Three Abbey MRED+D students awarded Arcus Social Justice Corps Fellowships

Collin Beresford, Rashida Chase, and Sammy Ephraim

The Arcus Social Justice Corps (ASJC) Fellowship is awarded to master’s students in the College of Environmental Design (CED) who intend to focus on social justice work after graduation. This year, Abbey MRED+D students Collin Beresford, Rashida Chase, and Sammy Ephraim were selected as Arcus Fellows, alongside 13 of their CED peers. 
 
The ASJC Fellowship closely aligns with MRED+D’s curriculum pillars of sustainability/resilience and equity/inclusion and is a unique opportunity for social justice professional development. In fact, Arcus Fellows pledge to work in the area of social justice for at least three years after earning their degrees. The ASJC Fellowship supports this social justice work by providing fellows with significant tuition support and an array of career development resources. 
 
To hear from Collin, Rashida, and Sammy about their ASJC participation and post-MRED+D career plans, keep reading!

What attracted you to ASJC?
 
The ASJC Fellowship offers multiple opportunities to interface with industry professionals, peers, and community members who share my aspirations in the realm of social and environmental justice. With collaboration holding such a pivotal role in our efforts, I believe the knowledge and connections gained through this program will be invaluable. The Arcus Social Justice Corps will help me develop my own personal toolkit to serve my community and foster social responsibility.
 
What do you hope to do post-MRED+D and how do you anticipate the connections you make as an Arcus Fellow will help you get there?
 
Following my completion of the MRED+D program, I'm planning to dive right into the fight for social reform and assist in the production of affordable housing. With so many communities that are actively being displaced amid a nationwide housing crisis, it is crucial that we provide housing and resources to all in need. I believe the connections I make as an Arcus Fellow will allow my fellow members and me to operate and advocate across multiple fields as one combined force. I'm excited to see what we will accomplish and look forward to supporting this new community of professionals in any way that I’m able.

What attracted you to ASJC?
 
The Arcus Social Justice Corps not only provides significant financial assistance to students, but it also offers us the opportunity to learn from community social justice and impact leaders, participate in internships, and the chance to build community with other social justice-minded people who are doing deeply impactful work that transforms our cities and the people in them.  

I believe that my vision and the goal of ASJC to mitigate the impacts of social and racial inequities are directly aligned. I knew coming into the MRED+D program that my work would center around equitable housing for artists, addressing the lack of workspace and venues, and the creation of cultural third spaces for multigenerational communities, and I was seeking opportunities to find a supportive network of people whose focus and goals were similarly centered around improving their communities and addressing social inequities.
 
What do you hope to do post-MRED+D and how do you anticipate the connections you make as an Arcus Fellow will help you get there?
 
It is time to create revolutionary models for affordable, sustainable housing for artists and community cultural spaces, and the Arcus Social Justice Corps Fellowship will expose me to other social justice practitioners with aligned missions who are also searching for radical, creative solutions to similar issues, and provide me with mentorship and guidance on my career path.
 
Being part of a cohort of people who are actively working to create equitable environments and receiving career support and space to work on my ideas will give me the lift I need and put me in the rooms I should be in with other equity-minded developers so that I can effectively create sustainable solutions for housing and work to maintain and grow the cultural creative class in Oakland and the Bay Area.

What attracted you to ASJC?
 
I was attracted to ASJC because of its rich community network, the career and financial support, and mentoring opportunities it offers graduate students. 
 
What do you hope to do post-MRED+D and how do you anticipate the connections you make as an Arcus Fellow will help you get there?
 
As an Arcus Fellow, I plan to build meaningful relationships with my peers and ASJC community to learn as much as possible. As an MRED+D graduate I hope to make an impact and work with development and community leaders to amplify the voices and stories of the people and places most impacted by rapid growing development. By embedding myself as an active participant and leader in anti-displacement, equitable development, and economic justice, I will strive to create opportunities for development and design that prioritize cultural preservation, long-term sustainability, and revitalization of communities in need. I want to focus on elevating the voices of low-income, physically and mentally impaired, immigrant, LGBTQIA+, and marginalized communities of color to increase visibility and create opportunities for more equitable outcomes for these populations as it relates to new development and revitalization of real estate projects.
 
To hear more from the Abbey MRED+D program and students like Collin, Rashida, and Sammy, connect with us on LinkedIn and subscribe to our mailing list!