Why are you running in the ASUO Election?
Hii! My name is Omar Awwad, I use he/him pronouns and I am from Tucson, Arizona. I am a first year majoring in Business Administration and hoping to minor in anthropology. I love to binge watch movies, go on hikes, and read books. I am running for PFC At-Large because it is essential to remember the importance of students at our university. Me myself, being a part of student organizations like Coalition Against Environmental Racism (CAER) and Young Democratic Socialists of America (YDSA) have helped me express myself and the change I want to bring into the world. I have met great people I would not have had the opportunity to otherwise. To me, student organizations represent the fundamental ideas, beliefs, and goals of students at UO. For these reasons, I believe it is of the utmost importance students get the resources they deserve to create a welcoming and diverse UO that all enjoy. I want to make students' visions more accessible and attainable alongside having a space for people to interact. If I am elected, I will strive to support students' interests through aiding student organizations in any way I can.
Is there a particular ASUO funded service or organization (or multiple) that you are passionate about and hope to work with? Why?
Particular ASUO funded services I am passionate about and wish to work with are the Multicultural Center (MCC) and the Prison Education Program (aka Prison Education Committee). The MCC gives student organizations like CAER and many others to advocate for their beliefs and share their identities. Coming from a multicultural background myself, this is something I hold very dear and would love to advance the community and bring in students in my position. Being a part of multiple MCC organizations Latiné Male Alliance, Muslims Student Association, and Arab Student Association has shown me the immense diversity and alliance it has brought. Before accepting to come to UO, one of the first things I heard about was the Inside-Out program. I thought that was a beautiful way to exchange knowledge with those imprisoned while seeing firsthand the conditions endured under the Corrections System. As someone who wishes to be a lawyer, I believe the Prison Education Program is such a unique opportunity to raise awareness about the effects prison has on people's lives while giving prisoners a chance to better themselves. I wish to support this service in the most capacity I can and expand it for more students to experience.