Statement for Diversity and Inclusion Advocacy Award

College of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Georgia

I think of diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts as a dinner party. Diversity is sending everyone an invitation to the dinner party. Equity is making sure that everyone will be able to eat something at the dinner party. This includes providing a variety of dietary options such as vegetarian, vegan, gluten free, and more. Lastly, inclusion is making sure everyone can go to the dinner party and be an active participant. Are guests able to eat and enjoy the food? Can guests even enter the venue comfortable and actively participate in the social norms of a dinner party?

Diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts are always at the forefront of my daily life and an important aspect of the legacy I want to leave behind. Having a progressive disability and being categorized as a minority has shaped me to be an outsider of the world. Never fitting in and not having a seat at the dinner party has motivated me to constantly push others to be more inclusive whether it’s at the workplace or in my personal life.

Within my first year of being the Grady College School of Journalism and Mass Communication’s Prospective Student Advisor, I have helped recruit a significant number of students from diverse backgrounds. I have increased recruiting efforts and comforted students who felt uneasy about attending UGA. I am able to use my story of diversity and relate to students who also feel left out of the dinner party. I believe when students who are minorities look at me, and see that I was a student at Grady College, they are inspired to pursue a Grady major based on my success as a student. I have met with several first generation students who did not know what public relations was, rural students, international students, and students of diverse backgrounds.

In addition to my role, I have advocated for physical improvements of the Journalism Building including Studio 100 and Newsource for all students to be able to access. Newsource is being renovated this summer so all students will be able to use the control room and eventually the stage will also be redone.

One example of going beyond my job duty in DE&I efforts is my relationship with freshman student *Bob Brown. He had heard of me through a friend and was an Honors student at his high school. He has a physical disability, uses a wheelchair, and needs the support of personal care attendants. He had no idea where to begin, but dreamed of coming to UGA. The Disability Resource Center on campus does not help students with this fundamental aspect of being an independent college student living with a disability.

I met with *Bob and his family numerous times over the summer including giving a tour, emails, and phone calls to assist them on *Bob receiving physical therapy services, wheelchair repair shops, personal care attendants, and accessible transportation. These are resources I utilized when I was a student that the DRC and no one else on campus would be knowledgeable of. Managing and knowing of disability support services that are right for you is often like discovering another language or navigating a new world.

*Bob’s mom was worried about his social skills and being on his own, so I spoke with *Bob about self-advocacy and making new friends. I also worked with *Natalie Green because he would need a modified camera as part of the Journalism degree. *Green wrote a letter stating it’s a requirement for the major. I facilitated this so the agency Vocational Rehabilitation could get started on getting an adapted camera for *Bob.

*Hannah Renee and *Derek Smith and are just a few students within Grady College with disabilities I have befriended who are not my students. The Disability Resource Center (DRC) has been sending students my way as a reference to discuss topics of having a disability and navigating campus. Although it is not part of my job to consult these students, I am happy to do so because finding adequate care makes the difference of going to college or not.

This passion I have and need from students that I have seen has helped me launch my new business, MG College Consulting. I am offering three services: Motivate, Community, and 1-to-1 virtual Coaching. Motivate is a public speaking opportunity where I will share about overcoming adversity. Community is my service where clients can learn tools for college success at their own pace. I will make online videos with topics including self-advocacy, confidence, dorm cooking, roommate conflict, and more. Students will then have access to an online forum where they can chat with each other and share ideas. Coaching is where I will work individually with a student to create a plan of helping to ease their transition to college.

Everyone except my mother told me I’d never move away for college. I ended up attending UGA which is two hours from my home. Life circumstances and hardships can be a minority factor and hinder people’s ability to attend college.

The money received from the award will go towards my business in starting up with funds including the classroom portal and helping with the creation of courses. I would be very grateful to receive this award to continue my work in DE&I initiatives across campus.

*Names are changed for privacy. Any name relation is purely coincidental.