Beginning at 8 a.m. on April 20 until 4 p.m. on April 24, UCSB students have the opportunity to vote in the AS spring general election. On the ballot, off-campus residents will be allowed to rank up to twelve residential senators to represent them on the 71st AS Senate.
These interviews have been lightly edited for clarity and formatting.
1. Yuval Cohen
Yuval Cohen
Campus United
Second-Year Political Science and Middle East Studies Double Major
She/Her/Hers
What made you decide to run for Associated Students (AS) Senate?
“I have been involved in AS since my freshman year of college and I have loved every minute of it. The community and the people that make up AS all share a similar passion for UC Santa Barbara (UCSB) and genuinely want to see it become the best university that it can be. During my short time at UCSB, I have been able to use my passion to enact change throughout my communities. I decided to run for AS Senate because I hope to accomplish so much more. Senate is the ideal place to come together and collaborate on ideas that can truly make a difference. I am running because I want to be a voice for my community, I want to represent the students, and I want to create an environment that everyone wants to be a part of, and the AS Senate is the perfect platform for this. “
Which communities do you hope to represent on AS Senate?
“Important communities that I hope to represent on AS Senate are undocumented communities. I am a DACA [Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals] recipient, so I know that the circumstances when it comes to work, education, and economic hardships are very different for undocumented students. In June, the Supreme Court will be announcing a decision on the fate of DACA. This has the power to change a lot for many undocumented students revolving around their rights to work and learn. I am currently a part of the Dream Resource Team and we are working on being proactive regarding the Supreme Court decision. But regardless, I know that next year has a high possibility of being very different and I want to make sure that I can help these communities as much as I can. “
If you could only accomplish one thing in your term, what would you prioritize?
“If I could only accomplish one thing in my term, I would prioritize making AS more transparent and accessible. If I was not a part of the AS fellowship program my freshman year, I would have never learned about all of the different parts and pieces that make up AS. So many students have no knowledge of the many things that AS is capable of, which is unfortunate especially considering every student pays fees that go directly to AS. I want the student body to become more educated about AS regardless of how deep their involvement is. I also want AS to be completely transparent, specifically in regards to Senate. The AS Senate has the ability to use their resources to openly teach other students about AS, and I would love to make this happen.”
2. Karsten Kolbe
Karsten Kolbe
Campus United
Second-Year Global Studies and Political Science Double Major
She/Her/Hers
What made you decide to run for AS Senate?
“I am running to be a senator with the 71st Senate because I feel it is my duty to contribute to creating a better community in Isla Vista and university for students to come. I feel as though I have a responsibility to advocate for all students, hear their concerns, and do something about it. I care about UCSB, the community and its constituents; I am invested in the outcomes this university creates for me and others. Additionally, the people I’ve met through this whole process are some of the most amazing humans. They are motivated, driven, passionate, intelligent, and so incredibly compassionate. Being a part of the Senate would allow me to get to know more like-minded individuals that inspire and motivate me to be the best I can be. I would be able to gain valuable leadership skills, while helping the student body.”
Which communities do you hope to represent on AS Senate?
“The communities that I hope to represent on AS Senate is the wide range of students that live in Isla Vista. Being a Greek student, I can positively represent the Greek community. Furthermore, while I am not a part of a minority or underrepresented group, I am absolutely open to hearing their concerns. I encourage them to reach out and educate me and I want to advocate for them. There are some issues that I am not very educated on and I’d love to hear both sides. Additionally, I want to represent the environmentally-focused groups on campus and continue to make UCSB and Isla Vista as sustainable and eco-friendly as possible, as well as represent all the pet-owners in Isla Vista.”
If you could only accomplish one thing in your term, what would you prioritize?
“The one accomplishment I hope to achieve during my term is to continue the work of Alison Sir by expanding the Mental Health Town Hall program. Higher education is really stressful, especially with all the additional stresses that come from different socioeconomic backgrounds. As someone who personally struggles with anxiety and rocky mental health, I really want to be able to help students in the same boat get accessible and affordable care. There are so many resources on campus that can help students, but not many students know about them. I want to circulate more information on mental health through the Mental Health Town Hall and provide tangible mental health change on campus and in Isla Vista. This aid could be the difference between students staying in school or dropping out.”
3. Kaitlyn Medland
Kaitlyn Medland
Campus United
Second-Year Political Science and History of Public Policy Double Major
She/Her/Hers
What made you decide to run for AS Senate?
“Throughout my career at UCSB, I have advocated for students along with the programs and resources available to them through my involvement as a liaison to the Residential Housing Association, serving in the EVPSA [External Vice President for Statewide Affairs] office as the Fund the UC campaign coordinator, and as vice president of a new club I helped establish, PERIOD Chapter. In all of these organizations, I have connected with students and came to understand the struggles they encounter with our campus, Isla Vista, and the university system as a whole. Many of these issues result from a lack of recognition from our administration, faculty, and student government. In turn, I decided to run for AS Senate to present the struggles of students and communities on our campus and advocate for their resolve and representation. I will put students’ interests before my own, as I always have.”
Which communities do you hope to represent on AS Senate?
“As a first-generation, low-income college student, I hope to advocate for students in these communities. I do not wish to directly speak for them. Instead, I plan to reach out to students in these communities to understand their needs and demands as students at an institution that is designed to see them fail. This outreach will allow me to craft responses to faculty, other student government members, and the UCSB administration. Additionally, if elected, I hope to represent my constituents, off-campus students, with integrity. This will also be conducted through outreach and building connections. With input and critique, I hope to represent the aforementioned communities.”
If you could only accomplish one thing in your term, what would you prioritize?
“I would prioritize providing free menstrual products in women’s and gender-neutral restrooms across campus. In my first year, I aided in revitalizing a program called Period Pantry by RHA which provided free menstrual products in the residence halls. This program intensified in importance to me, although I already deeply cared about the movement, when other students indicated that this program was needed across campus. In turn, I researched organizations that seek to eliminate period poverty and destigmatize menstrual cycles, which led me to help establish the PERIOD chapter, part of a national organization, at UCSB this year. Our campus organization intended to implement menstrual supply boxes in the library until spring quarter was moved online. Despite the mishap, I will work within my organization, and in AS if elected, to further this project. The passion for this project I have encountered motivates me to integrate this program into AS.”
4. Bruce Fan
Bruce Fan
Campus United
First-Year Economics Major
He/Him/His
What made you decide to run for AS Senate?
“I am running to be an off-campus senator with the 71st Senate because of my passion for serving the UCSB community and voice for student groups that are previously underheard. It is always my dream to participate in the decision-making process at my university, and it is genuinely a self-rewarding experience by witnessing the improvement of my campus through my efforts. I also recognize the changes and impacts one can make as a leader from my past leadership experience at high school. As a student from China, I realize that the large-portion presence of international students does not always indicate a corresponding representation in our student government. For these reasons, I am running to be the next off-campus senator with my visions and plans in hopes of a more academic-friendly, safer, and more convenient campus.”
Which communities do you hope to represent on AS Senate?
“I hope to mainly represent students living off-campus and international students. One of my goals is to make I.V. a safer and more friendly place. I believe that a text message-alarming system can be implemented to notify students immediately in situations such as assaults and robberies to enhance as much transparency as possible for safety concerns. Besides, my leadership experience and unique background make me a bridge that connects different student groups and serves them, respectively. Compared to other typical candidates, I am more likely to view and approach problems from various angles and better address the needs of particular students. International students often choose to live off-campus, which makes me an ideal candidate to represent my constituents. Since I have experienced both Western and Eastern cultures, I believe I can make UCSB more diverse, harmonious, and globally influential.”
If you could only accomplish one thing in your term, what would you prioritize?
“If I could accomplish only one thing, I would prioritize my Emergency Act that prepares funds and specifies a set of measures to be taken under emergencies such as pandemics. At the very moment of the COVID-19 outbreak, our campus was not ready to face the severity and abruptness. Thus, for a long while, students were living under the risk of being infected and did not know where to go. Students from foreign countries had to leave because they believed living in dorms were no longer safe due to the population density of rooms and dining halls. Moreover, certain classes were suddenly cancelled as UCSB switched to remote instruction, leading to problems of delayed majors, graduations, and below-requirement workloads. These are but not the only issues that the act will deal with, and such a bill sets a remarkable cornerstone for ensuring safety and housing, academic well-being, and essential businesses. “
5. Cameron Parker
Cameron Parker
Campus United
First-Year Political Science Major
She/Her/Hers
What made you decide to run for AS Senate?
“I am running to be a senator with the 71st Senate because I want to do as much as I can to improve our incredible campus. I consider myself extremely lucky to go to such an amazing school, but I also recognize many parts of our campus and its inner workings that could be improved to students’ benefit. My main priorities include student involvement, representation, and understanding. As a campus with one of the highest rates of voter registration and turnout, I would love to prioritize providing students with access to information relating to modern politics. I intend on developing an organization and workshops to contribute to this effort, committed entirely to simplifying political issues relevant to upcoming elections. In reference to representation, I intend on fighting for a Senate position designated for a student in Greek Life so a large part of our campus community can directly represent themselves.”
Which communities do you hope to represent on AS Senate?
“I am running to be an off-campus senator, so my constituents will be all students living in housing off-campus that is not university owned. But as far as who I hope to give a voice to, one of my main priorities is giving a voice to my fellow sexual assault survivors. Our campus has repeatedly failed to adequately respond to allegations, and I will never stop fighting for my fellow survivors until campus administration finally takes action.”
If you could only accomplish one thing in your term, what would you prioritize?
“If I could only accomplish one thing in my term, it would be spearheading my main platform: creating a non-partisan organization on campus dedicated exclusively to simplifying complex political issues, and providing workshops for students before every election. I hope to build this program as quickly as possible so all of our students can be well-informed, prepared voters.”
6. Catherine Flaherty
Catherine Flaherty
Campus United
Second-Year Political Science Major with an Applied Psychology Minor
She/Her/Hers
What made you decide to run for AS Senate?
“I am running because I am committed to representing the students of UC Santa Barbara in the Senate and ensuring a transparent and inclusive environment. I am passionate about fostering a collaborative and healthy work environment so that the focus of Senate is always and only on our constituents. Not only have I talked to students about how they feel Senate and student resources are falling short, but I want to make the work of senators more accessible to the everyday student so that they feel confident in knowing their needs are working to be met.”
Which communities do you hope to represent on AS Senate?
“As a senator, I hope to represent the needs and concerns of all communities within my constituency. However, I recognize that there are communities that I cannot speak on behalf of. This is why I plan on talking directly with members of these organizations and groups so that I can work to amplify their voices, not my own.”
If you could only accomplish one thing in your term, what would you prioritize?
“At first glance, my answer would be on the most obvious issue facing students today: the lack of resources and support during the COVID-19 pandemic. I know that many people are concerned about this and I plan on collaborating with fellow senators on improving emergency responses and resources in the future. However, I also know that there are many people working tirelessly right now to increase support. And so, outside of this, the one thing that I plan on prioritizing is improving student-police relations. I believe that this issue is incredibly overlooked and one that is necessary to ensure students always feel safe and protected on and off campus.”
7. Nathan Le
Nathan Le
Campus United
Second-Year Mathematics Major
He/Him/His
What made you decide to run for AS Senate?
“Though cliché, I want to serve something larger than myself. I love UCSB, and I am forever grateful for everything it has given me. Living in Isla Vista has exposed me to so many different people from different backgrounds. My personal experiences with my fellow residents have helped me recognize many overlooked issues, such as food insecurity and lack of resources. I understand how difficult it can be for off-campus students to survive on their own, and I plan to use my platform to support my peers. I want to ensure the well-being and safety of our community so that everyone feels valued and supported by UCSB.”
Which communities do you hope to represent on AS Senate?
“The communities that I specifically want to highlight are the low-income, first-generation, Asian, and LGBTQ+ communities. I personally connect with these communities and understand how individual struggles can be so intersectional. In order to effectively target individual problems, I want to address the bigger social issues within these communities and help promote the growth and well-being of our community as a whole.”
If you could only accomplish one thing in your term, what would you prioritize?
“One thing that I am very passionate about is creating a donation center within I.V. This donation center would be focused in accepting various donations such as school supplies, non-perishable food, and other items. Living in I.V., I’ve realized that while there is the issue of food insecurity that is large and present, there is also the large issue of food waste. With the creation donation center, we would effectively be able to combat both issues. These donation centers would allow us to recycle unused resources and help provide resources to those in need.”
8. Fabian Oseguera
Fabian Oseguera
Campus United
Second-Year
He/Him/His
What made you decide to run for AS Senate?
“I am running to be a senator with the 71st Senate because our Senate needs passionate individuals who are willing to listen to all voices of our community and that are driven to make beneficial changes. I believe I am well-equipped to do that. I want to make sure all groups within our diverse community at UCSB are represented because I want to serve every Gaucho. I love our community, as it is filled with wonderful people that have accepted me with open arms and I believe it is my duty to give back and serve my community as best as I can. It is my goal to make positive changes for the current and future members of UCSB.”
Which communities do you hope to represent on AS Senate?
“UCSB is known as a diverse university and as an AS senator, it would be unfair to represent only certain communities. It will be my job to make sure I am representing ALL communities so that ALL voices are heard. I want to help every student from all kinds of communities and I plan on representing everyone — regardless of the community that they belong to.”
If you could only accomplish one thing in your term, what would you prioritize?
“If I am elected to serve on the Senate, the first bill I plan to author would either be a bill that would increase the number of study spaces available to students off campus so that they have a more convenient location to study or a bill that would provide Isla Vista tenants with sufficient resources to guide them through the process of leasing properties and dealing with property management companies to hold them more accountable while also lowering tenant-landlord conflicts.”
9. Kyremina “Ky” Youssef
Kyremina “Ky” Youssef
Isla Vista Party
Third-Year Sociology and Environmental Science Major
She/Her/Hers
What made you decide to run for AS Senate?
“The reason I decided to run for AS Senate is because I want to be able to proactively be talking with different students (office hours) and listening to their needs. As a senator, I will be able to take these needs and explain it to the Senate and help pass policy that can make UCSB a better community for the next person. I believe that I have the dedication and passion, so I want to use that into making resolutions or policies that can benefit us. I want to use these qualities and keep striving for a better community for UCSB undergraduate students, graduate students, and also faculty/staff!”
Which communities do you hope to represent on AS Senate?
“As someone who has struggled with finding myself comfortable at this institution with paying rent, finding cheap textbooks, making appointments at CAPS [Counseling & Psychological Services], or even finding an organization to join, I hope to advocate for marginalized students who may not be the first priority to this institution. I have experienced first-hand some issues that resources have here and being in the Senate can allow me to have the platform to advocate for better resources. I don’t particularly want to ‘represent’ them, but more advocate and work with different communities to sit down and listen to their concerns and ideas. Listening to them and then proactively trying to find ways to make them successful at UCSB is what I want to work towards as a senator.”
If you could only accomplish one thing in your term, what would you prioritize?
“If I could only accomplish one thing in my term, it would definitely be more generalized into advocating and doing my part in LISTENING to the community. I want to be able to say that I have done my part in listening to others who are not listened to by our institution. This means finding a great way of ensuring my office hours are accessible and open to all forms of complaints or ideas or concerns. Having my office hours in the Arbor, proactively going to different organizations general meetings, and making a step to talking to different communities on and off campus will be my first step. ‘Listening’ is a weird thing to others to prioritize, but I feel as if listening is the first thing we should all do especially for people who come from so many different backgrounds and may experience the university differently than others.”
10. Esmeralda “Esme” Quintero-Cubillan
Esmeralda “Esme” Quintero-Cubillan
Isla Vista Party
Third-Year/First-Year Transfer
She/They/Ella/Elle
What made you decide to run for AS Senate?
“I wanted to run for Senate to bring about positive change in the communities I am directly involved in as well as the broader UCSB community. Noticing how a lot of issues on campus were handled by administration, AS, and various other entities really made me uncomfortable. Some of the issues I.V. faces are still present today, things regarding policing versus self-regulating as it pertains to former situations with IFC [Inter-Fraternity Council] and other campus organizations, to our campus administration focusing its attention around survivors, and not centering survivors. I am running for Senate out of my concern for myself, the safety of our communities, and for the empowerment and delivery of our student body and its needs.”
Which communities do you hope to represent on AS Senate?
“I hope to represent all students regardless of background, but I am especially proud to represent my background as a queer, trans*/two-spirit, latinx/indigenous, and community organizer. As these communities are often left out of the conversation I hope to bring these communities into the Senate through leading the development of cultural leadership councils. Moreover, taking space in such an institution is power. This cannot be understated, especially in the context of COVID-19 and how this is especially impacting Black and brown communities/students. I am excited to have the opportunity to empower and represent our student body.”
If you could only accomplish one thing in your term, what would you prioritize?
“If I could only achieve one thing in my Senate term I would prioritize passing a resolution on rent control and working with the external vice-president for local affairs to pressure the Santa Barbara county board of district supervisors to pass rent control county-wide. The cost of living in Isla Vista is disproportionately high when taking in the average income of students/I.V. residents. Furthermore, the passage of rent control has the ability to assist ALL residents of Santa Barbara county and we are capable of utilizing our privilege to fight for the collective good. However, I’d like to stress the importance of how the work senators should not view their work as solely what goes on in Senate meetings but also the connections and networks they develop outside of Senate to achieve our platforms and best represent our constituencies.”
11. Andy Arciaga Limayo
Andy Arciaga Limayo
Isla Vista Party
Third-Year Psychological & Brain Science Major with a Applied Psychology Minor
She/They
What made you decide to run for AS Senate?
“As a queer Asian woman, I have personally seen where the institution fails, like many other marginalized students have. There’s a lack of accessible resources, cultural leaderships, and spaces for us, to name a few. I am motivated by our shared and individual experiences, by all of you, to advocate for and serve students at all levels and of all identities. I am running as your next off-campus senator because I know I am someone who is not afraid to speak up and fight for those who don’t have a voice. We are all equally deserving to have a seat at the table. I want to make sure that all identities are heard and represented and that the institution that you pay for effectively works for you.”
Which communities do you hope to represent on AS Senate?
“I would represent the queer Asian community, specifically queer Filipinxs! However, I would hope that I can, to the best of my ability, represent all communities that exist in our campus.”
If you could only accomplish one thing in your term, what would you prioritize?
“Definitely mental health services! I’m a transfer student and getting adjusted to new experiences was very challenging for me. Unfortunately, getting that type of support was just not easily attainable for me, which I know is the case for most students as well. We are paying for these services that most of us can’t even get our hands on. I plan to work with CAPS and CARE [Campus Advocacy Resources & Education] to make both services easily accessible to all, either extending their hours or working with what works best with students. I’m also pushing for a more diverse staff, especially with CAPS. We need clinicians who specialize in intersectionality and backgrounds and issues of marginalized groups. All communities should feel welcomed and supported especially in spaces like these.”
12. Alexandra Perez
Alexandra Perez
Isla Vista Party
Second-Year Political Science and History of Public Policy and Law Double Major
She/Her/Hers
What made you decide to run for AS Senate?
“I decided to run for AS Senate because I want to help implement more equitable resources to better support students. I want to be a better resource for those around me and want to collaborate with other senators to enact real change on campus and pass legislation that will actually make our campus more equitable for all students. I want to work really hard to make sure what students need gets done. I decided to run for Senate because I wanted to have conversations with people about why we need to do better for our student body and why we deserve more from the university. I want to make sure everyone feels better supported and included here at UCSB.”
Which communities do you hope to represent on AS Senate?
“I hope to represent all communities on Senate, but specifically marginalized communities on campus. I identify as Latinx and as a POC [person of color] and I feel like the university can do more to support our Latinx and POC students. I want to represent these communities and provide more equitable resources because different communities need different resources. We can not just simply provide the same resources for every single student, because we are all different and have different intersecting identities.”
If you could only accomplish one thing in your term, what would you prioritize?
“I would prioritize mental health by helping destigmatize mental health especially in marginalized communities and by working to extend the availability of CAPS and working with CAPS to better support the needs of our community. From personal experience, I know how intimidating and frustrating trying to seek help from CAPS is and I strongly believe no one should have to go through a bunch of hoops trying to seek help. It is very difficult to do and we should make it as accessible as possible to all students.”
13. Emanuel “Manny” Roman
Emanuel “Manny” Roman
Isla Vista Party
Sociology and Feminist Studies Double Major
He/Him/His
What made you decide to run for AS Senate?
“I believe in the power of change. The transposition of these hegemonic systems of suppressive structures occurs only from those whom it directly affects. As someone who is a part of multiple marginalized and disadvantaged communities, I felt it was imperative to further the change that is occurring. I believe in advocacy conjuring itself in a myriad of ways; one of these being in positions meant to embody the needs of those it represents. I plan on doing so, accordingly.”
Which communities do you hope to represent on the AS Senate?
“I inhabit many intersectional identities that have shaped me into the person I am today — a first-generation, low-income, Latinx, queer male whose aspirations transgresses a multitude of ideas. However, I have privileges. My goal as a senator is to use that privilege for the betterment of others. That means, advocating and standing in solidarity for the safety of my undocumented siblings; my trans* siblings; it means not just being an ally, but being an accomplice with the entire Black and Brown community; it means holding myself and others accountable, while simultaneously encouraging and promoting space for growth in every positive aspect of someones’ well-being.”
If you could only accomplish one thing in your term, what would you prioritize?
“One of my biggest platforms is the expansion of brave resource centers that doesn’t just encourage and support marginalized students, but also provides them with resources and brave spaces to be themselves in an institution that was not inherently created for those who are not wealthy, white, cisgender, heterosexual and male. While the Student Resource Building’s foundation is amazing, it simply is not enough. I want to work with the administration to prioritize the needs of students and faculty who’s organizing and work cannot happen in the confinements of small, reductive vicinities. By creating and providing a better resource building — one that allows for resources created to benefit disproportionate communities, so they prosper astronomically, not tediously. Departments like the RCSGD [Resource Center for Sexual & Gender Diversity]; Women, Gender, Sexuality, and Equity; Disabled Students Program; CARE; African Diasporic Cultural Resource Center; American Indian Resource Center, etc., deserve proper space in order to properly serve its communities.”
14. Connie Huerta
Connie Huerta
Isla Vista Party
Sociology and Black Studies Double Major with a Spanish Minor
She/Her/Hers
What made you decide to run for AS Senate?
“I am running for AS Senate because of the new perspective being on this campus over the years have given me. My involvement at UCSB has varied, but all incorporate supporting marginalized communities to some extent, such as: working with outreach at local high schools, fighting food insecurity and providing resources with SCORE [Student Commission on Racial Equality], as well as joining the Underground Scholars Initiative. All of this, in addition to my experience as a woman of color gives me a unique perspective that allows me to see how systemic issues are interconnected. Moreover, seeing the change student movements have mobilized throughout the years (and still do), as well as the work some of the senators did throughout the school year, has inspired me to want to be able to create change this campus needs that is necessary for all communities to thrive — which can be achieved by amplifying their voices and needs.”
Which communities do you hope to represent on AS Senate?
“On AS Senate, I hope to represent the various groups I identify with that make me the individual I am today, as well as supporting and centralizing the voices of the most underrepresented communities. They have their voices and have historically been actively using them to ignite change, so I cannot speak on behalf of the communities I do not identify with. The problem, however, is they are not heard, and they are not prioritized. Because of this, I want to be able to establish a better relationship with organizations that are continuously putting efforts to combat the effects of systemic oppression in order to advocate for changes they demand are necessary for students to better succeed in an institution built for individuals of a certain criteria. The student body must come together to urge for change that will help better serve the needs of our diverse student population.”
If you could only accomplish one thing in your term, what would you prioritize?
“If I could only accomplish one thing throughout my term, it would be the removal of police on campus by addressing the role of law enforcement at schools. This is a university, hence it should be a safe space for learning, growth, research, studying, or simply existing. However, police involvement can become very counterproductive in this, particularly when it comes to profiling, unjust violence, harassment, possibility of triggering traumatic memories, or possibility of being weaponized against vulnerable communities. As a result, cops may cause disruption to the lives and quality of education the university offers. The presence of police is not imperative for our education to continue, or for students to thrive intellectually. Therefore in order to prioritize the needs of students, the university should not allow the hyper-patrolling of the school, the students, or their communities.”
15. Angel Diaz
Angel Diaz
Isla Vista Party
Film & Media Studies and Chicana/o/x Studies Major
He/They
What made you decide to run for AS Senate?
“Being a low-income queer Latinx first-generation working student has pushed me to run for AS Senate as I want to be able to represent the communities I identify myself with and those communities who are also underrepresented. Running for AS was not always on my mind but I believe in order to see a positive change in our school I need to put in the work to create those changes. I want to make a difference not for a resume builder but rather because I want to be able to provide the resources and the help needed to improve the college experience for myself and for UCSB.”
Which communities do you hope to represent on AS Senate?
“As a low-income queer Latinx first-generation working student I am able to represent these identities to its full capacity as I encounter myself with the many struggles these communities face. For other underrepresented identities I would hear, comprehend, and provide the necessary resources and help for them. As a senator I would work on giving the needed representation for all marginalized communities.”
If you could only accomplish one thing in your term, what would you prioritize?
“I want to be able to accomplish many things during my term. However, one thing I would like to prioritize would be implementing rent control in Isla Vista. I want to be able to tackle the price of housing as students pay an excessive amount of rent for the poor living conditions we encounter ourselves to be at.”