DEI Testimonial: Ajae Alvarez-Tylers
“As a minority student at a predominantly white institution, I often walked into a room and simply did not feel like I belonged. I felt as though I could never truly be myself and realized the struggle that I would face trying to sit in spaces that I have never been in before alongside people whom these institutions were primarily designed for. I have always known where I saw myself in life and that includes sitting in high-status places, but I questioned my ability to be successful in doing so.
Within the past few years, our major institutions began emphasizing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. DEI allowed me to confirm that my abilities no longer needed questioning. From these DEI initiatives, I have gained a greater vision and witnessed things being done that seemed like they needed to be more promising. I observed diversity in several different spaces, meaning rooms filled with people from different backgrounds and walks of life collaborating, learning from one another, and more. Equity, allows for minorities to receive extra funding for what we often struggle to afford – tuition, living expenses, programs, etc. Lastly, an understanding of community and inclusion means that these spaces have allowed individuals from these different backgrounds to truly feel a sense of belonging.
DEI efforts have allowed me to receive an education at a prestigious university, learn from different viewpoints and perspectives, build a diverse and supportive community and network, and allow me and others around me to walk into different rooms truly feeling represented. Not only do I see myself growing in all areas of my life from my experience with DEI but I also see others around me constantly growing, learning, and succeeding. DEI has been about leveling the playing field and encouraging diversity in places where it is needed the most. It has been extremely impactful and remains necessary and important to me as it has built my character, my ambitions, and the thriving community around me”.
Ajae Alvarez-Tyler, MPaff student at the LBJ School of Public Affairs ‘24, Afro-Latina, Second-Gen Student
