Sueli Gwiazdowski ’24
A Strong Voice for Equity & Peace
Inspired by the experiences and grit of her mother, a Brazilian woman of color, as well as her own experiences navigating the educational system with a disability, Sueli Gwiazdowski has known advocacy and the law would be a part of her future from a young age. She honed her speaking skills as a member of Whitman’s Debate and Forensics Team and founded Whitman’s first affinity group for students with disabilities. She was recognized for relentlessly serving as a resource to uplift diversity, equity and inclusion across campus. Her advocacy has included fighting for education rights, disability law, equal housing and against police brutally. She says peacebuilding is her life’s work and she’s committed to building a better world.
“Developing my skills here at Whitman gave me the platform and resources to speak on, think about and persuasively articulate the policy questions our generation is challenged with confronting. My Whitman education enabled me to engage in the meaningful dialogues and debates that I believe are necessary to make change and build peaceful futures.
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Sueli’s Pathway
from Walla Walla Community College
a student-run committee dedicated to promoting awareness and inclusivity for individuals with diverse abilities
enabled by a First Generation Internship and Career Opportunity Endowment from Whitman
at Loyola Marymount University
in Whitman’s Center for Writing and Speaking
with the American Association of People with Disabilities in Washington, D.C.
for Lydia McDermott, Associate Professor of Rhetoric, Writing and Public Discourse
with the LGBTQ+ Victory Institute in Washington, D.C.
in addition to national finals awards in Congressional Debate
with a Bachelor of Arts in Rhetoric, Writing & Public Discourse
honing in on nuclear policy
in Washington, D.C., before she pursues a joint-degree law program in Security Studies
“All of the internship and fellowship experiences I've participated in over the past four years have pushed and enabled me to pursue a career in changemaking and peacebuilding at the caliber that I think is necessary to make enduring change for disenfranchised people.
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