Seve Christian

Severiano "Seve" Christian is currently a senior at Chico State graduating in Spring 2018 with majors in Comparative Religion and Multicultural & Gender Studies with a minor in Native American Studies. Seve began their Chico State Activism Career through the AS's own Gender and Sexuality Equity Center (GSEC) as an intern in their Outreach Program. 

During their time as an Outreach Intern for the GSEC, Seve promoted events and collaborated with other on-campus and community groups such as the Stonewall Alliance of Chico, the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, and the Transgender Taskforce. During their time as an intern, Seve also served on the planning committee and coordinated all public relations for the 2nd Annual Trans Conference.

After the GSEC Internship, Seve volunteered with the Stonewall Alliance of Chico as both an Assistant Volunteer Coordinator and as a Social Media and Public Relations Coordinator for the Chico Pride Planning Committee.

Seve's next semesters were filled with continued activism on-campus and on a state-wide scale. Working as an Instructional Student Assistant for the Sociology of Gender course gave Seve a view of the scholarly world but also a way to directly help educate fellow Wildcats on the sociological approaches to gender. The summer after being an Instructional Student Assistant was dedicated to a Legislative Fellowship with Equality California where Seve worked in the California State Legislature for Assemblywoman Blanca Rubio to compile constituent data, wrote resolutions, composed specific legislative co-author requests, and created memorandums to be drafted into bill proposal drafts. 

As the Trans Program Coordinator for GSEC, Seve has brought trans rights and aiding of trans people to the forefront. As the coordinator, Seve has acted as a representative for GSEC in activist efforts on campus and in the community. Seve has developed and runs competency training for outreach to Chico State Departments and other community agencies, directly led internship programs focused on the development and implementation of GSEC conferences, events, & services all centered around gender diverse communities, and tracks and researches the history and changes of legislation as means of knowledgeable, legally rooted advocacy for the transgender community. 

Seve's work had garnered them the Outstanding Chico State Friend Award for 2016(opens in new window), and they have had many media appearances of which they speak on a wide array of LGBTQ+ issues, including a poignant reaction(opens in new window) to the shooting in Orlando, FL, speaking(opens in new window) on the 3rd annual Transgender Conference,  a beautiful message(opens in new window) on Transgender Visibility Day, and a heartfelt message(opens in new window) after the overturning of the Obama-era law on Transgender youth being able to use the restroom of the gender they identify with.

Altogether, Seve continues to be an activist, a friend, and a shining example of how diversity, inclusion, kindness, respect, and a continued push to do, and be, better can make the world a better place for those in search of a safe place. As a Wildcat, Seve has made Chico State a better campus altogether, and a safer place for all trans people.

In this featured video, Seve and Connor Wenzel, the Trans Group Facilitator of the Stonewall Alliance of Chico present on the issues of the black trans community, and the important role non-trans allies educated in trans issues play when they observe discrimination against trans people--and trans people of color.