SOAR

I've had the privilege of working with student organizations for over 25 years, first as an active student, then as a staff advisor for organizations, and now as the Director of SOAR. Students amaze and inspire me each year with their energy, insight, and hope for the future.

Me:
Purple and pink
Old classic movies are the best
Practical jokes (nothing too mean, just fun)
Milk chocolate instead of dark
Nectarines instead of peaches
Pepsi instead of Coke, but both with a little bit of lemonade
The sound of laughter
Working with such remarkable students who are changing the face of the university makes it the best job I've ever had.

My name is Adrian H.Dorris. I am Zuni Pueblo and Chicano mestizo, born and raised in San Diego, California. As a Native American/Chicano alumnus of UCSC, I bring with me a healthy critique of this institution as well as a deep-rooted appreciation for the unforgettable experiences I had at UCSC and the incredible people with whom I shared them. I came back because of my commitment to building healthy, vibrant, thoughtful and inspirational communities at UCSC and beyond.

"Inits most natural dimension, all true education is transformative and Nature centered." - Gregory Cajete, from 'Look to the Mountain: An Ecology of Indigenous Education'

"People who have experienced a lot of groups, who perhaps have observed their own behaviour, may agree that the hardest thing in the world is to stand out against one's group, a group of one's peers." - Doris Lessing, from 'Prisons We Choose To Live Inside'

I was born and raised in San Diego, CA, to a Black father and a White Jewish mother. I am the middle child of a single mom family. My mother struggled to keep her children healthy, and as a result, took an alternative approach to her children's health care. This experience continues to influence my approach to my own health today.

Throughout my childhood I played soccer, and loved to go to the beach and participate in outdoor activities. I am into photography, mountain biking, organizing for social and economic justice, dancing, and traveling. Music: Most music of the African Diaspora, reggae, hip-hop with a message, soul and R&B, salsa, samba, African music.

I came to UCSC for college in 1997, and became involved in various organizations including: the African/Black Student Alliance, Black Men's Alliance, Haluan, Black/African Voice, African Dance Troupe, Student Union Assembly, Engaging Education (e2), and others. I majored in Language Studies focusing on Spanish, and played for the UCSC men's soccer team.

Life experience has guided me towards organizing for social change to improve the Black Community, and to working for social and economic justice for people of color and oppressed communities. As a student at UCSC, I had a very educational experience as a student organizer and learned many lessons in community building. I later realized that what I learned are important skills for everyday life. From organizational meetings to complex programming, students do amazing and critical work on, and off of this campus. As an advisor at the SOAR office, I look forward to fostering and assisting students in fulfilling this important role.

Quotes to live by:

"You can't lead the people, if you don't love the people. You can't save the people, if you won't serve the people."
-Professor Cornel West

"Power concedes nothing without demand."
-Fredrick Douglass

"To lead the people, walk behind them."
-Lao Tzu