Dear Slugs,
As we move through the results of the election I know there are a range of ways that students and other members of our campus community are feeling right now. However you are experiencing this moment, we are here to support you as you move through it. For some, the results may be welcome. For some, there was no outcome that would have made you feel heard, seen, safe and cared about. And for many, the outcome is distressing and disillusioning.
If the results aren’t what you’d hoped for, it might feel like a real setback to values many of us hold close—equity, inclusivity, justice, and liberation–and to the world you want to live in. There are very real and tangible dangers that many in our community may face in the wake of the results of this election, including the possibility of an erosion of rights, protections and liberties. It could also mean further marginalization and violence for many of the communities you are part of and care about. If you are feeling vulnerable or unsafe, I urge you to reach out—whether to friends, family, counselors, or resources on campus.
We each have our own ways of trying to make sense of this moment. You may need time to grieve and find comfort in reaching out to friends and family to process together. You may feel a call to action, ready to channel your emotions into movement work alongside others. Or, you might not yet be sure how you’ll navigate the coming days, weeks, and years. However you are experiencing this right now, your feelings are valid and real and matter. The conversations I have been having the last couple of days are filled with grief and sorrow. They have also consistently led to a shared sentiment, that the only way we will move through this is together, in community. I encourage you all to reach out and plug into your communities.
There are ways to connect right here on campus. If you live in the residence halls, check in with your RA, NA or CRE about ongoing programming and opportunities for gathering. If you are part of a student organization, huddle and talk about the ways you as an organization want to meet this moment. The resource center staff are dedicated to meeting students where they are and have already been holding space for students to process their feelings and think through what comes next. There are also mental health resources like CAPS, On the Margins, and Black Girl Doctor.
This is a critical time in our history. What happens next will depend on the choices we make and actions we take in the coming days, weeks, and years. No election, no matter how daunting, can take away your resilience and resolve. I want to encourage each of you to stay engaged and to do so in community with one another.
As UC Santa Cruz students, you are part of a long line of students who came before you, and who fought passionately for change, even when others didn’t think that change was possible. This is your legacy. I am constantly in awe of your courage to advocate for what you believe in and your commitment to see it through.
Let’s move through this together.
Garrett Naiman
Associate Vice Chancellor & Dean of Students
