EDI Voices

EDI Voices

Welcome to EDI Voices! In this forum, we center the diverse voices and experiences of people throughout our UCLA community and highlight important contributions to equity, diversity and inclusion.

For this issue of EDI Voices, members of UCLA’s Pacific Islands’ Student Association (PISA) offered insights on what inclusion means to them.

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The concept of inclusion is exhibited through the equal distribution of representation, accessibility, and opportunity. Inclusivity can be exemplified by accessible routes to classes, resource centers for cultural organizations, and/or having courses dedicated to educating students on specific marginalized communities. At a very basic understanding and within its core, inclusion looks like being included – which gives any and all identities a seat at the table to voice their perspectives, needs, and concerns that may be unknown to others. However, that does not represent complete inclusion until others at the table acknowledge and address what is expressed.

Sunia Akaveka

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Inclusion to me looks like creating as well as fostering an environment of inspiration and diverse innovations through the efforts of a collective to at the very least acknowledge individual groups and their unique needs, regardless of numbers. By attempting to become more inclusive, many entities unintentionally and completely ignore many smaller groups and as a result create more divided, more hostile, and less productive environments due to the lack of circulating resources, if any are given or circulating at all. As such, in seeking to address one group at a time, it should never be necessary for there to be complete dismissal of smaller groups. In working towards active inclusion, not only can individual groups thrive but the collective that they occupy can as well through the recognition of various perspectives and voices which can be useful in addressing significant issues, increase collective productivity, as well as promote further resiliency, creative diversity, and creative retention.

Pipiena Malafu

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When I think of inclusion, students from diverse backgrounds are given the support, resources, and infrastructure within the university and from administration to be able to excel at UCLA and beyond. In addition to being students, it is unavoidable that individuals from marginalized communities will bear the burden of having to advocate for themselves and their well-being, when it should not have to be that way. Identifying as low-income, first-generation, or a person of color is often seen as a barrier to student success both in and outside of the classroom, but inclusion means that the varying identities of students can be a source of empowerment rather than division. At the administrative level, inclusion is achieved when decision makers are conscious of the communities they work with, and do their best to elevate the voices of those impacted by inequity.

Melody Satele