Social Justice & Community
-
Collaborating to support youth leadership and voice
2026 Youth & Adult Partnership Summit promotes strategies for working effectively with youth, supported by UC Santa Cruz, United Way, and All Children Thrive.
-
Beach season is here—just not for everyone
Marine and social scientists at UC Santa Cruz explain why privileged people enjoy more recreational, economic, and emotional benefits of the ocean than underresourced groups, and offer holistic remedies
-
La temporada de playa ya está aquí—pero no para todos
Científicos marinos y sociales de la UC Santa Cruz explican por qué las personas privilegiadas disfrutan de más beneficios recreativos, económicos y emocionales del océano que los grupos con menos recursos, y ofrecen soluciones holísticas
-
Alumna María Ramos Bracamontes champions indigenous farmworker health and justice
María Ascención Ramos Bracamontes (Merrill ’02, language studies and Latino American and Latino studies) is a certified midwife, community activist, and founder of mutual aid organization Campesina Womb Justice, advocating and supporting farmworker women’s health.
-
CEJA at UC Santa Cruz: Preparing alumni for academic and community impact
Alumni Desiree Ryan (Ph.D. ’24, psychology), David Amaral (Ph.D. ’22, politics), Melina Singh (Ph.D. ‘23, psychology), and Rosalie Lansing (Rachel Carson ’24, sociology) share their experiences with the Center for Economic Justice and Action and how it prepared them to be successful in their careers.
-
Thirty years of investing in communities: Alumna Shannon Lawder on language, philanthropy, and following your passion
UC Santa Cruz alumna Shannon Lawder (Kresge ’91, Russian studies) is the director of the Civil Society Program at the Mott Foundation. The Mott Foundation has supported communities worldwide for 100 years, and Lawder has been part of that mission for 31 years.
-
Hands-on experiences help students tell powerful climate-resilience stories
Internships at the Seymour Marine Discovery Center give students in-demand multimedia experience with video production and digital storytelling about how science can lead to meaningful solutions for coastal communities
-
A path shaped by passion: Alumnus David Gleason’s lifelong dedication to Russian studies and supporting the Humanities
UC Santa Cruz alumnus David Gleason supports the university through charitable gift annuities. His philanthropic support of UC Santa Cruz is rooted in a deep gratitude for how his time there shaped the path that followed—working for Apple in the Soviet Union at one of the most pivotal moments in modern history.
-
‘The Public’s Science’ initiative seeks to reimagine the science research ecosystem
The new effort will bring together a broad range of voices to create scholarship and policy recommendations for reorienting science research toward excellence, justice, transparency, and democratic participation.
-
Alumna and Anthropic co-founder Daniela Amodei and civil-rights activist Dolores Huerta named in Time’s 100 Most Influential People of 2026
Daniela Amodei graduated from UC Santa Cruz in 2009 with a B.A. in literature and a minor in politics. In 2022, UCSC’s Research Center for the Americas was renamed in honor of social justice icon Dolores Huerta; the university continues to collaborate with the Dolores Huerta Foundation.
-
UCSC alumna Quressa Robinson expands representation in publishing
As a literary agent, Quressa Robinson (Oakes ‘03, literature) uses her influence to bring diverse, nuanced stories to young adult readers.
-
Making ethics accessible
Alumnus Tim Shannon (Cowell ’71, history) has philanthropically supported the Humanities at UC Santa Cruz for 15 years. His support of the Norcal Regional Highschool Ethics Bowl, hosted annually at UC Santa Cruz, has opened doors for public schools across the region.