Meet the 2024-2025 Conoley Fellows
Hello! My name is Diego Diaz, I am characterized by their ceaseless pursuit of growth and learning. This pursuit leads me to my 4th year at California State University, Long Beach. Where I am pursuing a master’s degree in economics through the Beach EDGE program. But I have shed and grown through many skins to get to where I am.
As a 1st year student, I was elected as a member of the Residence Hall Association (RHA) where I represented the voices and concerns of my residential village in the dorms. In my 2nd year, I was selected as a Resident Assistant (RA) where I cultivated and sustained a tight-knit community of students in the campus dorms. My 3rd year brought my studies abroad where I became a global citizen and represented CSULB in Florence, Italy. Now I am focusing my efforts on championing pluralism as a Conoley Fellow for the Beach Pluralism Project.
Hello my name Is Gjorn Portem, and I am a fourth year Psychology major here at CSULB. I am honored to be a Conoley Fellow for the inaugural Beach Pluralism Project. I am excited to learn more about how to become a future leader for our society in order to cultivate a culture that includes the voices of all members of its community in order to achieve a common goal. My future aspirations are to pursue graduate school for School Psychology as I have a passion for working with children and want to pursue a career that focuses on their mental, emotional, and academic challenges. In order to be a school psychologist, it is essential to have the ability to serve and work alongside diverse communities; thus, I am hoping I am able to learn and develop the necessary skills in order to address and support the unique needs of every student. I believe that by fostering an inclusive environment where all voices are heard, we can create a more equitable and effective educational system.
Hi everyone! My name is Kimberly Ortiz (she/her) and I am a fourth-year student pursuing my bachelor's in Sociology. My current career goals are to become a family and marriage therapist or a school psychologist. The polarization of the people in contemporary America is evidence of the desperate need for pluralism. I am delighted to be a part of the first cohort of the Beach Pluralism Project and aid in creating an environment where all students feel safe and free from discrimination at CSULB. I plan to apply the skills learned from this program to my future endeavors and spread my knowledge to others to create a more pluralistic society one person at a time.
Sara Beller is a senior undergraduate majoring in Psychology with a minor in Religious Studies. Through pluralism, her focus is on creating a community that can accept others’ uniqueness without forcing people to be anything other than who they are. Drawing inspiration from philosophies that inspire her such as Thich Nhat Hanh’s engaged Buddhism, Sara’s outlook is this: “How can I, too, help people look deeply within themselves to work towards combatting social injustices through the power of mindfulness and healing?” Sara hopes to contribute to the fight against major social challenges including psychological, cultural, and religious apathy, thereby paving the way for peaceful coexistence and mutual understanding.
Unrelated to her coursework, Sara enjoys sitting on her patio with the company of her husky, Korra, early in the morning so to write poems while watching the sunrise.
I’m Nicholas Warren, and I grew up in Huntington Beach, CA, a place that has deeply influenced my love for the outdoors. Currently, I’m in my senior year at California State University, Long Beach, where I’m majoring in Economics. My academic journey in economics has been fueled by a strong curiosity about how economic principles shape the world around us, and I’m particularly interested in applying these concepts to real-world challenges.
In my free time, I love to get away from the city and immerse myself in nature through camping, fishing, and traveling. These outdoor activities offer me a sense of balance and peace, helping me recharge and stay focused on my studies. As I approach graduation, I’m excited to take the knowledge and skills I’ve gained and use them to make a meaningful impact in my future career, contributing to solutions that benefit society.
(she/they) is a first-generation, late-diagnosed AuDHD undergraduate student completing her dual-major in creative writing and comparative world literature and dual-minor in health humanities and human development. Specializing in disability studies, she is ambitiously active in independent research and community projects, advocating for the necessity of accessibility and disability inclusion in all conversations. Her activities also include presenting at conferences and panels, volunteering in nonprofit organizations, and producing creative expressions about disabled experiences from her life and others’. In reference to her acceptance of the “Commitment to Social Justice” individual award, Jessica was cited that while “[her] name may be on the certificate, [her] award is dedicated to CSULB students with disabilities and the disabled community. This award is a promise that [she] will keep going in representing [her] community and advocating for more narratives to be acknowledged.” To supplement this aspiration, she independently published Enabling Disabled Expressions, a digital anthology of creative expressions by disabled students at CSULB. While she’s currently hosting the publication through her entrepreneurship, The White Dove Poet, it will become one of many projects in her forthcoming nonprofit, White Dove Disability Advocacy.
Freshman, Maysun Dawahare, is currently studying Sociology with a double minor in Criminology and Philosophy at CSULB. As a justice-oriented student, pluralism is essential to her journey through her passions as well as her identity. Born and raised in central Seattle, her pluralistic philosophy bloomed at an early age. Her Arab and White identities highly influenced her search for individual pluralistic ideas. Both her upbringing and her education have inspired her to pursue mental and emotional rehabilitation and has honed her interests towards rehabilitation within the justice system. Through visions for a better future for those around her and through critique of how systems of oppression are now, she is able to use her passions for education towards constructive and meaningful work.
In her eyes, no real change in this world can happen without deconstruction, and no real deconstruction can happen without creativity.
My name is Kehan Liu. I am an undergraduate student majoring in Cinematic Arts and Comparative World Literature at California State University, Long Beach. I am a photographer, and in my spare time I enjoy reading, watching movies, and cooking. I join the Pluralism Project because I believe in respect for diverse voices, identities, and life experiences within our community, and through cultivating respect for each other, I wish to make our community a safer and more inclusive space where people can be their true selves. Through the Pluralism Project, I wish to learn both the theory and practice of pluralism, and I would like to apply what I learn in class to real life.
My name is Remy Remigio and I am a born and raised southern Californian. My Italian-immigrant father and American-Jewish mother migrated to San Diego from the
east coast seeking hippie freedom and sunshine to raise me and my two older sisters. Having been compelled by interfaith proselytization, my parents raised us in a fringe religious sect between Evangelical Christianity and Reform Judaism called Messianic Judaism. From day one I have been a vessel navigating between worlds, finding incomplete identification between divided communities, and learning to chart my own path. As a young adult, I found myself facing yet another identification of difference, my unavoidable queerness. Following years of reflection, deconstruction, and self-expression, moving through careers in the cinematic arts and commercial production I realized that I was meant to build bridges for others. I returned to school to earn a bachelor’s degree in Religious Studies and intend to go on and earn a master’s degree In Counseling Psychology to become a therapist with a focus on queer development and religious trauma.
My name is Cassandra Guillen and I am a 19 year old Psychology Major. I am a proud first-generation college student, entering my junior year here at Long Beach where I was born. My heritage includes a rich tapestry of cultural backgrounds— Mexican, Black, and White—which has shaped my understanding of pluralism as well as its transformative potential. I moved to the East coast during my middle school and high school years, opening my eyes to new opportunities, experiences, and challenges. I am working towards earning my Bachelors in Psychology with the goal of achieving my Master’s degree in Industrial Organizational Psychology. My hope is to influence organizational practices in order to create spaces where all employees can feel empowered and valued. My journey is fueled by my commitment to understanding human behavior and enforcing that knowledge, so I can help make a difference in this world.
My name is Alma Orozco. I am a first-generation college student, bicultural Latina, and DACA recipient. I was born in Mexico and immigrated to the United States with my mother at an early age, where I was raised in a small town in Northern California. I recently had the opportunity to broaden my horizons by participating in a study abroad program in France. This experience was made possible through the Advance Parole process, which allows non-citizens to re-enter the United States after traveling abroad. Currently, I am pursuing a Bachelor of Art in Fashion Design with a minor in Merchandising at California State Long Beach, creatively building on the foundation of an Associate Degree of Art from Yuba Community College. My focus is to bring awareness to fashion sustainability, addressing the fashion industry’s environmental impact. Additionally, I’ve started volunteering at a local food bank as a contribution to my community.
Ciaran Pierce (he/him) is an undergraduate studying comparative world literature and theater arts at California State University, Long Beach, with tentative plans to pursue graduate studies. He was born and raised along California’s central coast. As President of the Comparative Literature Club on campus, he hopes to use the Beach Pluralism Project to further engage students with texts of all backgrounds and identities, in turn establishing a pluralistic readership. An emerging writer, his work has appeared or is forthcoming in West Trade Review, Sky Island Journal, Ponder Review, Runestone, and Fever Dream Zine. In his spare time, he collects candle holders, postcards, and far too many second-hand books to read. (Maybe he’ll build a fort with them.) You can find him making boba at his local teahouse when he’s not at his desk. To connect, go to @ciaranpierce.
Jasmine Forbes is a junior majoring in economics. She was born in the Philippines and is enriched in her Filipino culture. Her background has shaped the way she approaches both her personal and professional life. As a high school dance coach, Jasmine fosters inclusivity within her team and ensures that everyone feels respected and valued. Her passion for teaching and inclusivity has led her to join the Pluralism Fellowship, where she will continue to learn how to be a better advocate for those around her. Through this fellowship, Jasmine is dedicated to growing as an individual, and spreading the message of pluralism to her peers.
Meet Jonah Taylor a transfer student here at CSULB in his senior year! As a student he is aspiring to become a registered dietitian in California and to work in the
public health sphere. In his free time, he loves to hike, go fishing locally, and be in nature.
The pluralism project is engaging to Jonah as a Jewish American student. He has been exposed to many different opinions through being active at Hillel and various activities on campus. The ability to talk to others about their worldviews is of utmost importance.
While at CSULB Jonah has helped facilitate fundraising and community outreach for Students Active in Community Health as well as being a member of the Dietetics Association and a volunteer for the Fuel Station.
Nancy Chiou is a third year communication studies major with a minor in comparative world literature. She has always been passionate about how community and culture form, especially through art and media. Through the Beach Pluralism fellowship, she hopes to gain a better understanding of the religious landscape in the US and on a global scale. This experience will further inform her notions of how community can impact change on a larger scale.
Meet Maria Porta, a senior at CSULB majoring in Nutrition and Dietetics who plans to become a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist. She is also a happy wife as well as a mother of three children.
Maria was born and raised in Guatemala and worked for AVIANCA Airlines as a Travel Executive. In 2017, her husband got a job offer in Corona, CA, so they moved to the US. Maria was not allowed to work because of her type of visa, so he went back to school. Started at Fullerton College taking advantage of online classes in 2020. Maria completed 3 AA's by 2023 and transferred to CSULB.
During her time at CSULB, Maria has been on the President's list, and also nominated by the National Society of Leadership and Success and the National Honor Society. Currently, Maria is a fellow at Harvesting Healthy Habits at the Center of Latino Community Health at CSULB.
My name is Shawn Austria, a pre-medical student majoring in Molecular Cell Biology at CSULB. I am thrilled to be a part of the Beach Pluralism Project to strengthen my skills in leadership, conflict resolution, and cultural competence which will help me take care of patients more effectively as a future physician. I do not believe in medicine that is one size fits all, but rather a more personalized approach that is culturally responsive and recognizes that patients come from different backgrounds and have different needs. A pluralistic approach to healthcare would be a big game changer and will ensure that care is delivered with high quality and compassion while also being respectful of individual identities. I want to take this experience with me as I go into the medical field and use it to advocate for a pluralistic personalized approach to medicine for all.
Dr. Nayawiyyah Muhammad teaches the pluralism class. She earned a B.A. and M.A. in Religious Studies, concentrating on ancient and medieval Judaism, Christianity, and Islam from California State University, Long Beach, and her Ph.D. in Women’s Studies in Religion from Claremont Graduate University.
With specialties in Islam and the Body, Feminism and Islam, and Eco-feminist Theology, she conducts research at the intersection of religion, women’s studies, and environmentalism. Dr. Muhammad is often called upon to present her story and research at various universities and college classes across the United States. In addition, she is part of an ongoing team of scholars involved in a digital humanities project. This project aims to create a virtual archive of hadith transmissions from the wives of Prophet Muhammad (S). The goal is to provide commentary, historical timelines, and insight into Islamic rituals and kinship networks, thus providing significant value to anyone researching women in Islam and the “Mothers of the Believers” in particular.
