Pride Center - Our Team

 

“No pride for some of us without liberation for all of us.” - Marsha P. Johnson

 

agarc597@calpoly.edu

 

 

Angel Atzi Garcia Badillo (She/Her)

coordinator - Pride Center

Angel Atzi Garcia Badillo oversees the Pride Center. A few identities that have molded her pedagogy when working alongside minoritized people is being a Reconnecting-Indigenous person, navigating most of their education as Undocumented, and being a Transgender Woman. It’s important to mention that she was born in a Latin American country but raised and socialized in East Los Angeles for the majority of her life. In terms of her education, she received a bachelor's degree from Cal State LA in Sociology with an Emphasis in Inequalities and Diversities and a minor in Child Development. Most recently, she attended the University of Southern California where she received a Master's degree in Educational Counseling.

 

She's worked alongside many historically marginalized communities (LGBTQIA+, BIPOC, Low-Income, Undocumented, people with Disabilities, and First-Generation students) and together they’ve tackled external issues that communities have internalized or dealt with. She's accomplished the work of dealing with trauma through therapy, other holistic forms of healing, mentoring, and programming. .

 

Her goal here as the Pride Center Coordinator is to create a safe space for LGBTQIA2S+ folks especially those with intersecting identities (BIPOC, Undocumented, people with Disabilities, etc) to live and speak their truth as they wish. She also hopes to build a support system that transcends beyond a room, center, and university. They plan on accomplishing this through equity minded practices and leading from a place of love. It takes a community to build or re-build something and the work starts within ourselves.

 

Educational Background

Master of Education – University of Southern California

Bachelor of Arts – California State University, Los Angeles

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dani Tran (She/Her)

Student Assistant - Pride Center

Dani Tran is a third-year Biomedical Engineering major with a minor in Entrepreneurship. When not at Cal Poly, she resides in the Greater Sacramento area and is a proud first generation Vietnamese-American citizen. Dani is heavily involved on campus, holding leadership roles in Cal Poly’s Biomedical Engineering Society, Medical Design Club, and alpha Kappa Delta Phi chapter while also being a member of the Society of Women Engineers and the Thai-Vietnamese Student Association. 

 

During her time as part of the Pride Center team, Dani has helped plan and coordinate events such as the Coming Out Week Panel and Transgender Day of Remembrance. She loves being able to connect with students and faculty and is always ready to lend an ear or give advice.

 

Dani’s goal as a Student Assistant at the Pride Center is to guide and welcome others to an inclusive community. As she works alongside her fellow Student Assistants and Center Coordinator, she hopes that those on campus recognize that the Pride Center and events are a space for all to celebrate their identities. While at Cal Poly, Dani hopes to increase the outreach of the center to reach all students who are looking for a place of acceptance and comfort. 

Center. A few identities that have molded her 

 

 

 

 

 

Mena Kim (She/They)

Student Assistant - Pride Center

Mena Kim is a third-year Art and Design major with a concentration in Graphic Design and a minor in Ethnic Studies at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. Originally from the northern suburbs of Chicago, Illinois, Mena identifies as Taidam Korean American and takes immense pride in her cultural heritage.

 

This 2024-25 school year, Mena joined the Pride Center as a student assistant. During her first quarter, she contributed to impactful events like the Coming Out Week Q&A Panel. Beyond her work at the Pride Center, Mena is deeply passionate about dance and is an active member of United Movement, a campus dance club where she combines her artistic talents and leadership.

 

Mena’s vision is to foster an inclusive and welcoming environment where queer students, especially queer students of color, can thrive. She hopes to create spaces that empower and uplift the voices of underrepresented groups, particularly within the dance and art communities.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Andrea Ayala Pacheco (She/Her)

Student Assistant - Pride Center

This is Andrea Ayala Pacheco’s first year working at the Pride Center. She identifies as a queer Latina first-generation student. Andrea was raised in Salinas, California, a farming city with a majority Latinx population. She is currently in her second year at Cal Poly, majoring in both Journalism and Ethnic Studies. 

 

Thus far, Andrea has planned, coordinated, and assisted in the Coming Out Week Kick-Off, Queer the Table, Transgender Day of Rememberance, and Queer Book Fair. She plans to continue to organize and host LGBTQIA2S+ events for all students at Cal Poly.

 

As a student assistant at the Pride Center, Andrea hopes to make plentiful memories, invite all members inside and outside of the community into an inclusive space, and foster connections with students at Cal Poly. She strives to learn more about and engage with the LGBTQIA2S+ community, and provide more representation as a queer Latina. Andrea views the Pride Center as an inspiration for inclusivity, peace, equality, and hope for the future of all students across different identities.

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