New Committee within APA Union, Diversity Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) 

By Darius Bradley, Communications Chair 

 

The MSU APA union has created a new committee in which our members can participate and become engaged. We currently have two Co-Chairs for this group, they are Elbony Hawkins and Jeremy Romel. I have conducted a short interview with them both. In this month’s newsletter I will include the interview with Elbony Hawkins. 

 I will include the interview with Jeremy in the next newsletter. If you are interested in being a part of this committee, please reach out to either chair at [email protected] or [email protected] . 

 

 Elbony Hawkins – Co-Chair 

What department do you work in, and can you tell me a little bit about what you do?  

I currently work in Information Technology Services Application Services. I have been in this department for 3 years and have been employed in various departments (Purchasing, Study Abroad, Diagnostic Center, etc.). In my current role I serve as the Office Manager. This role is multifaceted and includes supporting the Director, Managers and being a resource in the areas of HR, administrative and financial functions for the unit.  

How long have you been at MSU? 

I have been with MSU for 14 years. 

Have you been a member of the APA the whole time?  

I started out in the CTU union and was promoted to report to the APA union in 2012. I am an advocate for unions and have been a faithful member my entire duration of employment at MSU.  

What drew you to wanting to be the chair for the new DEI committee? 

This is an issue that I feel deeply passionate about. In an ideal world all individuals would be treated the same regardless of race, ethnicity, sex, etc. So, I would like to be involved in identify those individuals that feel that they are not treated fairly or equally and work towards changing the culture. The DEI committee has provided this opportunity/platform and I hope to seek change for those individuals that are not treated fairly. 

What direction do you see the committee going in? 

This committee is all inclusive and we represent a wide array of staff. We hope to compile a list of initiatives and continuously advocate for change and communicate all issues for broad awareness. 

Please share any other comments you may have regarding the new committee. 

We are extremely eager to move forward with discussions. Although some discussions may be difficult, we hope to provide a safe place to work toward understanding and change. We are excited to promote and work towards equality for all.