Hi y’all! I’m Dionica(She/They/Sis) I’m grateful for the opportunity to serve the campus community as the Director of the Center. My work is centered on removing the barriers that impede the success of our Diaspora students. The center is designed  to create a space where students find community that recognizes their personhood and celebrates all aspects of their identities. Here, we elevate the diversity of Blackness with the Diaspora. 

I identify as a Black Texafornian, melomanic and educator. My happy place is at concerts and music festivals, and I love connecting over who your new favorite music artist is and all things purple. I’m originally from Dallas,Texas, and both of my parents were also educators who left me a legacy of service and commitment to ensuring folks have the skills and social capital to navigate complex educational systems. I’m especially interested in racial equity work, Black identity development and intersectional models of social identity. I earned my Bachelor of Arts from Texas A&M University-Commerce in Communications and my Master of Arts in Post Secondary Education from San Diego State University. My prior university experiences include work in advancement, government and community relations, pre and post collegiate pipeline programs, and research on underrepresented groups in the community college. I’ve been honored to work at several institutions including UCLA, San Diego State and the University of Houston. I've been a member of the UC Davis community since 2014.