Our Team

Hello Gemlins! I’m Fernanda Solorza, the new Coordinator at the Gender Empowerment Centre! I am a writer, community organizer, and advocate for equity whose work bridges creativity, justice, and care.

I’m a racialized cis woman from Durango, Mexico, home of the Tepehuanes Indigenous people, and now live in on lək̓ʷəŋən Territory, home to the Songhees, Esquimalt and W̱SÁNEĆ. While I continue to re-discover what my Indigineity means to me, I am grateful to be in relationship with these lands and peoples across Turtle Island.

I’ve been involved with GEM since 2023 as the Communications Officer, and I am passionate about creating spaces where marginalized voices are heard, celebrated, and supported.

Outside of GEM, I am a storyteller working across essays, fiction, and children’s literature, exploring themes of identity, belonging, and liberation.

I’m excited to connect with members, support our amazing volunteers, and dream up programming that is bold, collaborative, and community-driven. If you see me in the lounge, say hi!

You can contact Fernanda via email at gemcentre@uvss.ca.

Hi GEMlins! My name is Georgia, I use she/her pronouns, and after over a year of being GEM’s librarian, archivist and superfan, I’m over the moon to be your new Board Representative!

I’m a lesbian international student from Brazil, where I grew up as a settler on unceded Xetá, Tupiniquim, and other Indigenous territories that, unfortunately, are not properly mapped.

I am here as an uninvited visitor on stolen and unceded lək̓ʷəŋən and W̱SÁNEĆ lands, which continue to nurture, shape, and teach me in ways I would not have experienced elsewhere. I am extremely grateful to be in relationship with these territories, and as I enter this role, I look forward to continuing to deepen my learning and advocacy for decolonization and Indigenization.

I am a third year Philosophy student with a minor in Psychology, and I am interested in doing hands on Philosophy! That means, going out into the world and applying philosophy on practical issues. I love animals (specially the most unloved ones), arts and crafts, music, books, and listening to people’s passionate infodumps.

I am very excited to keep working with GEM in this new position and do my best to represent our values. It is my hope we can keep providing great support and joy to our community.

You can contact Georgia via email at gemrep@uvss.ca.