SARMIENTO, Kristine Joy Diane V. 2LM1 (SWIS) September 18, 2023 List two acts of love and two acts of justice that you want to do for the UST-Thomasian community. Acts of Love 1. As an irregular student, I know what it feels like to be left out in spaces with people who have already settled in being with one another. I am a sailor boarding an already sailing ship. This is why the best act of love I can think of is creating a warm and welcoming environment for everyone. To me, kindness is the highest form of love. Kindness both to your peers and to yourself goes a long way. 2. Not only to your peers, but respect is also a valuable indicator of love—especially to our teachers. Recognizing their hard work as agents of enlightenment and education will make them feel like they have served their purpose in life. Showing basic respect and genuine interest in their material is an act of love to me. Acts of Justice 1. Again recalling my experiences as an irregular student, there is a blatant prejudice against students skipping from one block to another. Treating irregular students with inequality and letting your opinions of them conform to problematic narratives eliminates the justice these students deserve. With that, it is important that we implement an equal and safe space for every student, regular and irregular. 2. We as a society have progressed towards a more open-minded and welcoming space for a more diverse set of members of the community. In UST alone, there is a wide spectrum of individualities that sets them apart from their peers. To some, there is still a strange feeling about having to open up to foreign beliefs but in order to act on justice, we must be a welcoming community, especially to our brothers and sisters who are in the journey of finding their truest selves.
