Photo courtesy of the Ramirez-Kidd campaign

The Associated Students of the University of Nevada student elections are right around the corner and candidates have begun their campaigns.  Leslie Ramirez, student-president candidate, and Autumn Kidd, student vice-president candidate, has their campaign revolving around the phrase “For ALL Students”. 

Ramirez and Kidd said the phrase stems from their principle of complete equity. 

“The idea is that the word ‘ALL’ can be replaced with however students would like to identify at the moment, and we will still represent and support them no matter what, because they will always be students to us, first,” said Kidd.

Their campaign also includes the idea of improving quality of life for all students as they wish to represent all identities, opinions and values regardless of different backgrounds. Additionally, the wish to simultaneously establish peace within the student-campus community.

“With the political climate being so divisive, we want to rebuild those burned bridges among the students to create a unified campus,” said Leslie Ramirez, presidential candidate. 

The pair said their four pillars — community pride; student health and wellness; diversity, equity and inclusion; and tradition, legacy and pride — will allow them to foster a more equitable campus community. 

Leslie Ramirez is a current senator for the College of Business in the ASUN, and is the chair on the Committee of Budget and Finance. 

Ramirez said her endeavors include pushing for sexual assault policy reform, advocating for a Women’s Week.

Ramirez said she is running with the intent to serve “as a voice to all students” and emphasized how she doesn’t want to fall into the routine of leaving goals and initiatives unfinished. 

Ramirez added is also running to be an example for students of color, like herself.

“Since I’ve been a student representative, I have been able to see the opportunities that I am privileged to have despite being a daughter of an immigrant household,” said Ramirez. “I can use my presence as a leader to set an example and inspire others to do the same.”

 If elected, Ramirez plans to establish campus policies which will have a positive effect on the mental and physical wellbeing of students. One goal she has set towards this, is to find a grocery store to build on campus which will help towards housing and food security for students and faculty.

“I don’t want students to feel overwhelmed and hinder their own education, because they can not provide for themselves,” Ramirez explains. “Education is a right for all students, and I want them to take advantage of this right.” 

Ramirez also plans to lay a foundation for better financial literacy which goes beyond knowing how to fill out a FAFSA form. A foundation which she believes should’ve been taught to students in high school in preparation for the next step into adulthood.

“Students need to learn the basic adult skills that are not taught in high school,” Ramirez states. “Skills can include filing taxes, investments, and legal documentation comprehension. With this, the University of Nevada, Reno can confidently say that their graduates are ready for their life and career.”

Ramirez hopes offering knowledge towards better financial literacy will help students gain better knowledge on adulting-skills such as tax filing, investments and legal document comprehension.

Ramirez is enrolled in the College of Business, majoring in Management and Marketing with an expectation to graduate Spring 2023. Her post-grad plans include pursuing a master’s degree and eventually completing a doctorate in Business Psychology.

Autumn Kidd is running for the ASUN position of Vice President and has partnered up to campaign alongside Leslie Ramirez. 

Kidd has served as a senator for the School of Public Health at ASUN for two terms. Through her position as senator, she said she expresses the leadership skills she has gained and how she believes they will help her if elected as vice president. 

Some of her success as a senator includes helping pass legislation for the COVID-19  S/U Policy and the Grade Replacement Policy.

Kidd emphasized how she shall continue to actively work towards listening to all students and their voices, and represent them in office. If elected, Kidd plans to “be the best advocate for all students.” 

She hopes to work towards offering Reno cuisine to students in a food truck fashion on campus, which in turn will increase the list of Pack-Friendly businesses affiliated with the university. 

“I have heard of students wanting to be more involved in campus life. Some examples for campus life and community involvement include potentially offering Reno cuisine in food-truck fashion and increasing our list of Pack-Friendly businesses.”

Kidd also has several athletic-specific goals, some of which include increasing opportunities for both club and intramural sports. Developing an athletic training room for members to help with any acute or lengthy rehabilitation of injury is one of her goals. 

Another goal is to obtain statewide, and potentially even nationwide, television coverage and recognition for all of UNR’s Division One teams.

Enrolled in the School of Public Health, Kidd is majoring in kinesiology and minoring in sports management. She has plans to graduate in Spring 2023. Post-graduation, Kidd hopes to further her education by obtaining a doctorate in physical therapy.

More information on the Ramirez-Kidd campaign can be found on the ASUN website and on their Instagram page @RamirezKiddNV.

Summer Steinsrud can be reached via email at edrewes@unr.edu or via Twitter @NevadaSagebrush.