Student Organizations
African/Black Student Alliance (A/BSA)
A/BSA is one of the oldest and largest student organizations the on the UCSC campus, predating even the AARCC. It is comprised of a multitude of scholars, leaders, artists and community oriented students who view the organization as an opportunity to develop a safe space, to communicate and network, and to come together in unity.
It consists of UCSC Students committed to the recruitment and retention of African American students here at UCSC, through betterment of the entire African-American community, including but not limited to those in our local Santa Cruz community.Meetings times vary.
To contact A/BSA, email absa.slugs@gmail.com or go to their Facebook.
African Student Union (ASU)
African Student Union (ASU) is a student organization at the University of California, Santa Cruz open to all students who are of African descent or are interested in learning more about the African cultures. ASU is a nonpartisan and non-exclusive organization. We strive to increase awareness about the multiple African cultures/identities, eliminate stereotypical discernment of Africa, and unite the African community through educational, cultural, and social service events. ASU seeks to educate its members as well as the general community about issues pertinent to the African continent.
Meetings are every Sunday at 7pm at a Bay Tree Conference Room (above the bookstore).
To contact the ASU, email asuucsc1@gmail.com
Black Sistahs United (BSU)
Black Sistahs United (BSU) is a student organization that provides a space for our UCSC womyn of color to come and create a community.
Meetings are every Sunday from 5pm to 7pm in the Ethnic Resource Center (ERC) Lounge.
To contact BSU, email bsu.ladyslugs.ucsc@gmail.com or go to their Facebook.
Black Men’s Alliance (BMA)
BMA supports and strengthens the community of African/Black males on campus. Each year, the group hosts a variety of events and activities, including Jazz and Blues Night and the annual spring barbeque.
Meetings are every Friday at 6pm in a Bay Tree Conference Room (above the bookstore).
Mixed Ethnicity Student Headquarters (M.E.S.H.)
"We are the Mixed Ethnicity Student Headquarters, which was founded in 2000. We are a student organization aimed at people who do not belong to one ethnicity (example: somebody with a White mom and Black dad). But it’s not that simple.
There are many other groups on campus that focus on one race, such as ABSA (Blacks), CSA (Chinese), or MEChA (Chicanos), but what happens when a student’s background allows them to be in more than one of these ethnic clubs?
Of course, it might be a lot of fun descending from many cultures, but the problem with most ethnic college organizations is that they focus only on one ethnicity. This is a problem because a half-Japanese/half-Mexican girl, for example, would have to be involved with both MEChA and JASA (Japanese American Student Association) to not “betray” her Mexican mother or her Japanese father.
Meetings are held every Monday at 7:30pm in the Esselen Nation Conference Room (above the bookstore).
To contact M.E.S.H., join the facebook group.