EPM students create Diversity Committee
Written by Antonia Davetas:
On EPM DC:
The EPM Diversity Committee was initially formed in response to the many murders of people of color that occurred in 2020, in an effort to support our diverse campus community. The DC has been working on creating virtual spaces that promote transparency and inclusion through our different events and meetings. The DC finds it important to develop strong relationships with EPM students, faculty, and students across disciplines that support our goals in changing curriculum and campus bureaucracy in order to promote diversity and inclusion in our graduate program.
Most recently, the EPM DC has been working on a website to post our blogs, meetings, and other events. DC hosts podcast and documentary discussion groups, roundtable open discussion groups, quarterly open forum meetings and more. The DC has also been working on creating an environmental justice course within EPM, creating and leading a 290 seminar course also focused on diversity and environmental justice, assisting in developing a holistic admissions process with potential student inclusion, and supporting hiring on new EPM faculty.
On Antonia:
Antonia Davetas is a first year EPM student building her specialization in environmental justice. She graduated from UC Santa Barbara with her degree in Environmental Studies and is passionate about environmental policy, environmental justice, and climate change displacement issues. She’s worked with several non-profit organizations and plans to continue to do that work in the future.
Outside of class you can find Antonia working on art, playing music, or (before the pandemic) at a number of shows and festivals. She enjoys drawing and linocut printmaking and has been working on teaching herself bass guitar while spending time indoors.
On Daniela:
Daniela received her Bachelor of Science in Ecology, Behavior and Evolution from UC San Diego. Her dream is to work for policy organizations like the IUCN to address international and domestic conservation issues such as wildlife trade, environmental justice, and habitat loss. To assist in increasing diversity in STEM fields, Daniela became a mentor for UC Davis' Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Related Sciences (MANRRS) chapter.