Illustration by Soleil de Zwart // AS Review
Note from editor: Candidates submitted their statements for the voter guide, the AS Review made no edits. All photos were taken by AS Review Photographer Joe Addison.
Rukhsar Sadat
My name is Rukhsar Sadat (she/her/hers) and I am a junior double-majoring in Political Science and Law, Diversity & Justice with the intention of minoring in Sociology. As an immigrant and refugee, I grew up in communities that were neglected and underrepresented which gave me a window into seeing how our current system favors certain groups over systemically non-dominant individuals. I am running as an ASWWU Student Senator for the kind of politics that ensures equity, justice, and a sense of belonging in educational institutions. Navigating through this broken system made me realize that having safe spaces in educational settings cultivate high rates of success which is why I will ensure that serious measures are taken to accommodate accessibility options. The history of the US including laws, institutions, and government sectors were designed to minimize the voices of communities of color. I will make sure that does not happen, and instead, I will uplift the voices of marginalized students. Leadership is not a dictatorship, rather it is a partnership. As your Senator, I will strengthen the bridge between the administration and the general student population. With your help, I can assure you I will do everything in my power to make sure every student’s needs will be met.
Yeshaia van Leeuwen
My name is Yeshaia van Leeuwen and I’m running to represent Fairhaven College in the student senate. I hope to continue the valuable work of those who came before me, and to include student voices in all decision making at every level. We must demand better from this institution. I want to work in collaboration with Fairhaven students, and main campus students enrolled in Fairhaven classes, from a variety of perspectives and backgrounds, to improve the learning experience and to build a just and inclusive environment where we can enjoy and challenge ourselves. There is work to be done.