Diversity Advocate
Annalicia Anaya is a third-year sociology major with minors in anthropology and environmental studies from Morgan Hill, California who loves the California sun! She writes:
"This year I am privileged to be the Student Director of the Multicultural Center. In this role I support, oversee, and advocate for the entire Multicultural Center including the 12 resident clubs, 4 at large organizations, and 17 staff members/assistants. I am very thankful to have a background in sociology as my work is deeply rooted in group dynamics, cultural awareness, and an understanding of the implications of our social structures. Some classes that I have taken at SCU that have been particularly useful for me in this role are Race and Inequality, Social Problems in the US, Deviance, and Collective Behavior.
The skills and information I learned in my sociology courses also helped me immensely last summer during my Jean Donovan Fellowship with the International Institute of the Bay Area (IIBA), in San Francisco. IIBA is an immigration nonprofit organization that provides high quality, low cost legal and educational services to immigrants. I was involved in teaching 3 weekly english/civics courses focused on helping green card holders prepare for their naturalization interviews. The clients I worked with in these classes came from all over the world including Yemen, Rusia, México, Venezuela, Guatemala, and Peru, just to name a few. The tools I gained from my sociology studies were invaluable, helping me to connect with others despite language barriers. These tools also helped me better understand how socio-political factors shape immigrant experiences. During my fellowship I also worked closely with the development team to create branding materials like fliers and posters so that our organization could reach a wider audience. Additionally, I had the opportunity to shadow the immigration lawyers and begin to learn about the intricacies of California immigration law. My sociology background yields insight into how policies impact individuals and thus informs my thinking around working toward legislative, and community-based, change.
This year I was granted a Diversity Works Award, sponsored by the Career Center, for my elevator speech regarding how my identity shaped my career development. I addressed an employer panel of Diversity & Inclusion professionals. The event was featured in The Santa Clara."