Articles

Meet the Fellows!

By Madeleine Cerone

October 22, 2024

This year, with the Multicultural Fellows Program, the Days-Massolo Multicultural Center has five new additions to our team! If you weren’t able to attend the Meet the Fellows lunch on October 1st, here are the results of a short interview with all five of the new fellows.

 

Rachel Shin ’25, she/her

What kind of advocacy are you most passionate about?

I would say I am most passionate about racial advocacy. As a Korean American, I have been on the receiving end of racism whether it was outright (ie. Being asked if I ate dogs in middle school) or micro-aggressive (ie. people assuming I’m smart or aspects of my personality/personal life because I’m East Asian). I think it is very important that Asian Americans are included in dialogues surrounding race and other inequities (ie. East Asians are missing from a lot of studies due to how diverse it is). Additionally, it is important that we address stereotypes that may not have harmful intentions but are hurtful  nonetheless (ie. model minority myth).  

What are you most excited about for the Multicultural Fellows program?

Community Engagement!

 

Bella Ocava ’25, she/her

What kind of advocacy are you most passionate about?

I am passionate about race, sexuality, and socioeconomic class. In a separate context, I also advocate for environmental justice. I want to be an advocate to use my strengths to empower my community, foster accountability, and create lasting systemic change.

What are you most excited about for the Multicultural Fellows Program?

I’m excited to establish a space for the campus community to engage in open and respectful conversations. I also want to help the campus community become comfortable with their discomfort and to use that to create meaningful change.

 

Kip Ortega ’26, he/they

What kind of advocacy are you most passionate about?

I am most passionate about Latinx, disability, and queer advocacy, as these are the communities I am a part of and feel that I have the best grasp on assisting. However, I am eager to learn and help all communities on campus.

What are you most excited about for this program?

I am so excited to be part of a new era at the DMC and try things that have never been done before. I want to make the DMC as inclusive and accessible as possible for all students.

 

Ru Lambert  ’27, she/her

What kind of advocacy are you most passionate about?

I like identity related advocacy. I engaged with many community building organizations in high school, and now in college I’m involved in groups that aim to understand who we are, what we are labeled as, and how that affects the way we engage in certain spaces. Community building and social justice are at the heart of everything I do.

What are you most excited about for this program?

It’s an opportunity to get to be a part of the change, not just talk about it. Also, as an added benefit, it’s an opportunity to leverage the education, knowledge, and resources at Hamilton to understand how we relate to and engage with each other more deeply.

 

Mame Thiam ’27, she/her

What kind of advocacy are you most passionate about?

I am passionate about race, women’s rights, and civil rights.

What are you most excited about for this program?

I can’t wait to see the changes our research will implement on campus.

 

As the year progresses, we can’t wait to get to know our Fellows even better! Make sure to check out the DMC instagram page to see our Fellows’ hometowns and favorite ice cream flavors!