Q&A with Kimalee Phillip

The Charlatan’s Layla Cameron talked to Graduate Student Association president-elect Kimalee Phillip about her goals for next year, experiences at Carleton and what motivates her to get involved.
 
This is an abridged version of the interview.
 
The Charlatan: What are you primary goals for the GSA?
 
Kimalee Phillip: First, there’s a problem, well not really a problem, but there’s a concern when it comes to graduate funding. We’ve seen in the budget this year a cut, not really a cut, but a sort of redirection as to where funds go. So we have funds now being allocated specifically to business students. So definitely we want to lobby with MPs and ensure that graduate student funding is not being shifted and arts students end up suffering. That’s one.
 
Two, I’m an international student, so we definitely want to get the concerns and needs of international students on the agenda, not just the GSA, but also of the Carleton administration. We do pay exorbitant prices and we understand arguments when it comes to, well, “Our fees are not being subsidized by the government.”
 
One thing especially is the sexual assault centre. Last year students voted in large numbers for a sexual assault centre to be built on campus. So we are definitely going to continue to push the administration to ensure that what students asked for and what we need is put in place. So those are like three of my major concerns for this year.

TC: How do you think your background with electoral campaigns and campus services (like the Race, Ethnicity, and Cultural Hall) will help you with your responsibilities as president of the GSA?
 
KP: I think it will help tremendously because in a sense it broadens my perspective and allows me to see things from different angles. Being able to meet with students through Rec Hall, being able to understand the differences in policies, student politics. . . . I think all of that will help me to approach the job in a much more efficient manner. It will help me to apply various diverse angles that are needed, especially when you’re working within such a . . . I don’t want to use the term multicultural, but especially in such a multicultural student body. So I think it will definitely help for sure.
 
TC: When you ran for RRRA as the programming and marketing candidate, part of your platform was that you wanted to help international students become more involved. As president-elect of the GSA, how do you propose to help international graduate students?
 
KP: Okay, well, wow, RRRA elections — that was a long time ago. But definitely since then I have continued to stay involved. So, for example, when I was a res fellow, we definitely tried to have events that were more culturally diverse to reach out, not just to international students, but we have Canadians in general [that] have different backgrounds. Through CUSA we had our first international students town hall, where we talked about the importance of reducing tuition fees for international students since international students get involved with the broader Drop Fees movement.
 
With GSA, I was a councillor. I’m still a councillor technically until May 1, and we were trying to push for a sort of committee to talk about specific needs of international students. So considering that, I haven’t given up. When I become president, well when I get into office on May 1, one thing is that we definitely have to implement an international committee — solidify a committee, that focuses on international students needs. And not a committee where we just come and talk, but we actually get action done. So one of the things I’d really like to see is if by the end of the school year, a report is actually put into place which we will use to educate, in a sense, the administration. Let them know, “Listen. These are our concerns and this is what we want to see put in to place.” Hopefully we’ll get some feedback as well from the administration because obviously they are a huge factor.
TC: Graduate school can be very demanding and often students of different programs do not associate with one another. How do you plan on creating a sense of community for graduate students?
 
KP: Okay, this is a good question.
 
While we were campaigning, we can definitely say that our team did a good job of actually going floor-to-floor, going to each graduate lounge and meeting the students and this is something that we definitely want to continue.

Nathan, the current president, he actually would go to the different departments at least on a monthly basis. So for sure I want to continue that. I think it’s important that graduate students see who their executives are. It’s very easy for a graduate student to become isolated in their studies, so we have to make that conscious effort of actually reaching out to them.
 
So one thing that we would definitely be doing is going to each departmental lounge, talking to graduate students at least on a monthly basis, just to keep lines of communication open. And then we have a lot of socials. The current executive did an amazing job of having socials all throughout the year for graduate students so we’re going to continue to do those . . . so they know that we exist and so they don’t stay in their rooms just doing their papers.

TC: Why do you think a sexual assault support centre should be created on campus?
 
KP: Well, first of all, violence against women is so pervasive. It’s something that happens every day to at least a proportionate number of women compared to men. So it’s definitely a concern that needs to be addressed. Not just by Carleton, but society in general. The system’s put in place. So considering that it’s such a huge problem, I think that creating a sexual assault centre removes that it’s something that’s taboo and not really spoken about. I think we need to break this silence and break this myth. And I think by implementing this centre we would by doing that — by providing a space, a safe space, for women to come and find the support that they need. And especially a student community, there’s this myth that violence against women only happens with strangers. No. Someone’s closest friends could be the ones to sexually abuse them. And considering that we’re in a safe community like Carleton, especially students living on residence — I remember when I was a res fellow, we had instances of violence, young women experiencing violence — so it’s important that we acknowledge that it’s not much easier for women to come out and talk about it because of so many different factors and I think that by having a safe space, an actual concrete space where they can come and find support, is necessary.

TC: How did you get so involved with campus issues/governments?
 
KP: It started in my first year. I wanted to get involved and there was a university government that was in place at the time. So I decided to join [New University Government (NUG)]. And joining NUG and meeting with other students who had the same political ideologies and beliefs as myself, creating that sort of solidarity, I just felt such a passion for continuing.
 
So even after I left NUG, after two years, I still got involved with various committees. I started volunteering at some of the service centres and I just started realizing the tremendous work that the Canadian Federation of Students — that CUSA — was doing. And of course every student movement has its flaws, but I think it’s important to challenge those flaws and not try to get rid of a system that has done so much good and can do so much more. So I decided to stay involved since first year. It’s my passion and it’s definitely something that I’m not going to give up on.

TC: Many of the campaigns you have worked for target social justice issues, including racism, sexism and discrimination. How do you plan to use your position as president of the GSA to continue to fight and promote awareness of such issues?
 
KP: I think by being the president of the GSA . . . it gives me the space to be at the forefront sort of — to be a sort of representative voice for the social justice concerns. So definitely I’m going to continue to use that. Because it is a privilege to be president of the GSA, because I have greater access to a lot of resources, I get the opportunity to choose the MPs to meet with the administration to meet other student leaders. So definitely I’m going to use this opportunity to continue to advocate and push for what’s important for students, what’s important for equality and continue to fight against discrimination.
 
TC: What do you hope to do after graduation?
 
KP: After graduation, which will hopefully be next year . . . I’ll stay in Ottawa probably for a couple months, but I’ll definitely be going back to my home country to apply my research and I’ll probably stay there for two years. After that point I’ll probably return to Canada, most likely to Ottawa, to either continue to be involved with social justice issues or to pursue my law degree.
 
TC: Where are you from?
 
KP: I’m from Grenada.
 
TC: What other campaigns or projects have you worked on that best prepared you for your position as GSA president?
 
KP: From the time I came to Carleton, being involved with various parts of the student community, that has prepared me. I’ve had many challenges that I’ve had to deal with, overcome. But I think that definitely from day one, everything that I’ve been through. But also, simple things as the support system of friends and family, even right now, I’m a support worker at the sexual assault centre . . . so having powerful women who change, are pushy and remind me that there’s so much to be done and we can’t give up. So I know it sounds cliché, but it’s true. When you have that strong support system and when you realize that the fight has not ended, it’s been my motivation to continue.