Department of Sociology & Sexuality Studies names undergraduate lounge in student’s memory

In Spring 2022, the department nominated Diaz for the University Hood undergraduate award, which celebrates top students’ academic excellence and special achievement. Sadly, the nomination coincided with Diaz’s diagnosis of myeloid sarcoma leukemia, a rare form of cancer.

Diaz was the daughter of Mexican immigrants and a first-generation Chicana-Latina scholar in both the Sociology and Race and Resistance Studies programs. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology in May 2022. Throughout her time at SF State, she experienced many hardships while, at the same time, excelling in her education and professional career, maintaining a 3.98 GPA and making the Dean's List during her four years on campus. Faculty members who knew her agree that she was an intellectual light and strong voice in their classes. In Sociology, she served as a teaching assistant, supporting her peers and starting to explore her love of teaching.

Diaz was selfless with her academic colleagues and  also served the public in different capacities. She brought a much-needed sociological lens to the Human Rights Commission of San Francisco when selected as a Willie L. Brown, Jr. Fellow. During her time there, she worked on numerous initiatives, campaigns and policies, such as the Dream Keeper Initiative, the Campaign for Solidarity, Equity Studies Task Force and diversifying the SFUSD literature to expand inclusive and cultural texts. Diaz used her educational experience to work on political congressional campaigns, talking to community members about the importance of their vote through canvassing and phone-banking. She worked on amplifying the voice of underrepresented communities and was a fierce advocate of young people, as evidenced by her contributions to the opening of integrated youth mental health facilities across California.