Diversity Perspectives
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Diversity. It is a word that represents something different to each and every person because our relationship to diversity comes from our personal experiences thus far in our lives. The college environment, and UCSB is no exception, provides an opportunity for these various perceptions and experiences to connect as well as collide. We asked several students of different ethnic backgrounds to share their views of diversity at UCSB. Their responses illustrate the complexity of our personal journeys with identity, privilege, and oppression--as well as how our journeys impact others.
After graduating from a very racially diverse high school, my first impression of UCSB was that of a pretty non-diverse campus. I was surprised at the overwhelming amount of girls in my hall who were Caucasian and thought that I would be lacking the diversity experience. The second week of classes I was talking to one of my friends who happened to be Asian and had come to UCSB from a predominately White community. She caught me off-guard when she exclaimed that she was very happy that there were other Asian students at UCSB. I couldn't believe what she said, because I had been thinking that there was a lack of other racial groups. After giving it a lot of thought I realized that diversity means a different thing to each person, and that I was so preoccupied with the lack of visual minority groups that I didn't recognize the amount that was actually present. This made me reevaluate my ideas of diversity as I realized that UCSB is actually a very diverse campus in opinion, politics, and ideas as well as religiously and racially. I realized that diversity needs to be appreciated for its effects on the student body rather than how it visually appears on campus.
- Lauren Giardina, English and Art History
 I never thought about diversity until I came to UCSB. Although I had heard the term "diversity" tossed around in discussions about affirmative action, it was a concept I had never explored on a personal level. It seemed to me that "diversity" was something that concerned people of color, not a white girl like me. My consciousness started to change when I took a Chicano Studies class my first quarter. It was surprising how little I knew about Chicano history even though I grew up San Diego, and it made me very aware of the bias that existed in my high school education. Next, I explored diversity on a more personal level during a day-long diversity retreat for work. In the workshop I had to ask myself questions about my culture... did white people even have a culture? In addition, I learned that many of my co-workers had experiences that were different from my own, and deep down I realized how many stereotypes I harbored within myself. My definition of diversity was also broadened during the workshop, moving beyond discussions of race into gender, sexuality, class, age, ability and more. After the workshop I began to think about my position as a woman in society more often, and I took several classes that explored women's issues--from women in literature to US third world feminism. I joined a group called the Multicultural Outreach Program where we discussed diversity issues in a safe and supportive environment. Having just graduated, I take so much with me as I leave UCSB. I leave with a new appreciation for the diverse experiences that people have in our country and a desire to encourage open and honest discussion about these issues within my own family, work place, and community. - Jen Smith, English
My initial reaction to UCSB's lack of diversity was to assume that I would not find a home here. Not only is UCSB demographically a predominately white campus, but the culture is White, suburban, and upper middle class. Examples of how UCSB culture is white are the lack of people of color professors, further lack of people of color professors who are tenured, or the tokenized weeks or months of ethnic cultural celebrations. At UCSB there is a lack of understanding about why there are resource centers for certain ethnic and marginalized groups or the lack of understanding of why there are ethnic studies department. Last but not least, I rarely find other students who look like me unless I am attending a cultural event.
Diversity not only means an equal representation of marginalized groups such as Blacks, African Americans, Asian Pacific Islanders, Native Americans, Chicano/Latinos, Multiethnic/Biracial, and Queer communities, but also an equal support and awareness of those groups. As a conscious woman of color who attempts to break the silence of oppression by voicing my experience and existence to the world, I feel the burden of educating those who lack the understanding of privilege and struggle. Although institutionally, UCSB does not support me to the degree that I would like, I have searched and found individuals, groups, and programs that do. The beauty of this University is that although the support for marginalized groups is not at a systemic level, strong support can be created and further enhanced through sharing of common experiences and the mobilization to do something proactive about it.
- Hun Taing, Sociology & Asian American Studies
Before I came to UCSB, the only experiences with diversity I had ever had were in my high school. I was the only Black in a small high school of about 500 students. Overall, high school was not a bad experience because I was forced to step out of my comfort zone and learn about and befriend other students of different racial, cultural, and ethnic backgrounds. Because of my high school experiences, I wasn't worried about coming to UCSB where there weren't other Black students like myself. In reality, though, upon entering UCSB I was not prepared for the racial separation that is prevalent on our campus. I was unsure which group I would fit into. I was considered "not Black enough" to hang out with the Black groups and perceived to not fit in with the other groups because my skin was too dark. I eventually found a group of Latino students (like my friends in high school) that I fit in perfectly with, and I even made my first "real" Black friend here at UCSB. The experiences that I have had with diversity here at UCSB and in high school have definitely made me grow as a person. I now understand the true value of opening yourself up to experiencing diversity in its various aspects.
- LaTosha Traylor, Law and Society and Women's Studies
Although UC Santa Barbara is not that diverse, I would have to say in my four years here I have learned that diversity lies within the person. As a Latina, when I arrived here I felt as though I was an outcast. I experienced culture shock coming from an area that was predominately Latino. In looking for something to get involved in, I rushed the national sororities but found very few women of color. It was then that I decided to take a step back from the picture and just look for something that interested me. When I was searching for something to get involved in there were a few groups on campus that were multicultural or Chicano/Latino that I could have easily identified with. I went one step further: I researched other organizations and collaborated with other women to start our own organization, a Latina sorority. We knew it was going to be hard work, but we were determined to establish an organization that met our needs as Latinas. One that not only encouraged academic excellence among us, but other Latinas of the community as well. Since then I have become a founding sister to the first and only Latina sorority here on campus, Lambda Theta Nu Sorority, Inc. With diversity seen as positive, it has also increased my involvement in other clubs as well as the community of UCSB.
- Christina Viramontes, Sociology
I came from a town that was nearly all Caucasian, and almost all of my friends were white. Now, I am the only Caucasian person in my apartment, and my friends who are white are few. I never imagined that going to college would open my eyes to so many other cultures and languages. I have even learned new foods to eat and cook!
- Darcy Grant, English and Biology
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