Revel Lubin has worn a black “I am second” bracelet every day since his junior year of high school, a symbol of his dedication to God.
His Christian faith and resilience in the face of hardships are what Lubin said have guided him through life to leadership roles at UF.
The 21-year-old is running for UF Student Body treasurer with Impact Party after serving as the party’s treasurer in Fall 2016. Because he is from a low-income family and is a Machen Florida Opportunity Scholarship recipient, he said he understands how to manage money. He’s running unopposed in the Spring election, to be held Tuesday and Wednesday.
“I feel like my duty, my calling, is to provide hope for the hopeless and be a voice for the voiceless,” he said.
The criminology and law and African-American studies sophomore was born and raised in Orlando. Growing up, college seemed out of reach, he said.
He said both of his parents were Haitian immigrants, and his mother single-handedly raised him and his nine siblings. He never knew his father. When he was only 11, his mother died unexpectedly due to a brain aneurysm.
“It’s tough,” he said. “It’s still something I obviously deal with. It’s my reality.”
One of his sisters, who was 24 at the time, took custody of Lubin and his three siblings, who were minors. Lubin repeated a grade the year his mother died and started acting out while in middle school. But he found new parent figures in two middle school disciplinary deans, who he calls Ma Davis and Auntie Upson, and his basketball coach, Pops. He still talks to them often.
“I could’ve easily gone down a really dark path or wrong path,” he said, “but it’s because of their guidance and because of their love I am who I am today.”
After getting involved in his high school’s student government, he said he helped set up a food drive for students and personally delivered boxes of food to their families. It was then he decided he wanted to help people.
At UF, he joined the Black Student Union and became involved in its Leadership Development Institute. Later, he joined SG as a cabinet director of leadership development and involvement in Spring 2015 and Impact treasurer in Fall 2016.
Philip Martin, 20, said when he first met Lubin during the Fall of his freshman year, he looked up to him.
They met through the Leadership Development Institute, Martin said. Lubin was always determined to do his best in the institute and respected opinions he disagreed with, which are attributes Martin said will make his friend a good Student Body treasurer.
“The way I like to describe Revel is he’s a king: He works hard, but he doesn’t lose the common touch,” the UF health education and behavior sophomore said.
Now, Lubin said he wants students to know that he’s there for them and understands what it’s like to be marginalized and stereotyped. His experiences make him the best person for the treasurer position, he said.
“You have a selfless leader that understands the importance of listening and taking action for the better,” he said.
Revel Lubin
