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Stay Strong, Isla Vista!

Her Campus Placeholder Avatar Allison Chen
Her Campus Placeholder Avatar Rachel Miller
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at UCSB chapter.

 

Our college town has become significantly quieter these past few days due to the mass shooting in Isla Vista on the night of May 23, 2014. It seems as if the cloudy skies are mourning with us as well. The 6 we have recently lost in this event have all gone too soon. Katie Cooper, Veronika Weiss, Chris Martinez, George Chen, James Hong, David Wang–the Isla Vista community and those whose lives you have each touched will always remember you.

Although it will be incredibly hard to move past this tragic event, it helps knowing that we have such a loving and positive community with whom to get through the hard times. At UCSB’s candlelight vigil, held the evening immediately following the shooting, students walked from Storke Plaza to Anisq’oyo Park in Isla Vista. Those who had a chance to speak at this memorial spoke heartbreaking words, but gave everyone a chance to mourn for our lost loved ones. Feeling the community’s immediate love and support for one another that night was absolutely beautiful and inspiring.
 
There will be several events this week for UCSB students to take part in and come together. It is with heavy but hopeful hearts that we will heal with time.
 
 
Monday, May 26
  • UCSB Health & Wellness Open Forum @ Anisq’oyo Park, 6-8 pm
Tuesday, May 27 (All UCSB classes cancelled)
Wednesday, May 28
Thursday, May 29
Friday, May 30
  • Chalk Memorial @ IV Deli, 9 am-2 pm
  • A community forum is being organized on this day for answers and clarification on recent events. Check later for details.
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Allison is a Global Studies major at the University of California, Santa Barbara. She is the Assistant Editor at Her Campus UCSB a contributor to the chapter's Instagram, @hercampusucsb. Allison believes that life is about balances, but that you can never have too many breakfast burritos. You can follow Allison's personal Instagram at @allycnco for life around Santa Barbara, good eats, and travels!
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Rachel is a senior at UC Santa Barbara and studies Communication and Global Peace and Security. Rachel is from a small, beautiful town in southern California called Palos Verdes. However, Palos Verdes is just one of the many places Rachel has lived. Rachel spent her childhood moving and traveling all over the world, living in places such as Indianapolis, Indiana; Santiago, Chile; Vienna, Austria; and Orlando, Florida. Rachel has found her heart and her home in California, choosing to spend her college years in sunny Santa Barbara. However, Rachel continued her wanderlust when she studied abroad in Barcelona, Spain in Fall 2012. At UCSB, Rachel is an immensely dedicated and involved member of her sorority Kappa Kappa Gamma, where she held the positions of Panhellenic Delegate, Inter-Greek Counselor, Rho Gam, and a member of the Nominating Slate. Best Buddies, a nonprofit organization dedicated to creating opportunities for one-to-one friendships, integrated employment, and leadership development for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, is a passion of Rachel's, as she is their Social Media Coordinator as well as an active and proud member. As a member of the Lambda Pi Eta Communication Honors Society, Rachel is able to implement her prowess and affinity for communication and communication-related issues. When Rachel is not writing, participating in Kappa events, or volunteering, you can find her in the gym, on the soccer field, watching Modern Family, or cooking. Rachel's love for sports, food, and writing often times go hand-in-hand, as one may see in her weekly blogs. For the past two summers, Rachel has been freelance writing for the Los Angeles Times, and hopes to continue her career pursuit of journalism after she graduates. Rachel is elated to be a part of Her Campus's fabulous team and loves every moment of it!