks in those areas. In terms of balancing family expectations and my expectations, I’ve realized that what really matters is what I want to do and that I enjoy doing what I want to do.

Who are you outside of Brown?
I feel like that’s something that lately I’ve been trying to figure out. In realizing that I’m going home, or things outside of school, I think it’s hard sometimes. Being on campus and living here, it feels like Brown is everything but I remind myself I’m only 19 years old. Being here is only a small part of who I’m going to be and who I want to be.

I also like literary fiction. I like hot cheetos with cheese, with lemon, or Valentina.

Jose Martinez (’23)

By

On March 2, 2020

In Student Highlight

This week, our Community Narrative highlights Jose Martinez (he/him/his), a first-year from San Antonio, Texas. Jose is double-concentrating in Visual Arts and Modern Culture and Media Studies. He is also a photographer and filmmaker. Read the interview below:

How are you? How’s your semester going so far?
It’s good. Coming back was a huge change in weather. It’s been much colder than I expected, but shopping period treated me well. I got into the classes I wanted to get into, but I ended up with a schedule completely different than the one I started off with.

How did you get into photo/video work?
It’s funny – the camera that I have today isn’t my camera. It’s my sister’s camera. She got a camera for her quinceañera. That was her big present, but she didn’t really use it. I was like 15 or 16 when I saw it in the closet collecting dust, so I was like hey I might as well just take pictures. 

I started off doing sports photography for my middle school and high school. People would be like, oh I like you’re pictures, and I thought I could take this a little more seriously. That’s when I transitioned to doing more portraits and concert photography. I honestly didn’t start taking it super seriously until my junior year, so I was already like 3 or so years into shooting. 

What does it mean to you to be U-FLi?
I guess a big part of it is understanding that you’re special. Most people don’t have the same experiences you have, and even within the U-FLi community, not everyone’s experiences are the same. It’s being cognizant that you’re going to have to work harder than other people because the system is built that way. But you also know to not forget where you come from. A big part of it is looking back to your roots and the reason that you work so hard. 

You can find Jose’s portfolio here.

Organizing Against Deportation: Join the Fight Now!

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On February 25, 2020

In 2019-2020, Event Archive

When: Tuesday, February 25, 2020

Where: Ewing Multicultural Center

Time: 4-5:30pm

Join the U-FLi Center as we welcome lead organizers from PrYSM and AMOR in this call-to-action workshop where we’ll learn how to get involved in local efforts to combat state sponsored violence!

A part of the Northeast Pardons Campaign, Providence Youth Student Movement is preparing for the historic launch of a state-wide deportation pardons campaign in March 2020. As home to the US’s largest percentage of Southeast Asians (Cambodian, Vietnamese, Laotian, and Hmong), Rhode Island residents have been disproportionately targeted for deportation in the past few years.

Launched in 2016, the Alliance to Mobilize Our Resistance (AMOR) is an alliance of community based grassroots organizations mobilizing and organizing rapid responses to individual and state sponsored violence. AMOR’s work is done collectively through their community teams in areas of immigration, mental health, community response, language justice, and transportation. Recently, AMOR has led local organizing against ICE, through coordinating high profile actions at Wyatt and Bristol immigration detention centers.

Please join this call-to-action workshop to learn concrete ways of getting involved via: fundraising, social media and design, law and policy research, and in-person advocacy.

Abigail Teshome (’23)

By

On February 10, 2020

In FLiSP Scholars, Student Highlight

We’re excited to finally reveal our first Community Narrative of the semester! Last week, we interviewed Abigail Teshome (she/her/hers), a first-year participating in the FLi Scholars Program. Abigail is a PLME (Program in Liberal Medical Education) student hoping to concentrate in Cognitive Neuroscience. She is from Denver, Colorado. Read the interview below:

How are you? How’s your semester going?
I’ve been doing pretty good. I feel like this semester is a lot less overwhelming than first semester. The transition period is kind of fading out. I feel more comfortable. I feel like classes are getting a lot harder, which is the main thing I have to transition to now. It’s more academic than social. I’m really excited for this semester. I feel good.

How was your transition to Brown?
I grew up in a town that was very diverse. My high school was basically even in terms of race, and I grew up thinking that’s what the world was like. When I came to Brown, I realized that’s not what the world is like. People talk differently here, act differently, the humor is different. I feel like it was hard to make a genuine connection to the people here but after I found people I’m comfortable with, the experience was much better. It was a learning experience. I learned more about myself and who I am. I was in a situation where I had to figure that out and find the people I wanted to associate with. 

Has FLiSP helped with the transition?
FLiSP has made such a nice community from the start. It starts really early in the year, so I felt like if I had a concern, academically or socially, it’s a nice place where I didn’t feel like I had to put up a front and act like I had it all figured out. Especially with the one on one with Renata. During the first meeting, I was uncomfortable. I didn’t know what I was doing academically. At the end of the semester, she went over my goals and how I felt and compared it to now. I saw how much I grew as a student and as a person. I feel like without that community, I wouldn’t be able to conceptualize that.

What does it mean to you to be UFLi?
I feel like there’s definitely comfort in having a shared experience with other UFLi students on campus because at least day to day, it’s kind of rare to meet people who identify as UFLi. One of my good friends in FLiSP, Harriet, is from Kenya. I feel like having the shared experience of coming from an African household and not having guidance helped me feel less isolated. And even though that was my circumstance, I’m still deserving of my spot here.

Who are you away from Brown?
I feel like away from my identity as a student, the biggest thing that has influenced my life is my culture. I’m Ethiopian and Eritrean. There’s a very big Ethiopian community in Colorado. My high school had over 100 Ethiopian students. That’s something I keep near and dear to me. Outside my identity as a student, that has influenced not only the way I perceived the world and the things I learned, but also the way that I’m open to seeing other points of views.

Felicia Salinas-Moniz (Sarah Doyle Center for Women and Gender)

By

On December 5, 2019

In Identity Center

For our last Community Narrative of the semester, we interviewed Felicia Salinas-Moniz (she/her/hers), Senior Assistant Director at the Sarah Doyle Center for Women and Gender & Adjunct Visiting Professor of American Studies and Ethnic Studies. Read more below:

How are you? How’s your year going so far?
I’m good, aside from a cold. I’m feeling good. It’s been chaotic. I just recently had to care for my daughter who had some medical issues. I feel very fortunate to be so supported by the Sarah Doyle. The staff have been amazing in supporting me and my family. I’ve really appreciated that. Now I’m just really excited to be back and be planning for the spring. 

How would you describe Sarah Doyle to a student that may not know about it or may want to learn more?
We are very cozy. Cozy is the first word that comes to mind. A cozy, comfortable space. A lot of students come through and use this multipurpose space. We have student organizations that meet here regularly for their group meetings. We also employ a staff of 8 undergrad students and 2 grad student staffers. They’re the ones who really drive the programming of the center.

We have a lot of great resources aside from being a comfy space with programs and events. We have a library with over 4000 gender and women texts. We have a new zine library that one of our alums organized last year, Malana Krongelb. We also have a children’s library, started by the grad parent coordinators. It’s a collection that centers social justice and feminism for young readers. We also have a community garden and an art gallery.

How do you see the programming at the Sarah Doyle center in conversation with the programming of UFLi Center? How have past collaborations come about?
The last collaboration, the power wands, was actually quite organic. I was in conversation with Renata and Julio, hearing about the programs the UFLi Center was working on. We were concurrently bringing Consuelo Jimenez Underwood and I was looking for help with the creation of the power wands for the exhibit. Consuelo, the artist, gave us guidance but we were really the ones that needed to be the drivers for students to create them. We were also in conversation with Jorge Vargas from CAPS.

Jorge, Julio, Renata, and I planned how we were going to facilitate this workshop. Really, the goal was to get students to talk about the powers they have within themselves. That’s really at the center of the support of students that we do. We want to provide opportunities for students to reflect and be able to think about the powers they already hold within themselves to be able to sustain being a student at a predominantly white institution. So the workshop was a way to get to that. It was a great way for people to reflect on what are the good things I do, how does that connect to the ancestors who I hold dear? 

Part of the exhibit was to honor an ancestor visually on the power wand, maybe somebody who immigrated here. It was a really great way for people to share their stories, to talk about the complexities of their lives, and see commonalities among each other. Sometimes people don’t fancy themselves artists but to have the opportunity to make something was great.

I see the connection between our centers as providing more opportunities for students to do that creative work they may not get inside a classroom setting, but also to develop that sense of space and home. The reason we hosted it at the Sarah Doyle was we wanted to help students who may frequent the UFLi Center to feel like Sarah Doyle is another home. I always feel like I want students to expand the homes they have on campus.  

Who are you when you’re not at Brown?
I fancy myself a baker. I’m an aspiring baker. I think in another life I would have gone to a culinary track. When I’m not at work or thinking about work, I get lost in baking and making delicious food and especially doing that with my daughter. 

Something you’re looking forward to?
I’m looking forward to the spring, just weather wise. It’s so cold. You can take the girl out of California but you can’t take the California out of the girl. I’m still adjusting to New England Weather and I’ve lived here for 10 years. 

Hemant Kadiamada (’20)

By

On November 21, 2019

In Student Group, Student Highlight

For our Community Narrative this week, we interviewed Hemant Kadiamada (he/him/his), a senior concentrating in Public Health and participating in Brown’s Program in Liberal Medical Education (PLME). Hemant was raised in Southern California, but also considers his mother’s hometown in Mexico and his father’s hometown in India some of his homes. Read more below:

How are you? How’s your year going so far?
Right now I would say that I’m in a good place in my life. This  year is so different from any other year at Brown, and most of that difference is a lot of good. I think a big change is definitely the classes that I’m taking and the things that I’m doing. It’s a mix of classes and also projects and opportunities. It’s so easy to remind myself I’m doing this because I really like doing it. It’s so easy to bring myself happiness through the work that I’m doing.

Freshman and sophomore year, I was doing a lot of the PLME requirements. Going into Brown, I knew I wanted to pursue a medical track but I was also so young. I didn’t know a lot about what that meant. I was kind of following a premed journey. I think in that way, premeds really have a difficult time because they have to take such rigorous classes that require a lot of time.

I think medicine is so beautiful because it has this human aspect rooted into it – connecting with people, listening to people’s stories, and wanting to guide them to live a good life. That’s also why I really love Public Health. It’s really the bridge to me. I think it’s a beautiful way to remind myself that as I’m going into medicine, people are more than what goes on in their bodies. We all have journeys we go though. Those are just as, if not more, valid than the genetics or biological factors we’re born with. 

Advice you’d give your freshman year self?
I would actually say don’t be afraid to think about yourself outside of Brown and remember that the world is so big. Yes, my place here matters so much, being in school and pursuing an opportunity that is my own and is really a manifestation of what I want to do in this world, but don’t be afraid of the world around you, of experiencing new things, of possibly facing challenges.

Even if I go through something difficult, I believe that I have the strength to continue going. Even if I can’t do it on my own, I have the ability to ask for help, whether that be through family, friends, or other resources.

Who are you away from Brown?
Away from Brown, I am a person who really loves this world. When I think about the world, I think about my family. I think about where my family is. I also think about my cultures. I also really love my spirit of adventure and wanting to explore new things to really see what this life offers. 

I really like exploring the world around me and observing and listening. When I’m back home, I go on a bike ride that’s from my house to the beach, which is like 2 hours. I like going to a new area and just adventuring around, seeing new things. Away from Brown, I would say I’m someone who really values this present moment.

Jai’el Toussaint (’22)

By

On November 21, 2019

In Student Highlight

For our Community Narrative this week, we interviewed Jai’el Toussaint (he/him/his), a sophomore from Massachusetts concentrating in Africana Studies. Read more below:

How are you? How’s your year going so far?
This year is interesting in that freshman year was hard but fun. This is one of the first years I’m concretely thinking of my future, what classes I want to take, what activities I want to be in. I’m building on stuff that existed freshman year but every day is interesting. I’m really grateful for all the friendships and bonds that I’m forming. I have a really strong friend group and support group there. I’m really happy building on that. Good, but tired.

What community at Brown has been influential in making it feel more like a home?
I think my community and a strong friend network. While I love my clubs, there’s no club where I’m like oh this is everything. I love them all but I just really admire and appreciate my friends. They’ve been there for me through good and bad days, seen me at my best and worst. I’m really happy for the friends I’ve made here and how instrumental they’ve been in helping me develop as a person.

One of your favorite memories at Brown?
During the winter of freshman year, our class coordinating board had organized an ice skating event. I had never been, literally didn’t know how to, and all my friends were like come on do it. I singed up and got a position. We all went. It was really wholesome in that I pushed myself out of a boundary I had. I was able to have fun. I didn’t fall. Also a plus in that moment was thinking these are all your friends, these are the people that love and care for you, and people who are going to push you to grow.

Advice you’d give your freshman year self?
First and foremost, take the time for yourself. It’s okay to not do everything perfect or get everything done right away. You want to space out your things and plan accordingly, but also make sure you’re taking care of yourself and getting proper sleep and nutrition. 

Who are you away from Brown?
A real family person. I would say I deeply care for members of my family. My mom and I have a really close bond. When I go home for the summer, my mom and I would watch movies or get a quick food or meal. I really like that.

Maurisa Li-A-Ping (Brown Center for Students of Color)

By

On November 21, 2019

In Identity Center

This week, we interviewed Maurisa Li-A-Ping (she/her/hers), the Coordinator of First-Year & Sophomore Programs at the Brown Center for Students of Color. Maurisa is from Brooklyn, NY but believes home is where you make it. Read more below:

How are you? How’s your year going so far?
My year has been really exciting. I got to launch my new program, radical FOUNDATIONS, which is a first-year program/cohort for students of color looking to do groundwork within themselves. My thought is, I want to help you see the light within yourself and help you thrive here. If there are skills you want to learn, let me help connect you to them.

This is my second year here. The first year of my job was observant. By the second year, I feel confident I can do something. I’ve really been working with the BCSC media team. I think the BCSC has a rich history but I want people to know the people who work here. I think people connect better to people versus an idea. People want to see themselves – they want to hear their stories. Social media can be really toxic but it can also be a really great way to connect people.

How do you see the programming at the BCSC in conversation with the UFLi Center? How have collaborations come about?
There are intersections between undocumented, first-generation, low income folks and folks of color. The work of it on paper shows our centers overlap because of intersectional identities. Because I am a first-generation, low-income, person of color and I come from a family of immigrants, I’m very interested in that intersection. I think what makes the work easier is when you get to know the people.

Yes, the UFLi Center has great values and the BCSC has great values. But when I got here, I built relationships with Julio and Renata. On paper our work is connected but it’s also about the way we live our lives. Yes, you can say you’re all for this but how are you living your life at the end of the day? That’s what’s really hard. 

Any collaborations coming up?
Myself, Julio, and Renata are presenting in New Orleans. The event is hosted by NASPA. It’s a student affairs association. Part of their theme this year is advancing equity and inclusive practice. Basically, me, Renata, and Julio have thought about our equity-asset based (EAB) approach. We’ve done some really great work around EAB and want to share that with our communities, whether radical FOUNDATIONS, FLiSP, UFLi, or just scholars among us. We want to highlight some of the best practices we have cultivated and the ways in which we bring in the EAB approach.

The FLiSP Scholars and radical FOUNDATIONS cohort members are also having a Providence outing together. Part of the values of radical FOUNDATIONS and FLiSP is to get students engaged to the larger Providence community. We want to get them off the hill and show them there’s so much more than Brown. What does it mean to honor the land and space to explore community in a helpful way and not exploitative way? We’ll be going to dinner at a POC-owned restaurant. Then, thinking about how art cultivates community, we want to show there are lots of folks to be in community with if folks are looking to venture outside of Brown. We’ll be taking them to Trinity Rep. 

We have another collaboration with the BCSC as a whole and the UFLi Center. Me and Olivia are going to bring our experiences in about redefining resistance at the intersection of these identities. We want to redefine what resistance looks like. You don’t always have to be showing up at rallies, protests, sit-ins. There are so many different ways to resist and so much capital we have when we enter spaces. We really want students to see the assets they bring and show them that naming those and using them can be a form of resistance.

Something you’re looking forward to?
I was talking to my friend and realized that once I graduated from graduate school, I was really tired. I had been working at such an exponentially high rate for the last 4 to 6 years that I stopped doing the things I love in a very active way. I’m excited to get back into poetry, to be performing, doing workshops and trainings for different universities and organizations. It’s something I used to do a bit more but I think I needed some time to breathe and enjoy life after all the hard work I’ve been putting in the last few years. I want to do workshops with folks, to get back out there, and be in community around different practices.

Omar Alani (’22)

By

On November 21, 2019

In Student Group, Student Highlight

For our Student Highlight this week, we interviewed Omar Alani (he/him/his), a sophomore from Malden, Massachusetts concentrating in Neuroscience. Read more below:

How are you? How’s your year going so far?
I’m doing well! This is a little different. I had surgery in August on my vocal cords to remove a cyst and since then I have been instructed not to talk. It’s genuinely a unique experience for me. Communication is much more difficult, but taking ASL this semester has taught me new ways of communication which is really fun. I’ve learned to listen more this year, something everyone should be actively practicing. That’s the only way we can learn what our family, friends, communities, etc. need. Listening to ourselves is just as important to know who we are, what our strengths are, where we can improve, to know how we can support those around us.

What does it mean to you to be UFLi?
To be UFLi means to be part of a community that uplifts one another to raise our voices and make sure we are heard. Although we may come from similar backgrounds we all have a unique story and being part of the UFLi center means our stories are heard and celebrated making us feel comfortable and welcome.

Can you tell me a bit about what you’re involved with on campus? Why are you involved with those communities?
I am involved with BRYTE, QuestBridge, PALs through Bonner, and the Muslim Student Association. I am involved with each organization because each community holds a marginalized identity where their voices are almost never heard.

Being Syrian myself and witnessing the direct effect the Syrian Crisis had on my family led me to join BRYTE to tutor refugee youth and empower them to have the ambition to use their voice.

As a QuestBridge Scholar, I understand that the voices of the low-income community are not represented enough in today’s world so I became involved to empower students like me to advocate for their rights and feel welcome in places they may have never imagined themselves to be, like Brown University. 

I work with PALs as a tutor for disabled adults because they deserve the same attention and happiness everyone else enjoys in the world and by spending quality, intimate time with them, one can truly bring positive change into their lives.

Working as in intern with the chaplain of the MSA I try to make the muslim community at Brown more diverse and inclusive to bring about different perspectives and ideas that otherwise may never been heard. In doing so, I hope to create a stronger community that empowers one another to again speak up and talk about issues that muslims face in our communities so that we can work together to solve these issues.

What community has been most influential in making Providence feel like home?
Going to my BRYTE family’s house makes me feel like I’m at home. Being able to speak arabic to my BRYTE family and share dinner with them reminded of my family. The smell of the house, the food, the people, everything reminds me of home. These refugee families that welcome us into their homes so openly and so warmly that it would make anyone feel at home.

Favorite memory at Brown?
My favorite memory at Brown would have to be when my friends surprised me with Celtics tickets on my birthday. They took me to the mall first to get me a Celtics shirt then drove me up to the game. After the game, we went out for burgers. This meant a lot to me because I never celebrated my birthday like that before. I’ll always remember that day.

Advice you’d give your freshman year self?
Do what you love and what you’re interested in because that’s the best time to explore and understand who you are as a person. Through exploration, we discover our true motivations, ambitions, and surround ourselves with the right people where everyone’s growth is mutually supported.

Kris Cho (’22)

By

On November 21, 2019

In Student Group, Student Highlight

For our Student Highlight this week, we interviewed Kris Cho (she/hers), a sophomore from Columbia, Missouri. Cho is concentrating in Public Policy and Ethnic Studies. Read more below:

How’s your year going so far?
Surprisingly okay. I’ve definitely had ups and downs but I think we’re either at net zero or net positive. I’m finally starting to put routines in my schedule and use new organizational methods that are working really well for me. That’s not to say I don’t have sophomore angst trying to navigate this institution, but I think I finally started taking care of myself in a way that’s much more intentional this year. Because of that I want to reward myself by saying I’ve been having a pretty good time. Also, I just saw my sister last weekend so that’s pretty great.

Can you tell me a bit about what you’re involved with on campus?
I’m involved with Brown Asian Sisters Empowered (BASE), a really amazing organization that really got me through my first year at Brown. It’s a really beautiful community of these incredible political Asian womxn that really just uplift each other and empower each other. I’m so so so fortunate to be part of it. 

I’m also involved with WORD! performance poetry. We are a POC/queer POC spoken word group and it’s really awesome. Also got me through my first year, also getting me through this year. I came into Brown not having done a lick of poetry and really wanting to get back to or find creative outlets. Storytelling was really important to me in a lot of different ways so I was kind of drawn to this group. It’s been really central to communities I’ve been able to find here and different outlets I’ve been able to find here. For the first time last year, I started calling myself a poet and that was really powerful. 

I also just joined the Brown Progressive Action Committee, which I have mostly interacted with via Facebook events and mobilization events that have popped up on my feed. I’m really excited for all the work that we’re doing with them. I did a lot of local politics back home in Missouri so I think especially last year I really wanted to get back to it. I think a lot of local politics is really important. There’s a lot of tangible change that comes from local politics. It gives me a sense of purpose and drive when things are happening where you can see them.

What does it mean to you to be UFLi?
I think it depends on the day. Sometimes it’s really tough, like seeing what I don’t have access to and seeing what some of my friends have access to. Sometimes it feels really heavy to know the almost invisible disparities that I know exist between me and other students, and sometimes even disparities within the community. I know and want to acknowledge that I have certain levels of privilege in this own community. I think on other days it’s really incredible to see the kind of spaces that UFLi students have created here. I am so so so grateful for the community and the love and the warmth that is so pervasive in this area and this space. Not this physical space right across from the SciLi – I feel like the SciLi radiates bad energy. Except for the 5th floor. Love you Renata and Julio. But yeah, I think the most marginalized identities come with an ability to be aware of certain things that the majority of campus is not aware of. Of course it’s frustrating sometimes, but also it’s really empowering to be like hey we have have this very important point of view that you can’t just read out of a textbook. I think that is really validating to the importance of existence. 

What community at Brown has been influential in making it feel like a home?
Honestly, to a certain extent Brown does feel more like a home than Missouri, just as a queer Asian person. Of course there are things I miss about Missouri but I think this is the first place where I’ve really been able to feel like I can be out and find spaces where I can explore what it means to be queer and Asian. I think BASE was a really great space for that just because there are so many queer Asian people who I really respect and look up to and love so so so deeply. I think Twitter also. Not going to expand on that, but Twitter.

Advice you’d give your first-year self?
It’s okay to not be okay. Transitions are really hard. You have the space to allow yourself to make mistakes, even though it feels like you can’t make those mistakes. Even though there are people that tell you you can’t make those mistakes. There are people around you and resources around you who will help you recover and grow, so it’s okay to make mistakes and it’s okay to not be okay.

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