Often clad in Wonder Woman costumes, one pair of Undergraduate Council contenders have branded themselves as a heroic alliance.

Presidential candidate Happy Yang ’16, a seasoned Council representative, and vice presidential hopeful Faith A. Jackson ’16, an outsider, say that their mission as superheroes is not leaping tall buildings in a single bound, but transforming the College’s student government.

Omnipresent in Yang and Jackson’s bid for the UC’s top leadership positions are the words “happy” and “faith.” Pharrell’s “Happy” has become their campaign theme song. Their slogan “Be Happy, Have Faith,” is a nod not only to their names, but to the ticket’s two broadest goals: If elected, Yang and Jackson hope to create a happier campus by increasing attention to student wellness, and to restore student faith in the UC.

Specifically, the two candidates call for more non-gendered and racially inclusive social spaces, increased student input in Harvard’s sexual assault policy, and a focused Undergraduate Council that appeals more to the general student body.

{shortcode-7d8ec9dcec4421d9d2f1676e84bca45a1bd5bc11}

HAPPY & FAITH

Even though the two wear identical Wonder Woman-inspired costumes, their experiences with the UC—and their opinions of it—are distinct.

Their differences, the two said, would make their leadership of the UC more effective.

Yang and Jackson first met during the First-Year Urban Program in 2012. Though they have pursued different interests since then, they remained friends and ultimately decided to run together earlier this semester when Yang approached Jackson about the possibility of a campaign.

“We complement each other very well,” Yang said, citing her own knowledge of the inner workings of the UC, compared to her running mate’s familiarity with UC “outsiders.”

Yang, an economics concentrator in Currier House, was born in China and raised in San Francisco. She has been a member of the UC since her freshman year, serving first as a representative for Elm Yard and now for Currier House. She is also the director of the UC’s Student Faculty Committee.

Attributing her involvement in student government to her Chinese background, Yang said that “[in China], democracy doesn’t exist. After I came here, I realized how powerful it is to have a voice.”

In addition to her commitment to making her voice heard, she also makes a point to listen to others, said William Oh ’18, an Ivy Yard UC representative and the Council’s current parliamentarian, who has worked closely with Yang.

“She stops and asks ‘How are you?’ and asks about your day,” Oh said. “Listening is such a key characteristic in a leader.”

Jackson—an economics concentrator from Washington, D.C., and a resident of Winthrop House—has dedicated her time at Harvard to student activism as well as the Harvard Mock Trial Association and the Institute of Politics.