Jinx McLean
Candidate Biography:
Jinx is a first year in the University of Pittsburgh School of Education studying Higher Education. Prior to attending University of Pittsburgh School of Education, they attended Florida State University for their undergrad majoring in Creative Writing with a focus on Africana folklore and oral traditions. In Jinx undergraduate career, they were on the Greek Conduct Board, Social Chair for Hermandad de Sigma Iota Alpha, Inc. Latina sorority, Event Programming Chair for Multicultural Greek Council, and the Marketing Research Assistant for the Student Exchange Program in the Center for Global Exchange. In these positions Jinx interacted with over 200+ students through answering questions, creating surveys, and hosting events to bridge the gap between minoritized students and white students at a historically white institution in the South. They created the first awards banquet for the Multicultural Greek Council and increased attendance for the Student Exchange Program.
Jinx identifies as queer non-binary Afro-Latinx low socioeconomic first-generation student. These identities have led them to become involved in the reactivation of Pan-African Graduate & Professional Association (PANAF) holding the Vice President of programming e-board position where Jinx create events that amplify Black voices. They also helped established the first LGBTQIA+ organization at University of Pittsburgh called Minoritized Organizations & Gender Identities Graduate & Professional Alliance (M.O.G.I) where Jinx holds the position of Vice President of Internal Affairs. One of our initiatives is working with the Rainbow Alliance undergraduate organization to get a LGBTQIA+ center on University of Pittsburgh campus. During Black History Month Jinx in their position as Vice President of Programming position for PANAF joined with GPSG to host a Black History Jeopardy Night to honor the Black activist and artist who have uplifted the Black community.
Candidate Statement:
My goal as the Vice President of Programming for the Graduate and Professional Student Government is to create events that would uplift students voices from marginalized graduate and professional students that feel a lack of representation on campus.
I have found myself in leadership positions since I was in undergraduate because I am an abolitionist who believes when there is a need and lack of awareness for your identities than you should create those opportunities. I believe as Vice President of Programming for GPSG, I would be able to create events that would promote social justice and equity by utilizing minoritized community vendors such as Trap Yoga students for mental mindfulness, have panel discussions on current issues such as topics like ethnic studies that have been banned in education institutions or the lack of gender-neutral bathrooms on campus. To support this, I plan to prioritize:
- Create events that cater to underrepresented populations and bring awareness to cultural differences that is the core of each student on campus.
- Utilize minoritized community vendors to promote local sourcing for events while allowing students to learn more of the history of Pittsburgh.
- Purposefully having GPSG collaborating with minoritized organizations on campus such as Pitt Queer Professionals, LAGOS, Diversity and Inclusion Office, CUE, MOGI and PANAF.
- Supporting Vice President of Communication with upcoming holidays, historical cultural dates and other dates that would promote inclusion of the diverse student population within the 14 different University of Pittsburgh colleges that GPSG represents.
