By Brian Feliciano
After receiving my acceptance letter to UCLA and finishing my last year at Victor Valley College, I didn’t know exactly what to expect at one of the most prestigious universities in the nation.
After two years of involvement in student government at my community college and being involved with both the Student Senate for California Community Colleges and the American Student Association of Community Colleges, I knew I wanted to continue advocating for an affordable and accessible education. I wanted to become involved on campus but I did not know how to begin.
Fortunately, I stumbled across an opportunity to become a delegate for UCLA to the United States Student Association Congress in New Jersey. I knew it was an amazing opportunity and would allow me to further pursue my passion for effecting change in higher education, but I had no real idea what I was getting involved with.
As the nation’s oldest and largest student-run, student-led organization, USSA empowers the student voice through grassroots organizing and teaching students the skills necessary to win concrete victories on student issues. Throughout all these victories, skills and memories, UCLA students have participated and played an active role because of UCLA’s membership in USSA.
At tonight’s Undergraduate Students Association Council meeting, the external vice president’s office plans to request funding from the council’s surplus to renew UCLA’s membership in the USSA.
I believe USAC will be making a huge mistake if it fails to provide this funding. UCLA has a well-known reputation for activism, for making a difference in the world, and dropping out of the oldest and most active national student organization in the country would be contradictory to that reputation.
Through USSA, students have actual input on issues through direct action and lobbying skills they learn at conferences like the National Student Congress and the National Grassroots Legislative Conference. With these skills, students have spoken at rallies at the Department of Education, given testimony at public hearings, written legislation about decreasing student loan debt, such as House Resolution 1330: The Student Loan Fairness Act of 2013, which was then sponsored by members of Congress, and have been part of movements to expand the Pell Grant and prevent student loan interest rates from doubling in 2012.
Apart from the political impact USSA has on students, it also offers an experience that will never be forgotten. The amazing people I met and the memories I made with them are a fine example of what USSA represents.
At the USSA Congress, I learned to truly appreciate the importance of inclusiveness in society. I was challenged to question the opinions and norms that I had adopted over the years, and in doing so, I realized that achieving equal opportunity for everyone, no matter their race, class, gender, or sexuality, will require all of us to have open minds and, at times, be uncomfortable. I also learned about pressing issues affecting our society such as the need for comprehensive immigration reform and its effect on undocumented students, or DREAMers.
Discussing these issues with other students from around the nation was breathtaking because each student had a personal story of how they were affected. I connected with many of those students because both my parents are immigrants and I could relate to some of their experiences and struggles.
From March 14-17, USSA will be having its annual LegCon in Washington, D.C., and I firmly hope that UCLA students will be able to attend this event. LegCon is important as a space for students from different parts of the nation to convene in Washington, D.C., and learn grassroots organizing and lobbying skills to directly influence members of Congress.
Delegates to LegCon specifically lobby on issues that student delegates select the year before at National Student Congress, which, for this year, are student debt and shared governance. UCLA students should be aware of these opportunities, but in order for that to happen, UCLA needs to be an actively participating member of USSA. I have been to the National Student Congress, but not LegCon, which is an experience that I hope to have.
It is my hope that the UCLA student body recognizes its inspiring history as an influential and powerful catalyst for social change and that we continue to take an active role in the USSA, thereby creating the changes that students across the nation need so badly.
Feliciano is a member of the National Affairs component of the USAC external vice president’s office and a third-year political science student.