DEI Department
Defending and advancing the rights, representation, and opportunities of every student at UNC.
Contact: ejramos@unc.edu
Elise Ramos
Director
Elise Ramos, Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, is a senior studying Political Science and Peace, War, and Defense with a minor in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics. Coming up on her second year in this position, she loves the unique role her department plays on campus, allowing them to engage with the campus community broadly. This wide perspective excites her, as their work spans across campus as a whole, across majors, programs, and departments, to grow efforts toward equity, representation, and inclusion. In her free time, you find her soaking up the sun at the Arboretum and enjoying the quiet gardens and skirmishing squirrels.
Our Mission
The DEI Department is not working against campus-level challenges alone. We are fighting against a bigger political structure putting DEI, and more importantly the rights and opportunities of people from all backgrounds, under fire. The three letters “DEI” being targeted represent whether people of all backgrounds have the right to opportunity. To representation. To be treated as equals.
UNC has long been a beacon of progress. But in the past few years, the University has bent to DEI attacks in ways betraying values it once upheld. These actions have had major consequences. We have seen diversity statistics drop with each new incoming class. We have seen our chancellor challenge the rights to political freedoms of speech. We have seen students attacked, physically assaulted, by campus police as they champion for causes they believe in.
The DEI Department’s mission is simple: to defend and advance the rights, representation, and opportunities of every student at UNC.
How We Work
We do this through direct, organized efforts to push back against choices already made by the administration:
- Represent the Real Carolina: Through outreach and student-led content we target prospective students, especially those from underrepresented backgrounds. Showing them Carolina is diverse, vibrant, and a place they belong.
- Access to Opportunity: Expand equity in professional development and workforce pathways, ensuring all students have the tools they need to succeed.
- Protect Student Spaces: Fight for sustained funding lines for cultural organizations and safeguard affirming spaces where minority groups thrive, organize, and are celebrated.
- Protect Student Freedoms: We work to safeguard the rights of students to protest, speak out, and challenge injustice, both on campus and beyond.
- Elevate Student Voices: We open clear avenues for students to raise DEI-related concerns, build coalitions with other local universities, and sit down with administrative bodies to confront anti-DEI efforts head-on.
In these ways, we refuse to let the University’s retreat define our campus. We carry forward the progress students have built here, and we will not let it be erased.
Deputy Director
Annabel Lissade
Deputy Director
DEI Department Team
- Creative Lead: Saanvi Veeramreddy
- Event Operations Co-Leads: Hannah Cooper, Eric Perry (EJ)
- Finance and Fundraising Co-Leads: Gabriella Del Rio, Cameron Lee
- Secretary Co-Leads: Martha Pena, Asiah Banks
