From our Triton student writers :
BECAUSE WE ’ RE SUCH A YOUNG university , I always thought we lacked the robust history of other colleges across the country . I had also assumed , like many do , that the STEM-minded nature of our school has created a culture without a place for social or political activism . But working on this issue has uncovered the complexity and depth of that history — how students of many generations genuinely felt for the world and its problems , and believed they could change it for the better .
Today ’ s students know little about the depth and breadth of activism at UC San Diego . I assume this is partially because activism in our generation takes a different form than what came before us : We ’ re most active online , tweeting or sharing hashtags . It ’ s not that our generation doesn ’ t care , but the technological component of protest has paradoxically both attached us and detached us from the issues at large . But now when I walk to class , I think back to people like Angela Davis and Herbert Marcuse , I think about the places where students have made a stand : Revelle Plaza , Library Walk , even I-5 . At times , it ’ s hard to believe so much has happened at my school — at our school .
We live during one of the most interesting periods of time America has ever seen , and it ’ s remarkable to think that our campus and our graduates have created such monumental shifts in culture . At times during this issue I caught myself wondering , “ Who will all this history inspire next ?” Only to realize the answer — me .
— Lara Sanli ’ 21
IN COMMUNITY COLLEGE I heard stories about UC activism — I watched documentaries about hunger strikes at Berkeley and saw old photos of protests at UCLA , and I even heard about current rallies and strikes on social media . UC San Diego seemed mysteriously missing from the larger UC narrative .
And yet , we had a part here as well : students protested the Vietnam War , they fought for a say in the creation of Third College , and recently , they were determined to keep the Che Café open . As I became more familiar with our history , I ’ m left with this question : What will be the future for UC San Diego ?
I recently read an article pointing out how new students are entering an institution that provides more resources and regularly responds to many student requests . In Price Center , footwashing sinks for Muslim students were installed , and multi-stall gender-neutral bathrooms will open later this year . Last year , UC San Diego even adopted the gender-inclusive term “ Chicanx / Latinx ” in university programming .
As we make more change than ever , I wonder how we can continue the community building that was started all those years ago . Students need to know the alumni who put themselves on the line to make a difference in the past . They are out there — many still devoted to the causes and ideals they hold dear . We could stand to take a greater interest and commitment in engaging with each other , and maybe rather than look to other UC campus histories , we could look at our own .”
— Savannah Munoz ’ 21
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