As told by David Nelson
I want to create spaces for people like me, people who feel a need for community. UVU is a place for community.
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I’ve always wanted to help people in some way. Originally, I was a pre-med major, and medicine seemed like the way to go because my sisters were doing something in medicine. I realized that the way I wanted to help people was more rooted in learning about different systems that are often not built for people. I want to learn more about that; I want to learn about all these different systems and learn about how policies play a role, how human interactions play a role, and how power dynamics play a role in everything. I realized that sociology teaches me just that. I've learned so much through sociology — it helps me think beyond the surface level and think about the root causes of problems and the historical context for social issues that continue to happen every day. After 2020 (my first year in school) and everything with the Black Lives Matter movement that happened here in Salt Lake, I started to get really involved and wanted to learn more about why these issues continue to happen.
I felt stuck because I wanted to help but didn't know how. I just wanted to be someone who could understand these issues through a systemic lens. When I was a pre-med major, even within the medical field, I would see people being discriminated against, and it was something that made me passionate about social change.
Through sociology and involvement in [UVU’s] Center for Social Impact, I’ve been able to discover what these systems are and what the root causes of problems are. It’s made me think of the world [through] a completely different lens. It made me also become more intentional and compassionate with people by understanding those systems that aren't built for everyone. I’ve seen how systems affect certain communities financially, mentally, and even physically, because the systems are targeting them.
The Center for Social Impact does alternative break trips over the spring, and I signed up for it. I got to go to Santa Fe and learn about the Indigenous communities there, and we went to different art museums with a group of different students that I hadn’t met before. Later, I did the Design for Impact Competition with a couple of friends I made during the trip. We did our project on the Great Salt Lake, specifically about environmental sovereignty and the lack of Indigenous voices at the table when it comes to making policies and laws for the Great Salt Lake.
My specific role is as a strategy fellow. We use a social impact metrics lab at the center, and we pick an organization to audit on the impact that they're having. My organization is a nonprofit that specifically focuses on learning about Mexican art and culture. My role as an auditor is to ensure that what they're doing aligns with what their mission and values are. We tell them where their organization is doing good things that are impactful and aligned with their missions, and then we tell them where there are flaws and improvements.
One of the biggest reasons why I got involved with the Center for Social Impact is because they were so open to everyone, and they have a big emphasis on the meaning of relationships when creating social change. I've learned that the only way to make social change [that is sustainable] is if you have a community to rely on. Cassie Bingham, the director at the Center for Social Impact, has been incredibly helpful. The Center for Social Impact has made me more confident when it comes to talking about social issues. But not even just social issues — when it comes to talking about any sort of problem and dealing with conflict.
Through the Center for Social Impact and my major, I really hope to create a community where we focus on being intentional with the type of conversations that we have. I want to create spaces for people like me, people who feel a need for community, and it doesn't need to be specific in any way. I feel like through community, you learn so much about how to navigate the world.
UVU is a place for community.
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