In this interview conducted by Natalie Fabila, Marnie Brookolo, who runs the Women’s Center at UC San Diego, talks about her life and how the center has changed over the years. Marnie Brookolo was born in New York and she came to San Diego with her parents when she was a child. She is a first-generation college student. She shares her time as a student at UC San Diego in the late 1990s and early 2000s and how she got involved with the Women’s Center, eventually becoming its director in 2005. She talks about how UC San Diego has changed over the years, especially with more resources for diversity and including more people. In the conversation it discusses why the Women’s Center was started and what it aims to do, such as helping people who are treated unfairly because of their gender and making sure everyone is treated fairly on campus. Brookolo also discusses the collaborative relationship between the Women’s Center and other community centers, highlighting the importance of building community and coalition. Based on impactful moments, Brookolo shares her perception into student activism and protests, particularly those addressing racism and anti-blackness on campus in 2010, which led to significant changes, including the establishment of new resource centers. Brookolo talks about how the Women’s Center has changed over time, such as getting more resources and learning more about different gender identities. Overall, the interview shows how important the Women’s Center and Brookolo’s work are for making UC San Diego more diverse and equity for everyone.
