A Letter to the 2016-2017 Associated Students Senate:

Dear Senators,
In the 2016-2017 Associated Students Legal Code, Article II - The Student Bill of Rights Section G states All
students shall have the right to be free from discrimination and harassment on the basis of race, gender, sex,
ethnicity, religion, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, status within or outside the university, or political
belief in all activities sponsored or conducted by the University, its affiliates, ASUCSB, or campus student groups.
This Article further guarantees students the right to freedom of speech and expression. When the two conflict, it is
up to you, the elected members of the senate, to make a decision that most accurately represents the interests, values,
and beliefs of the student body you serve.
On October 31st, 2016, Finance and Business Committee funded the College Republicans $5,000 for an event titled
Prejudice, Lies and Divided People: The Legacy of
#Black Lives. The College Republicans plan to invite
conservative political commentator Ben Shapiro to offer a critique of the Black Lives Matter movement.
In 2015, Ben Shapiro appeared on a panel with Journalist Zoey Tur, a transgender woman. Throughout the panel, he
repeatedly misgendered Zoey Tur and Caitlyn Jenner, meaning he used male pronouns to refer to them. In 2007,
Shapiro authored an article titled The Homosexual Assault on Traditional

Marriage in which he stated, There are

those of us who do not believe that same-sex marriage is a knowing attempt to undermine the nature of
marriage...Then there are those of us who live in the real world. This year, on what would have been the
twenty-first birthday of Trayvon Martin, Shapiro tweeted, Trayvon Martin would have turned 21 today if he hadnt
taken a mans head and beaten it on the pavement before being shot.
In the Finance and Business Committee minutes, a representative of the College Republicans group is recorded as
saying, I cannot guarantee that Ben Shapiro will not say anything offensive, but he will provoke thought. Clearly,
Shapiro has a record of espousing transphobic, homophobic, and anti-black language, and it would be foolish to
assume that this rhetoric would not appear in any talk he presented at UCSB. Hidden behind the guise of creat[ing]
awareness and bringing truth to serious issues in our community, this event is a poorly masked attempt, using the
defense of free speech, to antagonize Black students and further a highly disputatious agenda.
Following the murder of Trayvon Martin and the acquittal of George Zimmerman, the Black Lives Matter
movement was founded by Alicia Garza, Patrisse Cullors, and Opal Tometi, three Black queer women. According to
their herstory, this movement was created as an affirmation of Black folks contribution to this society, our
humanity, and our resilience in the face of deadly oppression. As Black students, we are profoundly impacted by
the deaths of innocent Black people at the hands of white supremacy. We see our lives, stories, and experiences
reflected in their lives, stories, and experiences and grieve for them knowing that on the wrong day at the right time
it couldve been any of our names created into a hashtag. The Black Lives Matter movement is essentially a direct
response to the needs to the Black community much like the Civil Rights Movement; for a large population of Black
people it is an important validation of our existence.
The A.S. Finance and Business Committee funding guide lists funding eligibility based on the following criteria:
diversity and the groups contributions toward advancing accessibility of historically underrepresented communities
to the University, campus service, meaning the degree to which the organization represents students needs and
interests, whether or not the organization has engaged in community service on part of the organization for
advancing its purpose, and the willingness of the organization to follow the A.S. Legal Code in addition to the
funding guide. As republicans are not historically underrepresented, we do not see how this event promotes
diversity or contributes to the advancement of historically underrepresented communities to the university. It,

quite frankly, does the opposite and further promotes the marginalization, stereotyping, generalization and
oppression of the Black community (and essentially all student of marginalized backgrounds). Black students
present at the time of the College Republicans funding request were triggered and offended by the racist nature of
the comments made about Black people and Black social justice movements. The very title and description of the
event is an attack on the Black community. One can only imagine the attack students of marginalized backgrounds
will experience due to the actual content of the event. We know and believe that it is your duty , as stated in Legal
Code, to protect the infringements of the rights of all students. The signatures on this page demonstrate that there are
a number of students whose interests and needs are not represented by this organization, and we have already
articulated why we feel this event is not in accordance with A.S. Legal Code.
Furthermore, we met with administrators who informed us that this event has not been approved by OSL. Black
students who have previously presented funding requests to Finance and Business Committee have been asked a
multitude of questions, yet no one on Finance and Business Committee asked whether the College Republicans went
through the appropriate channels to secure administrative approval for this event or even if they had picked a date
for that event, as that information is not reflected in the minutes provided by Finance and Business Committee. At
the very least, the lack of adequate preparation should have been enough for Finance and Business Committee to
table the request pending more information.
Criticism of the movement is inevitable, however there is no place for criticism that seeks to invalidate and
undermine the experiences of Black people. Shapiro has given similar talks that suggest his intention is not to offer
critique, but rather to promote falsehoods and inaccurate allegations about the Black Lives Matter Movement, and
other social justice movements for positive change. It is already stated in legal code that all students have the right to
be free from harassment on the basis of race, gender, sex, and sexual orientation in all activities sponsored by
campus student groups. We are asking you to protect that right. We know that the University cannot technically stop
the event from happening, but as the AS Senate, you have authority over the responsibility for all AS revenues and
expenditures meaning you have to approve this funding before it is legitimized. We are asking that you dont.
Endorsed by,
Christopher Leal
Ladijah Corder: Co- President Black Student Union, Outreach Intern Black Student Engagement Program, Treasurer
Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc.-Delta Rho Chapter
Black Student Union
Black Student Engagement Program
National Society of Black Engineers
Pan African Student Union
Mariel Islas-Lopez
Ryan Carr
Ali Chen Queer API Co-chair
Samantha Brown
Bianca Graves Co-Political Chair , Black Student Union
Lorenzo Chavez
Tania Jimenez Aleetia Miller
Alexander Hunter
Briana Crosby Co-chair of National Society of Black Engineers
Gezan Yahya
Jasmine Jackson
LJ Chibueze

Ryan Calloway Co-chair of National Society of Black Engineers

Danielle Patterson
Naia Al-Anbar
Kianna Bowers
Alec Ramirez
Brittney Kino
Marissa De la Paz
Courtney Stump
Hanna Vigil
Edan Tessema - Co-Chair of Pan-African Student Union, former Students Commission on Racial Equality board
member, African Black Coalition Political Bureau Member
Kyle Argonza
Lola Maraiyesa
Charlie Wang
Sashank Sreedar
Alicia Green
Sydney Williams
Erycah Taylor
Nadya Chavies
Marquel Carnell - Diversity Intern for Office of Admissions
Imara Wilson- Diversity Intern for Office of Admissions
Leiya Suniga Factoran
Emanuel Suarez Jimenez - Office Manager, Resource Center For Sexual and Gender Diversity (RCSGD)
Tony Aceves- Vice Chair COC
Mariah Boyd - President, Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. - Delta Rho Chapter ,Center for Black Studies Research
Intern, former Chair of Black Student Union, CMP
Black Scholars Hall Mentor
Lexus Henson
Alejandra Melgoza-Former member of the 66th Senate, Former MUJER Co-Chair,
Luvia Solis Co-Chair, Associated Students Student Commission on Racial Equality (SCORE)
Nathan Garrido Co-Chair, Associated Students Student Commission on Racial Equality (SCORE)
Chicanx/Latinx Graduation Cabinet, Class of 2017
Alejandra Martinez-Ramos A.S. SCORE Co-Outreach Director, Former UCSB IDEAS Co-Chair
Kevin Tang Queer API Co-Chair
Maribel Sandoval UCSB IDEAS Co-Chair
UCSB IDEAS (Improving Dreams, Equality, Access and Success)
Shahryar Mooraj A.S. SCORE financial chair
Ambur Walker- Vice President, Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc. -Delta Rho Chapter, HBLGC Publicity Chair, CMP
Mentor
Meriya Evans
Nawar Nemeh - Party Chair of The Response UCSB; Former Santa Catalina South President and A.S. On Campus
Senator
Marjan Kris Ramos Abubo - Former Co-Chair, Student Commission on Racial Equality (SCORE)
Lesly Jasmine Silva- Current On-Campus Senator for the 67th AS Senate and MUJER Treasurer, and Finance and
Business Committee Member 2016-17
Alejandro Perez
Monica Valera
Queer and Trans People of Color Collective

Vogue Club
La Familia De Colores
Marisol Redman
El Congreso (Official MEChA Chapter de UCSB)
Selena Saad - Co-Outreach Director, Associated Students Student Commission on Racial Equality (SCORE)
Damaris Adame - Chicanx/Latinx Graduation 17 Co-Treasurer
Monae Orange - Black Student Union Director of Education
UCSB Students for Justice in Palestine
M.U.J.E.R. de USCB (Mujeres Unidas por Justicia, Educacin, y Revolucin)
Jordan Mitchell - CCS Senator, La Escuelita, Internal Affairs Committee, CCS Student Council, F4Y, Ex-Diversity
Chair of CCS Student Council, BSU, BPRO
Marla Teresa Arciniega - M.U.J.E.R. Co-Chair 2016-17, Chicanx/Latinx Graduation Co-Fundraising Chair
Dulcinea Arroyo
Gabriela Cortez - Take Back the Night Herstorian 2016-2017
Jesse Velasquez - Off-Campus Senator for the 67th A.S. Senate; Brother of Theta Nu Kappa Multicultural and
Academic Fraternity; Finance and Business Committee Member 2016-17
Zenzile Riddick, Black Student Union Programming Director
Leanna Lugo
Joshua Hudson - Executive Co-Chair for A.S. Student Initiated Recruitment and Retention Committee (SIRRC);
Student Intern, Office of Student Life;
Madison Mayho
Hubert G. Zhang - A.S. Humyn Rights Board Co-Chair; President of A More Balanced World
Mayela Morales - Co-Chair of National People of Color Student Coalition for USSA, Co-Chair of VOCEROS
Lorena Alvarez - Executive Co-Chair for A.S. Student Initiated Recruitment and Retention Committee
Associated Students Student Initiated Recruitment and Retention Committee (SIRRC)
VOCEROS (Voices Of the Community En Resistencia Organizing Solidarity)
Nathan Garrido - Co-Chair, Associated Students Student Commission on Racial Equality (SCORE)
Raudel Covarrubias - Co-chair, out in Science Technology Engineering Mathematics (oSTEM)
Ernesto Pina - Former External Coordinator of AS Queer Commission 15-16
Daniel Torres
Teresa Campa- MCC Council CoChair, Exec of Chicanx/Latinx Graduation, Former Chair of AS Humyn Rights
Board, Former Administrative Coordinator of The Response, Community Organizer of The Response
Eric Villalobos - Head Organizer, Student Activist Network
Erik Hubbard
Kaleb Admasu
Santa Barbara Student Activist Network
Abigail Salazar- Resource Center for Sexual and Gender Diversity, Program Coordinator
Johann Koehle- DTF Presents Topics in Sexuality, Community Chair
Lizbeth Teyuca
Nadia Talley- Political Co-Chair of Black Student Union| Student Rep of Black Resource Committee
Rogelio Vargas - MultiCultural Center Student Outreach Coordinator
Julie Lemus
Yaneli Gutirrez
Jamelia Harris, Afrikan Black Coalition So-Cal Field Organizer and Thomas More Storke Award Recipient 2016
UCSB Task Force Against Police Brutality
Black Student Union Demands Team
People of Isla Vista
Anika Huizar

Marisa Jones
Amanda Pantoja
Unique Vance, On campus senator
Renee McPherson
Serena Miller
Viranda Woodard
Mauricio Baltrons, CAB, RA, AS
Chadwyck Moore- Black Pioneers Renaissance Organization (BPRO) President, Black Student Union treasurer
Michelle Macrohon - Residential Housing Association (RHA) President
Linda Mora - Residential Housing Association Representative-at-Large
Bianca Garcia
Navpreet K. Khabra
Aral Greene
Cindy Thai
Veronica Mandujano
Brent Wells - Residential Housing Association Health and Wellness Chair Coordinator
Michelle Pantoja
Jose Tapia (member of Congreso/MEChA de UCSB)
Idalia Robles De Leon
Chicahua Huitzilopochtli
Osunkoya Chavon
Alan Moore
Fabiola Perez
Ricardo Uribe - Residential Housing Association Queer Student Engagement Chair
Angel Leija
Estefani Panduro- M.U.J.E.R. Co-Chair 2016-2017
Chika Anyiwo - Resident Assistant, SRB Information Center Assistant
Nisha Woodbury- Resident Assistant
Kasey Reinbold
Vanessa Lewis
Sydney Carrington Scott
Tyler Collins
Karen Hsu
Jason Gilbert
Cristina Roman
Chloe Pounds
Daionna Murray- President, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. -Nu Nu
Noel Dylan Botardo
Nareg Sarookhanian

Chloe Barefield, Resident Assistant

Drake Shead
Lauryn Westbrook, Black Student Union Recruitment & Retention Chair
Jasmine Moses - Faculty Member , Former Business & Ficance Committee Member 2012-15, Member of Delta
Sigma Theta Sorority Inc - Kappa Omega