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Student Equity Council

Introducing the CoA+A Student Diversity Council

We acknowledge the importance of our student body's collective voice as we aim to be a welcoming environment for all people and all future students and look to address our future as the College of Arts + Architecture. The students of the Student Diversity Council represent their academic units as equal partners in the discussion around College efforts to improve and support all students on micro and macro levels. These leaders will bring forward student concerns, inspire faculty and staff to do more, and work to create a sense of community across the College.

"I love theatre because it allows me to transcend preconceived notions of what a black man can and should do – letting my actions take me out of that box. It allows me to be a storyteller and connect with every race, gender, or creed on some level. I want to break out of that box that society places me in because of how I look and be anything I want."

DYLAN IRELAND - DEPARTMENT OF THEATRE REPRESENTATIVE: Dylan Girard Ireland, from High Point, NC, is a senior at UNC Charlotte. As a theatre major, his main focus is in performance studies. Dylan wants to be a professional actor and believes acting allows him to be himself, to be weird, to be free. It allows him to be a storyteller and transcend what it means to be a Black man in American society. His greatest dream in life is to inspire someone else the same way the theatre did for him, thus inspiring them to in turn help others and find what makes them get up in the morning. He wants his passion to help them find purpose. Dylan also plays the saxophone, sings, and likes to stay active for more physical acting roles. The most recent production that he was a part of was an audio production of William Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar, The Caesar Podcast, in which he played the titular character and Cinna the Poet.

"From a dancer's perspective, I've seen a lot of racial discrimination within leading roles and the scholastic curriculum. My efforts to improve this issue will start within my school dealing with the curriculum that is being taught in the major."

ERIKA RUSH - DEPARTMENT OF DANCE REPRESENTATIVE: Erika Rush is a Junior at UNC Charlotte majoring in dance with a concentration in performance, choreography, and theory, wth a minor in theatre. From a dancer's perspective, Erika has seen a lot of racial discrimination within leading roles and the scholastic curriculum, in which sance forms such as modern and ballet are more predominant than African Diasporic dance forms. It is her mission to create equal opportunities no matter the color of someone's skin and create an environment in which all styles of dance are recognized as significant. Currently, she is collaborating with various choreographers in dance films in response to racial inequality in the world. She recognizes that there is a lot of work to be done in this area, especially in the school system, but she is ready to work alongside her council members to make sure we fix those issues at home before we expand outside. 

"As a member of the Student Diversity Council, I pray to be a vessel that helps establish a haven and advocate for the various creative student voices. My goal is to challenge CoA+A not just to reform the faculty and student Eurocentric culture, but to implement collaboration between the academic entity with students, faculty, and community to create self-sufficient economic mobility."

MALIK J. NORMAN - DEPARTMENT OF ART & ART HISTORY REPRESENTATIVE: Malik J. Norman is currently a senior Bachelor of Fine Art candidate in photography at UNC Charlotte. Malik was born in Mineral Springs, NC, Western Union Park, a historically Black realm. His creative practice centers around social practice and community engagement. His process is rooted in discovering ways art can be a catalyst for economic reform for people and communities. While using photography as a platform for community outreach and raising awareness of social justice issues centered around Black Gold (Life). His work explores his southern identity and pays homage to the legacy of Black Gold. He wholeheartedly believes that empowerment begins with a conversation but must be met with decolonized actions and practices.  

"As a member of the Lumbee tribe, this perspective has led me to understand the extent to which indigenous culture has been erased in the arts curriculum and how the assimilation of white culture continues to be the standard for education throughout the community."

GIANNA AGOSTINO - DEPARTMENT OF MUSIC REPRESENTATIVE: Gianna Agostino is Charlotte native, a senior at UNC Charlotte, and a double major in music and communications with a minor in theatre. She is currently working toward pursuing a graduate degree in sound design. As a member of the Lumbee tribe, her perspective has led her to understand the extent to which indigenous culture has been erased in the arts curriculum and how the assimilation of white culture continues to be the standard for education throughout the community. She is passionate about shifting higher education to utilize a lens that considers various cultural perspectives as valid and standard parts of a curriculum, instead of tokenized and one-off lectures. As a part of this council, she hopes to act as a safe space for students of all backgrounds to voice ideas, experiences, and frustrations. She will work to be a channel of communication for the students and department in order to make voices heard and to help facilitate ways to create a more inclusive and anti-racist learning experience for all. 

"My architectural studies and focuses are related to people and the concurrence of mindfully crafted spaces to create an experience. By identifying solutions in the current climate, my goal is to continue to participate as a voice within the CoA+A Student Diversity Council for minority students."

TEDDIE GOURDET - DAVID R. RAVIN SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE: Teddie Gourdet is a final-year M1 graduate student in the School of Architecture at UNC Charlotte. Teddie has an undergraduate degree in kinesiology from UNC Charlotte also. She is broadly interested in relaying the connections between her previous studies and the role of design experience. Her studies and focus are in fact related to people and the concurrence of mindfully crafted spaces to create an experience. Teddie has been a member of AIAS (American Institute of Architecture Students) since 2018. She recently participated in a supplemental forum to discuss pressing issues in the architectural community. The forum had a major emphasis on equity and social justice with a goal to encourage a shift. By identifying solutions in the current climate, her goal is to continue to participate as a voice within the CoA+A Student Diversity Council for minority students.