Meet the 2016-17 Women’s Center Student Staff!

Wed, 14 Sep 2016 13:49:16 -0400
introductions, staff, womens-center-staff

Get to know this year’s team of student staff and interns!

2016-17 Women’s Center Staff

Mariana De Matos Medeiros (she/her), Student Intern

Hi! My name is Mariana de Matos Medeiros and I am studying Psychology and Gender and Women’s Studies, centering my studies on sexual violence prevention. After my time at UMBC, I hope to find a career in advocacy where I can support and empower survivors of sexual violence. Lavender is my favorite everything: food flavor, scent, essential oil, and (most of all) color. In my free time I enjoy learning more about vegetarianism, practicing yoga, and binge watching the Great British Baking Show. I would love to learn and share with you so please feel free to reach out!

Daniel Willey (he/him), Student Staff

Hi everyone, I’m Daniel! I’m a fourth year Gender and Women’s Studies major and a third year Women’s Center staff member. I do a lot of work here with trans students and advocacy, as well as work with men and healthy masculinities. Ask me about disability, fatness, gender identity, being a mentally ill student, unpacking white privilege, and the Brave Space Guidelines! (Plus I have lots of things to tell you about sexual and menstrual health, fiber crafts, and Steven Universe.) I love to chat with community members and I’m usually a friendly face around campus.

Ciera Earl (she/her), Student Staff

My name is Ciera, I am a Visual Arts major in my last year at UMBC. I am very excited to be part of the Women’s Center community and look forward to learning more about the people who inhabit the space. Black and White film lover with a penchant for anything John Hughes.

Shira Devorah (she/her or they/them), Student Staff

Hello! My name is Shira Devorah and I can’t wait to get to know you! You may have seen me around last semester working at the Women’s Center or maybe in one of your GWST classes. I’m about four years younger than the Women’s Center, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary (if you haven’t heard)! I’m a bisexual, genderqueer femme who loves doodling, journaling, and spending too much money on chocolate. I hope to go to grad school one day to get a PhD and become a psychologist specializing in LGBTQ+ care and sexual health. I’d also love to end up teaching at a university one day.

Even when I’m not working, I spend a good chunk of time at the Women’s Center. It’s my favorite place to do homework, relax, and spend quality time with friends. I love that the Center is a hub of community and vibrant discussion, that so many different issues are brought up within our programing. This year I’ll be getting even more involved in the conversation! I will be co-facilitating Between Women with our director Jess Myers and planning the roundtable series with fellow staff member and fantastic friend Michael!

I feel incredibly lucky to get to finish out my last year of college while working at the Women’s Center. This place has become a part of who I am, and I will carry all that I learn here with me into a future that is rich in intersectional feminist activism. I can’t wait to see you around our space, at our programs, or in some of our discussion groups!

Prachi Kochar (she/her), Student Intern

Hey, everyone! My name is Prachi and I’m a senior double majoring in Psychology and Gender and Women’s Studies, and I’m looking to go into Clinical Psychology with a focus on deaf children and other groups with disabilities. This is my first (and last, sadly) year at the Women’s Center, but I am so excited for the learning opportunities and personal connections that it will bring me!

Especially as a deaf woman of color, I am very passionate about social issues and bringing diverse voices to the forefront in every arena of life. However, my interests don’t stop there! I love ice hockey (Go Caps!), creating and viewing art of all kinds, our great state of Maryland, fitness, astronomy, coffee/tea/caffeine in almost any form, and whatever the hot new show on Netflix is. I also love all things UMBC and am a sister of Zeta Sigma Chi Multicultural Sorority, Inc. as well as president of the Multicultural Greek Council. If you couldn’t tell, I am always ready to talk about all of these things, so please feel free to say “Hi!” to me around campus or strike up a conversation with me in the Commons.

Michael Jalloh-Jamboria (he/him), Student Staff

Hey! I’m Michael Jalloh-Jamboria. I am currently a Gender/Women Studies and Biology double major. This is my third year at UMBC and my second year as a student staff member here at the Women’s Center! I am also a diversity presenter with the Mosaic Center and senior staff member of Montgomery County Recreation!

I’m always up for of being critical of fatness and queerness and their intersections with other identities. Feel free to come by and chat with me! I love visitors and I’m always up for listening.

Long story short, here’s who I am: Fat.Feminist.Trans.Queer.Muslim.

Jewel Oliver (they/them or she/her), Volunteer

I’m a new volunteer at the Women’s Center and I’ll be co-facilitating Women of Color Coalition with Prachi.