Hello! My name is Gaebriel Min (They/She), but you can call me Gaeb! I am an international student from Seattle, Washington (Home of Nirvana, Starbucks, and Twilight), and I study Graphic Communications on the Farnham campus. However, you may know me as the current Design Assistant at the SU. If not, it’s highly possible you’ve seen me playing pool on a Saturday night at the Glasshouse!
Growing up as a Black-Queer-Creative, cultivating creative communities has always been the way I connect with people. When I lived in Seattle, I worked at our local radio station, KEXP, and helped co-found the KEXP Youth Resonance, an initiative to empower the youth Seattle art scene through the platform of music broadcasting. While in college, I had the opportunity to work as a Community Consultant and was able to help students start-up and fund their clubs throughout their time at Highline College. Before I moved to the UK, I was asked to advise the Seattle Government in the creation of their King Street Station project, which helped to amplify the voices of BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Colour) in the Seattle arts scene. Through working with various organisations, I have been able to facilitate the creation of many safe and welcoming communities for queer, BIPOC, and young creatives.
When I joined UCA as a direct-entry second-year international student, I felt completely out of my element and struggled to connect with the community at UCA. Then, we were hit with the pandemic, and creating community became almost impossible. It wasn’t until my third-year that I decided to involve myself and apply for the Design Assistant position at the SU. By working in this position, I have been able to create the Digital UCASU Discord Server and the Weekly Digest emails. Outside of the SU, I serve as a Student Rep for Graphic Communications (2019-2021), the LGBTQ+ Delegate for the National Union of Students Liberation Conference (2021), and a student liaison for UCA’s BAME Attainment Group (2020-2021). Through all of these opportunities, I have been able to meet so many UCA students and help re-create a sense of community that has been lost due to the pandemic.
From my time working with and for the Students’ Union, I have been able to see the Union from a different perspective, and that has given me insiders knowledge on how to best help UCA students. On the other hand, being a Black-Queer-International student, I am aware of the challenges our communities face when accessing education and I am not afraid to stand up for our needs.
By utilising the knowledge I have gained from both of these backgrounds, I will help facilitate REAL CHANGE at UCA by running for President Surrey!