The university’s new interim diversity and inclusion advocate is attempting to pave the way for student equality and diversity celebration.
Jessica Martinez-Brooks started as the interim diversity and inclusion advocate on Oct. 8. Previously, Martinez-Brooks served as director of diversity enrichment programs at the University of Oklahoma and the director of community outreach and education at Oklahoma City Community College. She said part of her job was to help minority students feel more comfortable in college.
“When you have students that come from majority-minority communities and move to a majority-white campus, there are issues that come up. ‘Are there other people on this campus I can feel comfortable speaking with?’” she said.
Martinez-Brooks said as a first-generation college student, she recognizes the barriers minority students face.
“There’s not a lot of resources,” she said. “People expect you to know certain things. Those things can be very intimidating.”
Taking away those barriers is very important in a diversity and inclusion program, she said. Listening to student, faculty and staff concerns and ensuring appropriate action is taken is her primary job, she said.
Diversity and inclusion advocate is a new position suggested by Student Government Association officials last year, Martinez-Brooks said.
“Just the fact that I am here shows that the university is moving forward with actionable step in university concerns,” she said.
Destini Carrington, psychology senior and president of the Black Student Association, said Martinez-Brooks has made students a priority.
“She has been running since she got here,” Carrington said. “She has been running with purpose and action.”
Carrington said when she met with Martinez-Brooks, she discussed the lack of transparency from university officials regarding recent racially charged incidents on campus.
“How can we as a university talk about the racist issues at OU and not here?” Carrington said.
The university needs a reporting system for racist issues, Carrington said.
“A system that doesn’t go to the deans or chairs of schools, but outside the schools, possibly the provost, to where there will be an extra set of eyes on these issues, so they can be handled in the proper way,” she said.
Martinez-Brooks said she will be assisting in the search for a permanent vice president of diversity and inclusion. A national search will be conducted to find potential candidates. Martinez-Brooks said she hopes the position will be filled permanently by January, but the national search will take time. She said it will most likely be conducted like the university presidential search and will provide time for students, faculty and staff to give feedback on the candidates.
Carrington said it is important that the future vice president of diversity and inclusion is a person of color.
“We need someone who can see through one of those lenses and have that experience themselves,” she said.
Martinez-Brooks said she has already met with students from SGA, BSA, Native American Society, Hispanic Student Association, Constellation, Korean Student Association, Interfaith studies, and FEM.
Martinez-Brooks said students can contact her at jmartinezbrooks@okcu.edu or 405-208-5042 with any questions or concerns.
“My number one goal is to try to meet individually with the different student organizations,” she said. “It’s important for students to voice their concerns.”
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