Following the February 28 suspension of UCSB’s inclusive space, the MultiCultural Center, which is primarily staffed by Brown and Black women of color, the Black Studies Department responded with a Day of Protest and teach-in on March 7.

The suspension of the MultiCultural Center, commonly referred to as the MCC, comes after backlash from some students who took offense to postings outside and around the MCC entrance supporting the Palestinian struggle and stating that Zionists were not welcome. In particular, Student Body President Tessa Veksler, with known ties to the ICC*, was a loud voice decrying the actions of the MCC, and at one point reposted on Instagram a list that doxxed half a dozen of the MCC’s staff. This doxxing included full names, places of residence, and for some, documentation status. Veksler and the original poster faced no repercussions.

In the days following the suspension, the Department of Black Studies, in conjunction with the UCSB chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), planned a Day of Protest from 1-3 pm in which a great number of students gathered in front of the Student Resource Building and crossed campus to assemble at the entrance of the Davidson Library, which serves as the heart of the campus.

Countless Palestine flags, keffiyehs (Palestinian scarves used to signify resistance and solidarity), and posters calling for a ceasefire were in attendance, along with about 400 students, according to the Black Studies department’s official website.

The event was held on March 7, commemorating the 59th anniversary of “Bloody Sunday” in which 600 marchers in Selma, Alabama were met with horrific violence at the hands of law enforcement in 1965.

The day continued at a 5:00 pm teach-in taking place on the 3rd floor of South Hall. Speakers used a microphone and were stationed at the corner where two perpendicular halls crossed. Such a significant number of students, faculty, and community members were present that they occupied two entire lengths of the hallway. The speakers included chair and Professor Omise’eke Tinsley, Black Student Union representative Ericka Bradley, as well as Claudia Mendoza with the Graduate Student Association, and 12 others. Associated speakers were from the North Hall Black Studies Center, Associated Students, Black Women’s Health Collaborative, and the Chicano/a/x Studies Department. Attendees heard from a targeted syllabus that aimed to inform on the long history of the Black Studies department at UCSB and the ways in which the Black struggle for liberation is intrinsically tied to the Palestinian struggle for liberation and international recognition. There were several reflections on the importance of the MCC at UCSB and calls for its immediate return to operation.

As of March 20, UCSB has announced the resumption of operations at the MCC by the beginning of the school’s spring quarter, which is April 1st.

*The ICC is the Israel on Campus Coalition which works to increase support for Israel on college campuses. Veksler has documented ties to the chief executive of the coalition, Jacob Baime, following her fellowship with ICC.

Sources:

Black Studies Official Website

https://www.blackstudies.ucsb.edu/news/announcement/627

The Daily Nexus

https://dailynexus.com/2024-03-20/ucsb-plans-to-resume-mcc-operations-on-first-day-of-spring-quarter/