Past the bustling John R. Lewis and College Nine Dining Hall, up the stairwell and toward the University Center, the Bistro and Fireside Lounge were transformed on the evening of May 23. Vines draped the entry way, laughter filled the space and Black students dressed to impress.  

In a prom-style event, the African American Resource & Cultural Center (AARCC) came together to create the annual Black Love Gala. The event encouraged attendees to eat, dance, have a caricature drawn and spend time with their peers as the academic year comes to an end. 

In the weeks leading up to the event, the AARCC Instagram showcased outfit inspiration for the “Enchanted Forest”-themed event. Over 60 attendees showed up for the gala, some having spent more than three and a half hours getting ready — adorning themselves with ornate nails and flowing dresses.

Attendee Marie Pasi showcases her acrylic nails that she made herself for the gala, with clover and gold-swirl detailing that matches the “Enchanted Forest” theme.

“I’ve never had this,” said Janelle Harvey, one of next year’s African, Black, Caribbean (ABC) housing mentors. “I went to a predominantly white high school … but [this event is] so neat because I get to be around people who look like me and who share my culture, my experiences.” 

Rihanna, the DJ for the gala, greets attendees as they gather on the dance floor.

At UC Santa Cruz, the ABC population accounts for less than five percent of all undergraduates. ABC-themed housing is also spread out across campus, with some in Rachel Carson/Oakes, some in College Nine/John R. Lewis, and some in Cowell/Stevenson. This causes many ABC students to feel alienated from one another.

“There’s so few of us here on campus and we can find ourselves to be super disconnected,” Harvey said. “So when we have events like these we know that it’s a safe space for us to come and just be authentically us and not feel judged.”

One student shared how the disconnect amongst the Black student population is not just caused by physical distance. Nautica Jones, a graduate student who is researching how tropical forests are regrowing over former slave plantations in the Caribbean, reflected on her experience as a grad student at UCSC. Jones explained that grad students are always “a step beyond that undergrad world.”

“The graduate student population is generally many times smaller than the undergrad population, and so a lot of the social events are for undergraduates,” Jones said. “But [affinity spaces] kind of levels everything because we’re here around a different purpose.”

The Future for Ethnic Students Organizations

Recently, the university has requested many changes for ethnic student organizations to remain “consistent to current state and federal law” under the Trump administration, including asking some of these organizations to make changes to their mission statements to make them more “inclusive.”

Shaniya Woods, a member of the Black Student Union (BSU), President of the SOMeCA-registered organisation The Cook Out (TCO) and the 2025-26 SUA Vice President of Academic Affairs (VPAA), explained these changes. 

“[The UCSC administration is] having us edit our mission statement right now, us and a few other orgs,” Woods said. “They want us to change our mission statements to make it feel more belonging.”

While they will be making the changes, Woods went on to critique the changes called for by the university, explaining how they will have the opposite effect.

“If we make it about this idea of ‘unity,’ but not about honoring our differences and honoring the things that we can learn from each other, that doesn’t make people feel safe, especially under the current administration,” Woods said. 

Students at the gala were anxious about the university’s response to the federal orders and what this means for the future of student organizations. Janelle Harvey expressed this shared sentiment.

“Considering our current standing, unfortunately, there could be a possibility of things like this [gala] being taken away from us,” she said. “I think it’s a good thing for us to take advantage of it and be here while we can.”

Attendees mingle and dance on the dance floor, converted from the University Center’s Bistro seating area. 

Many students have found their communities through the on-campus ethnic resource centers and the numerous events that they hold each year. When asked what she thought the community would do if these spaces were to disappear, Woods responded without missing a beat:

“Transfer. Transfer immediately… I know people who are transferring now,” Woods said. 

Situated by the fireplace in the University Center, an artist draws free caricatures for attendees throughout the gala.