Being Co-President of the Students of Caribbean Ancestry organization on campus motivates me to be a leader because my heritage is a part of my life. I have always wanted to spread knowledge about the beautiful cultures within the Caribbean, and by being a leader on the executive board I can help give others the space to express their love for the culture as well. Our club has had the opportunity to help with backpack beginnings, and this semester, we plan to volunteer at the Greensboro History Museum, Miracle League in High Point, Youth Focus, and the Go Far Club. Having these opportunities available not only for myself but for the other Caribbean students here on campus allows for outreach and engagement within the Greensboro community and shines a light on the outstanding Caribbean students here on campus, showcasing that we all deserve recognition as a multicultural group.
Spartan Alert
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Sabinne Charles
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Juno Rose
I am a student group leader because every person identifying as queer and every person alive today deserves to have a place like No Labels. Colonialism, white supremacy, homophobia, racism, xenophobia, and transphobia have blighted the world for centuries and it continues to do so. While I would love to punch these concepts in the face, my true way to fight them is through love, empathy, and community. Our board’s mission is to create and spread a positive environment as much as possible on campus and beyond while also teaching and helping our members. There is much pain in the world but not in our club room.
The way we fulfill this goal is by creating events for anyone who wants to come to have fun, learn, connect with others, and be themselves. Our staple events include speed friending, drag shows, pride pool parties, queer proms, game nights, safe places to talk about heavier subjects such as sex and coming out, meetings about representation in media, collaborating with other cultural groups, and much more. If we are able to help people who constantly experience hate and bigotry feel deserving of love if only for an hour, then we are doing our jobs. We are making a difference.
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Terry Chavis
My activism work focuses on decolonial practices in education (K-12 & Higher Education). I work alongside colleagues to de-center traditional practices and ideals in education and bring marginalized cultural practices to the center. One way I integrate decolonial practices into my work is through my pedagogical practices in my classroom. Though I am the content expert in my class, I recognize that students bring their stories and experiences with them and are a source of wisdom. My students are at the center of my practice. I often ask students to reflect on their experiences and share their thoughts with the community. This, in turn, allows the learning space to move organically in a direction motivated by storytelling and authenticity.
Outside the classroom, I work with K-12 systems as a DEI educational consultant. My activist work is used as a framework to present professional development opportunities to educators working with our future generations. Assisting them in understanding culturally relevant pedagogy that highlights their students’ intersecting worldviews and experiences.
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Jenice Ramirez
Jenice Ramirez is a proud Latina, roots in Puerto Rico, who began as the Executive Director of ISLA NC in 2013. She has focused on education equity, bilingualism, multiculturalism, and leadership within the Latinx community for the last 9 years.
Jenice has been in the education arena for over 11 years and has made it her mission to be a part of changing the status quo for the Latino community in NC and pushes for language access and opportunities for the community. Her professional and personal work is guided by the desire to see more women and people of color lead in the field of education. In the last 6 years she has focused on pushing for educational equity in North Carolina and is passionate about seeing a true transformation in the quality of education our students receive across our state.
She graduated from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro in 2010 with a degree in Special Education and a minor in Spanish. Her work in the field of education equity is inspired and influenced by great women activist in our history like Bell Hooks & Audre Lorde. One of the quotes she centers her work in is by the great Audre Lorde, “Without community, there is no liberation.”
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Kesia Cedeno- Ballard
I am a dancer, choreographer, educator and activist. I have been working as Professor Duane Cyrus’ research assistant for The Resistance Project. I am also working on my proficiency in the Theater of Movement choreographic process. I am exploring and analyzing intersectionality along with black feminist theories, to critically understand … Continued
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Hector Hernandez Arroyo
Hector Hernandez-Arroyo and is a Senior majoring in Business Administration with a Concentration in Management. During a pandemic in 2020, Hector felt there was a need to motivate his peers to keep going despite the circumstances. He Co-Founded the Association of Latino Professionals for America (ALPFA) here at UNCG. This … Continued
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Erica Wrencher
Caring for myself is not self-indulgence, it is self-preservation, and that is an act of political warfare. -audre lorde Erica is a public educator, speaker, vocalist, and activist working with young folx, churches, and neighborhoods to build beloved communities. Her teaching and faith-rooted community leadership spans urban and rural contexts … Continued
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Josette Ferguson
Josette Ferguson is a second-year doctoral student at UNCG, where they are earning their PhD in Educational Studies with a concentration in Cultural Foundations. While earning their PhD, Josette also works full-time as the Special Projects and Research Associate for Advance Carolina, which is a non-profit that builds black political … Continued
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Noor Ghazi
Noor Ghazi, Peace Activist, this is how she likes to be known. She holds a master’s degree in Peace and Conflict Studies from UNCG with concentration in International Peace development. She is currently a Lecturer of Arabic language at UNCG, an instructor of Arabic and Humanities at Durham Technical Community … Continued
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Azaria Gadson
Azaria G. is a curious and interdisciplinary performance artist and researcher who is currently studying dance performance and choreography at University of North Carolina Greensboro. With focus in both dance and visual art, she has curated original works Sexual Revolution and Find Your Wings involving her interest in intersectional experiences … Continued