1. Please describe the positions you’re running for. Why are you running for them?
I’m running for Equity Commissioner and Student Representative on the Board of Regents. As Equity Commissioner, in addition to organizing community events like Doc n’ Talks, I’ll be able to push for policies and initiatives that make our college fairer for everyone. On the Board of Regents, which oversees Vic and its financial resources, I’ll make sure those initiatives get the funding they need. When people feel safe being who they are, our campus gets stronger—being a founding member of the TCDSB’s 2SLGBTQ+ advisory committee, I’ve seen how big of an impact strong leadership on equity can make. I’m running because I think I can bring that leadership, and a sincere passion for social justice, to our student government.
2. What sets you apart from other candidates?
I’m so fortunate to be running with some really fabulous candidates—something unique about me is that I’ve spent a lot of time on Boards: as a part of not-for-profits, in partisan roles, and in the TCDSB. I’m well versed in procedure, and I have a track record of collaborating with folks from different backgrounds to get things done. Over the summer, I worked with several non-profits to organize the Scarborough Vaccine Accessibility Clinic, and vaccinated over 150 neurodivergent, disabled, and/or needle phobic Torontonians while receiving limited support from the provincial government. Recognizing the challenging learning curve that a lot of newcomers to the Board of Regents face, I think I’m prepared to step into the role and begin delivering for Vic students quickly.
3. How do you plan on bringing student concerns and ideas to the Victoria University Senate, the Board of Regents, and/or the Equity Commission? These are roles that heavily involve communication and liaising with the community, so I am curious as to how you would advocate for students.
You’re going to be hearing a lot from me if I’m elected. A big part of listening to students is reminding them that I’m there—I’ll be active on social media but also at club and levy meetings so that I’m immediately accessible if folks have concerns. In addition to listening when people come to me, I’ll be proactive in reaching out. When it comes to the Board of Regents specifically, students should be able to easily access what the governing body of their university is doing—I would move to publish meeting minutes online so that students can engage with them themselves.
4. Describe your platform(s).
You can check out my full platform on my campaign Instagram at @camforvusac, but there are four particular planks that I want to highlight:
a. First, I’ll collect better data on Vic’s demographics and whether students’ needs are being met when it comes to mental health, sustainability, and accessibility. We can’t make good decisions without knowing the feelings and identities of the people they’ll affect.
b. Second, I support divesting Victoria College not only from environmentally unsustainable industries but also unethical ones. The vast resources our college has to invest should go toward innovation—supporting green technology, social enterprises, and companies we can be proud to grow.
c. Third, I’ll facilitate equity training for dons and student leaders—for example, VUSAC members and orientation executives. So many of our interactions with the College are through our residences, commissions, and clubs, and I want to make sure all of those experiences are positive, validating ones. Student leaders are already doing really amazing work and I think equity training is another resource they can use to strengthen their organizations.
d. Finally, I want to invest more in making our physical spaces more accessible — including funding free tampons and pads, better lighting dark areas at night, and introducing BlindSpot beacons like the ones used on the TTC to make it easier to get around. I also want to create more opportunities to showcase student art and entrepreneurship.
Many of these ideas will take time. But I’m confident they’re attainable, and many can be completed within one term. I’m optimistic about what we can accomplish over the next year.
5. As Equity Commissioner, how will you ensure that you will uphold ethics standards and keep governing bodies and other student groups accountable during your term?
One of the things that’s really important to me is incorporating restorative justice into dispute resolution. The drama a lot of folks associate with student government is an impediment to the work it does—I’ll take a collaborative approach to ensuring accountability. At the same time, I recognize that the buck stops with the Equity Commissioner and I need to be transparent and accountable as well. Part of being a good representative is being cognizant of the fact that there’s so much I don’t know, and if I’m fortunate enough to be elected, I look forward to learning more from the student body.
6. What will you do if you do not win?
Keep working to make Vic a more equitable place, inside and outside of student government. I’m running because I want to affect change, and I think I can do that most effectively by sitting on the Board of Regents and VUSAC. However, I’m not successful, I’ll continue to fight for social justice through other positions I’m passionate about—and pursue other opportunities at Vic in the future.
