Vice President of Diversity and Inclusion

About Yourself:

Hi y’all, my name is Enrique Yarce-Martinez! I am your 2018-2019 Student Union Assembly Vice President of Diversity & Inclusion. I’m a second-year transfer student from Santa Rosa in the North Bay majoring in Sociology. My family and I were homeless for some time when we first moved to the States. I was born in Mexico and lived in Missouri for a year lol but apart from that, I’ve lived in good ol California all my life. I have a long background in activism and community organizing.

 I’ve been undocumented 20 of my 23 years on this earth and I will continue to fight for a world without borders and the violence and repression that comes with them. I was born in Colima, Mexico and I am very proud of the rich cultures and traditions of my beloved Mexico. I feel very strongly that all undocumented identities must be uplifted— not just the ones that seem to get the most attention like Mexicans seems to do. I stand with ALL undocumented peeps with all their different identities and ways of experiencing being undocumented. All of our liberations are connected and we must stand together to make change the world.

Past Involvement:

Before I transferred to UCSC, I researched the activist scene and got involved early into my first quarter. I was inspired by the SUA president at the time Maxine Jimenez and met many other involved people through her. I’ve been a part of the Student Union housing Working, Students United with Renters and the Undocumented Alliance. I’ve worked with Students for Justice in Palestine, Anakbayan, Worker Student Solidarity Coalition and MEChA. I’m looking forward to supporting these awesome student orgs as well as other rad groups like the Muslim Student Association and an upcoming local chapter of VietUnity!

 In community college I was the first Vice President of Diversity and I did a great deal of work bringing to light the plight of houseless students. I also worked with local organizing group the North Bay Organizing Project to fight for rent control and affordable housing in Santa Rosa. I’ve worked with voter engagement to turn out the vote in historically low voter areas. I have been a Migrant Education Advisor and interned as a peer mentor going to high schools and middle schools to politicize students and assist them in organizing events for their schools.

Office Initiatives:  

The SUA Office of Diversity & Inclusion focuses on outreach, collaboration, and creating initiatives addressing issues of diversity and inclusion on campus. We connect with resource centers, retention services, campus units, and student organizations. In today’s political climate, the importance of uplifting underrepresented and marginalized communities is dire.

 On top of this I want to have school-wide discussions about the illegalities of being, healthy masculinity as opposed to toxic masculinity, provide more support for our mental services, hire more POC and LGTBQIA therapists, challenge the role of UCPD on campus, push the UC to divest from the actions of the Israeli government onto Palestinians, and support all the amazing orgs making campus a better place.

Fun Facts about yourself:  

• I love dogs AND cats
• I have a big scar on my leg from a lawnmower accident when i was little
• I HATE milk
• I am Lebanese, Indigenous and Spanish
• When I see smooth and pretty rocks my first thought is to pop them in my mouth

Hit me up if you want to get involved with my office in any capacity or if you want me to connect you to other cool people on campus :)