“Together We Thrive” is the theme of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion week with CSUN Associated Students, and all are encouraged to have a conversation about creating inclusive spaces and fostering equity on campus.
Revolutionary Scholars and Project Rebound hosted the first event of the week on Monday, Nov. 18, with a mixer in the Thousand Oaks Room.
Project Rebound, established as a department at CSUN in 2020, provides resources, financial assistance and support to formerly incarcerated students to achieve academic success.
Revolutionary Scholars is a student-led community organization led at CSUN that is dedicated to helping formerly incarcerated and system-impacted students achieve higher education.
“Equity, to me, means that everybody is on the same level field. They’re given the same opportunities, and they’re not judged or deemed unworthy to anything. Equity means that we are all equal,” said Garret Eiferman, president of Revolutionary Scholars.
Eiferman believes that organizations like these are important for supporting those impacted by the system, as they provide guidance for their career and life paths post-incarceration and foster a supportive community through their academic journey.
“You come to find out when you do outreach that some people can identify with your organization or with your club, but they didn’t know how to go about talking about it, you know?” said Eiferman. “We found system-impacted students that need the community that we provide…”
Estefany Mendez, a junior majoring in sociology, said that clubs like Revolutionary Scholars bring people together to help one another.
“We’re able to relate and share similar experiences, but just also being a community [helps], because you can always rely on some people who are in that club and are always there for your support,” said Mendez.
The conversation of equity inspired attendees to share their thoughts and experiences, including graduate student and Project Rebound intern, Leila Murca, who is pursuing her Master of Social Work.
“I think people need to be more open-minded around those they surround themselves with because at the end of the day, you don’t know somebody’s story,” said Murca.
