The Sacramento State Associated Students, Inc. elections are in full swing, with elections slated for April 16-17. The State Hornet interviewed the presidential candidates for students to be aware as they decide who they want to vote for.
Currently there are three active groups running for the presidential ticket, which includes both a presidential candidate and an executive vice presidential candidate. If elected, both the president of and executive vice president of ASI will be responsible for representing student advocacy, overseeing ASI at Sac State as a whole, implementing changes to the campus and more.
The candidate pairs consist of Armando Perez and Chaaya Vikash, Aranjot Kaur and Richard Angulo and Djuan McCraney and Karena Payden.
Armando Perez and Chaaya Vikash: “Vote Hornet Pride”
Armando Perez and Chaaya Vikash said they are both aiming to improve student life and involvement. They say the goal stems from a shared involvement with student government and wanting to make the resources they wished they had available to all students.
Perez said if he is elected as ASI president, a main goal of his would be to increase student engagement by focusing on club rush at the beginning of each semester. He said he wants to ensure every club on campus gets a chance to be included, and believes that interaction with the campus and clubs is pivotal to student success.
“I feel like if you get connected and involved in the very beginning, you have a lot better academic experience and you’ll want to finish in four, which is our goal as well for students,” Perez said.
In his role as the director of undeclared studies, Perez said he was able to create the first discovery pathways program; where students with an undeclared major have specific advising and career pathways they can explore.
Vikash said she wants to increase transparency and make sure that ASI is more available to students who need to be heard. She said this would include public forums and tabling at events, where students could give feedback on what they’d like to see happen on campus.
“We just want to make sure that we’re present, that we’re here, that we’re open, and that everything that we’re doing is reflecting what the students want,” Vikash said.
Vikash said she has experience getting notable figures like the mayor of Sacramento, Kevin McCarty, to come out on campus and interact with students during her role as the chair of ASI lobby corps. Vikash also has experience organizing meetings with lawmakers and ensuring student voices are brought into impactful conversations.
They have confirmed 5 endorsements on Instagram, including two Greek organizations and several ECS clubs.
“We have the experience in ASI, we’ve done the work, we have the passion for it, and we have the drive,” Perez said. “We can do the job well, so we’re hoping to have students come out and show out for votes.”
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Aranjot Kaur and Richard Angulo: “Fight for the Hive”
Aranjot Kaur and Richard Angulo said their campaign is centered around four pillars: financial affordability, innovation, DEI and campus safety. They said that they hope they can encourage everyone together to fight for a better future.
They say their plan to accomplish this is by providing more internship opportunities, jobs on campus and helping students prepare for financial stability after graduation. They said they especially want to help international students, who may have trouble accessing resources when they first come to campus.
Being an International student from India, Kaur said she understands how difficult it is to find these resources on their own when you need them.
“I had to figure out resources like the food pantry and everything on my own, and it took a long time,” Kaur said. “So there should be mandated events so that students are made to sit and listen to the resources they have so that it’s not too late when the need is there.”
Angulo said he wants to help the campus become more accessible to students with disabilities. He said as a student who is hard of hearing, he said the campus didn’t meet his needs for accommodation, which dampened his experience on campus. He said he wants to make sure equity is upheld in classrooms and that those needs in accommodations are met for other students.
“We just need to not only hold people accountable, but make sure that when they click ‘Accept Letter,’ professors know what they’re getting into and that they work with the [Disability Access Center] directly,” Angulo said. “Versus having a student having to do student conduct and resolve the issue on their own.”
Kaur put emphasis on wanting to fight for campus safety. Kaur is not only the student founder of Combat U, but a longtime MMA fighter. She talked about a time where she was followed on campus by several men, and how despite her training, it was still a difficult situation for her. She said it made her worry about other students on campus facing safety issues.
“Most patrols during events on campus are around the stadium. We want it everywhere,” Kaur said. “We want more lighting and more self defense resources.”
Currently, Kaur and Angulo said they have 27 endorsements from clubs around campus, including six sports clubs and multiple Greek life organizations.
“We aim to make structural changes versus symbolic,” Angulo said. “That’s what our aim is for our campaign and what separates us from other candidates.”
Djuan McCraney and Karena Payden: “Your Voice, Our Action”
McCraney and Payden said they want to showcase the power of student voices. They said they have been seeing a disconnect between ASI and the general study body, and that they’d like to bridge that gap.
They said their goals would be focused on health, increased resources, bringing more opportunities to students, increasing transparency and outreach. This includes plans to increase support for mental health on campus, increasing scholarship and internship opportunities as well as making sure students feel heard with each decision made by ASI.
“We want to show up for all corners of campus,” Payden said. “Listening, learning and leading with care.”
They also want to host events to connect students with each other on campus, as well as professionals who have experience in different career paths. McCraney said he noted the lack of focus when it came to Arts & Letters especially.
“I was introduced to ASI in my junior year, and was confused by the lack of visibility for the Arts & Letters position,” McCraney said. “Career development has been a priority of mine after listening to the students and their concerns.”
McCraney is currently serving as the Arts & Letters director, but prior to that he said he helped charter the second chapter of the African-American Education Network & Development on campus. He said after joining clubs on campus, as well as the Black Student Union, he understood the importance of club work and connection on campus.
“I’m very aware of the impact clubs can have on student experiences,” McCraney said. “Coming here after everyone had already found their friend groups, that pushed me to get involved on campus and join the Black Student Union. With that, I was able to grow socially and find myself in a space where I felt safe being myself.”
Payden said she has been in leadership positions as far back as fourth grade mentoring her peers, and she has a passion for leadership and advocacy in education. Ever since, she has been working towards providing equal opportunities for all students. She said she wants everyone to have an improved student experience, regardless of their background.
“There is a lack of students of color in spaces where our voices need to be heard, and I aspire to be an example for those around me,” Payden said.
McCraney and Payden said they both had experience doing long term work in ASI, through committees and as a board member. They say that this felt naturally like the next step to take. They said they’re dedicated to making a change for students that students will be able to see and feel.
The two have been endorsed by 15 organizations ahead of the election, including several academic clubs and the Pan-Hellenic Council.
“This campaign isn’t just about us, it’s about you. It’s about your future, your voice,” McCraney said. “We’re not afraid to make waves, because that’s how oceans move; powerfully and with purpose.”
The election begins April 16, at 8 a.m. and ends April 17, at 7 p.m. Voting can be done in person in front of the University Union or can be done online.
More information regarding the ASI election and how to vote can be found in the ASI 2025 voting guide.
