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STUDENT
STUDENT
USD Senior Amaya Rodriguez-Agiss Empowers Other Latino Students to Find Community on Campus
USD Black Excellence Award Winner, Jae Johnson, Cultivates a Storytelling Space for Students
Creating a Home Away from Home by Erica Ortiz ’24
There is no stopping Amaya Rodriguez-Agiss ’24, a USD biology major, when it comes to campus involvement. Whether attending an Associated Student Government senate meeting, organizing a fundraiser for the Association of Chicano Activists (A.Ch.A) or immersing herself in a biology lab — one thing remains constant — Rodriguez-Agiss’s beaming smile, reflecting her motivation and positive attitude. As a commuter student and a woman of color, RodriguezAgiss initially struggled to fit in on campus. She wondered if she would be perceived as a diversity statistic at a predominantly white institution (PWI) — a common experience for students of color and marginalized backgrounds. “I grew up in a low-income household with parents who were born and raised in Mexico, migrated to the United States and built their empire off of that — off of basically nothing,” she says. “It’s important to have people to relate to you like that, especially at a PWI.” In search of community, Rodriguez-Agiss joined Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlan (M.E.Ch.A.) and A.Ch.A., two of USD’s Chicano/Latino organizations that seek to promote higher education, cultural awareness, politics and leadership of Chicano/Latino students, in addition to fostering a sense of community and activism on campus. Both organizations immediately gave her the sense of belonging she sought. “These organizations are important to me because they’re the first places that I felt at home at USD,” she says. Rodriguez-Agiss plans cultural events and activities in these organizations, including fiesta nights and the annual Virgen De Guadalupe Mass, volunteers at Chicano Park and plays on the M.E.Ch.A. softball intramural team. She will be the co-chair of both M.E.Ch.A. and A.Ch.A. this semester and plans to increase support for Hispanic/Latino-identifying students through dialogue with President Harris regarding USD’s mission to become a Hispanic Serving Institution. Her advice to other incoming and current students is to try as many organizations and clubs as possible and join a community that makes them feel at home. watch now: bit.ly/amaya-rodriguez-agiss
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Fall 2023
From Poetry to Podcast by Michelle Kennedy and Taylor Polcyn ’25
USD psychology major Jae Johnson ’24 started writing poetry in middle school. In his teenage years, Johnson spent many hours in his room, where books and the written word became some of his best friends. Johnson never stopped reading, writing and studying. And through hard work in honors classes, he secured a military scholarship to attend the University of San Diego. When Johnson met now-graduate Kaia Morrison ’23, they shared poetry and similar stories about using their writing to express themselves. His conversations with Morrison gave Johnson the courage to perform spoken word on campus and to create his podcast, Black Royalty. “Jae puts his best foot forward with everything he does,” says Morrison. “Whether it’s academics, his art, poetry or podcast, he puts his whole heart into it.” The podcast is a platform that amplifies and celebrates the experiences and stories of students of color at USD. “The intention of my podcast is not just to have an outlet for me but for others to look at and know that they’re not alone,” says Johnson. Johnson chose the title of his podcast because of his admiration for Black Royalty’s strong and wise characteristics. “To me, everyone is royalty. We can all have a higher mental being without racism or segregation. It is about unification and empowerment.” Through episodes such as “Black vs. White” and “Story of Color,” Black Royalty encourages listeners to break free from silence and be authentic. Johnson fosters a sense of belonging among sometimes underrepresented students through personal stories, performances and discussing topics like pursuing education, diversity and entrepreneurship. In addition to the success of his podcast, Johnson received the Black Excellence Award from the Black Student Resource Commons (BSRC) this past spring. This award recognized Johnson’s outstanding commitment and dedication to the Black campus community at USD, further solidifying his impact. After he graduates, Johnson plans to pursue an MBA and grow Black Royalty into a platform where people of color can express themselves through words, performances and music. Johnson feels called to continue his work of supporting other creatives. watch now: bit.ly/jae-johnson