We see a future for this union that prioritizes transparent horizontal and democratic leadership structures, driven by membership. The eboard cannot be the central site of decision-making. Rather, the administrative labor done by the eboard should facilitate on-the-ground and membership-driven movement building.

In our roles on the Executive Board, we would consistently perform the duty of auditing the union regularly to ensure transparent and democratic union functioning. We are responding to these nominations as not as a testament to our ability to lead but rather to facilitate—conversations between staff and student workers, between graduates and undergrads, community organizing efforts and campus organizing. We hope to leverage this position to ensure our union’s resources, attention, and platforms are used in the service of member-led organizing efforts to create a more just campus and workplace.

Northern Vice President: Christina Acosta, UC Merced

My name is Christina Acosta, and I am running for the position of the Northern Vice President on the statewide executive board of the UC Student-Worker Union – UAW 2865. I am a 2nd year PhD student in Sociology at UC Merced and I have been involved in various forms of organizing (both union-led and non-union led) on campus for the last 2 years.

Trustee: Julia Havard, UC Berkeley

I’m Julia Havard, a queer genderful white femme (and puppy Porcini, seen above) and PhD Candidate in Performance Studies at UC Berkeley. I am running for trustee. As a member of the Bathroom Brigade (2014-15) fighting for all-gender bathrooms; a coordinator of the Survivors’ Symposium  (2016) to create survivor-centered spaces for healing, organizing and action; the instigator of the Arts and Activism Collective (2017-18), a group dedicated to using the arts as a force for cultural change, and a member of the Undoing Oppressive Internal Dynamics working group (2017-18); I have been dedicated to political and social justice work through the union since my arrival on campus. I have facilitated workshops and teach-ins, written statements and petitions, facilitated votes, offered critique and support, planned agendas and shown up regularly for my unit and the state-wide Joint Council. During my term as Head Steward (2016-2018) I have manifested my dedication to union leadership and my understanding of the union’s internal dynamics. I hold a deep commitment to maintaining this union’s possibilities of being more collaborative, thoughtful, dynamic, creative, and full of joy and care.