The Student Government Association created the Equity, Diversity and Inclusion administrative vice president position in the 2022-2023 academic year. Tamia Smith, junior psychology major, currently holds this position.
The position was created to increase inclusivity and represent diversity at USI.
Smith said her position is responsible for handling events for minority and underrepresented communities.
“Currently, we are working on a Black History Month event with the MCC,” Smith said. “Last semester, I worked with Sexuality and Gender Alliance to host the drag show.”
Smith also said she acts as a student representative for the USI EDI council.
“One of my duties for this position is to sit as a student representative on the USI EDI council,” Smith said. “I don’t speak for all minorities; however, I do represent them as a student. I’m able to voice any concerns or opinions that I or other students have to that council.”
When making events, we try to make campus more culturally educated,”
— Tamia Smith, administrative vice president for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion
Smith said she wanted the EDI position based on her personal experience on USI’s campus.
“I work with minority communities, and as a minority, that’s pretty important to me,” Smith said. “I know how hard it is being in a predominantly white campus and having your voice heard. I know I don’t represent every single minority community; however, if one person can be the voice for everyone, that’s a great thing. You have to start somewhere.”
Smith said the position has taught and exposed her to different cultures and communities.
“I’ve learned a lot about different cultures and different communities,” Smith said.
Smith also said it is important to her to help underrepresented communities reach other students on campus.
“When making events, we try to make campus more culturally educated,” Smith said. “Other students may want to learn about these, they just don’t know how to get there. These groups may not have the funding because they are small. Being able to help them with my budget and use my larger platform with SGA to get their voices heard and get their events shared.”
Smith said she hopes to continue the excitement surrounding the position.
“The EDI position, I think a lot more people have heard about it this year,” Smith said. “I’m hoping we’ll get more people excited to take over that position later on at USI.”
Adrianna Garcia, senior political science and philosophy major, is the current president of SGA and held Smith’s position in the last academic year.
“We really try to expand so we can make sure every student has a voice within SGA,” Garcia said. “I think that’s my favorite thing about being in SGA. I get to interact with all these different people who do all of these different things.”
Garcia said having the opportunity to hold the position last year has helped in collaboration between her and Smith.
“I had her position last year, which gave me an insight to how to work with these other organizations,” Garcia said. “They’re all minorities, but they’re all very different groups who have very different ideals and beliefs. It’s hard to balance all of that, and I had insight to that because I was the first person to hold that role.”
We really try to expand so we can make sure every student has a voice within SGA,”
— Adrianna Garcia, president of the Student Government Association
Garcia said Smith has “taken off” with the EDI position, and they support each other within their positions.
“She’s gotten to do so many cool things with other organizations. I know a lot of people look up to her now,” Garcia said.
Garcia said she hopes for students to continue to feel represented through the EDI position.
“Being a minority myself, it’s important to have minority voices heard,” Garcia said. “I feel we’ve left it to the other groups to be able to speak for us, and I hope that the EDI position becomes something where anybody who is a minority feels as though they can speak for the students.”
Garcia said SGA is holding an open house Feb. 15 for any student interested in joining.
“They can come in, get snacks, meet SGA members and see what SGA has to offer for them,” Garcia said.
Garcia said SGA elections begin this semester.
“I would love to see somebody else interested in taking over Tamia’s position if she decides that she no longer wants to run for that position,” Garcia said. “And even if she does, a contested race is always fun.”