Executive Vice President / Chair, ASI Board of Directors
Diamond Byrd is pursuing a master’s degree in social work with a concentration in adulthood and aging. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree in child and adolescent studies with a concentration in family and community context and minor in Spanish from CSU Fullerton. She is planning a career in higher education focusing on the access, retention and success of African American students. She also aims to start a Black college in California. Byrd is a veteran and first-generation college student with a passion for mental health, education, community and advocacy.
Byrd started at Long Beach State University (LBSU) in fall 2020 fearing what an online school year would bring. To find community, mentorship and connection, she joined SisterFriends and the Mentor Collective. These involvements led her to join the Black Business Student Association, where she served on the executive board as the social chair director. Byrd concurrently served as Associated Students, Inc. (ASI) Commissioner of Veterans Affairs. She was also part of the inaugural board who created the first Black Graduate Pan-African Association that will be an official student organization in the 2022-23 academic year.
Byrd aims to increase the African American student population at LBSU and find ways to maximize their college experience. She recognizes the barriers faced in the pursuit of higher education, such as financial support, and hopes to increase awareness and availability of scholarships, study abroad opportunities, paid internships and more.
Byrd has a strengths-based perspective and person-centered approach as she exercises social work skills to connect with others. She looks forward to representing her intersecting identities and advocating on behalf of the marginalized student experience. She hopes to increase students’ feeling of belonging on campus, advocate for their needs and connect them to the many resources available. Byrd is excited to put students first and work toward the university mission alongside her fellow ASI executives and Beach community.
