During my first year at UCLA, I was elected Transfer Student Representative by running with the Bruins United slate. At the time, I felt BU was my second home. Yet, appearances can be deceiving, as this year’s BU candidates will learn if they haven’t already. Given my independent candidacy for Academic Affairs commissioner in this week’s Undergraduate Students Association Council elections, I feel it is my duty to help voters understand my decision to leave BU so that they can make the most informed decision.
I left BU because I realized they only cared about me so I could be their queer man of color who would add diversity to their slate. For example, during election season last year, BU leadership told me numerous times to center my campaign strategy on pretending to be every sorority girl’s best friend simply because my “gayness” would allow me to do so. At the same time, party leadership demanded the removal of specific members of our campaign team with no justification other than having ties to minority-based campus organizations. When I approached other BU leaders, my concerns fell on deaf ears. After offensive comments were made in BU group chats toward African American students, I was encouraged to swallow my pride rather than voice my concerns.
Though I was initially shocked by their responses, it makes sense to me now. After all, this is the party whose President Danny Siegel voted to hide the comments of and protect those who call black women “negresses.” Whose president voted to hide rape culture and protect the part of his voting base who harass women until they “say yes.” Whose president has the audacity to throw up the “Bloods” gang sign in photos, mocking communities of color.
To make matters worse, this is a president who tried to explain his picture by saying that it happened over a year ago.
It was not an easy decision for me to leave BU, mainly because I was truly supported by many party members. However, when leaders revealed their true colors during election season, I realized that this was not the community I thought it was. While I considered my campaign team and others in BU as a second family, I could not escape the truth; BU leaders saw me as nothing more than a brown homosexual who could win them votes.
After the 2016 elections, I left BU and became an independent council member. As a part of BU, I was not allowed to talk to those who were even slightly affiliated with the supposed other side. As an independent, my team and I have the freedom to engage, build trust and interact with all students. Whether it was helping create $4,000 in scholarships for marginalized communities with the Bruin Resource Center, or organizing the 4,000-student USC/UCLA walkout to protest President Donald Trump, our office was able to make real change on our campus through inclusivity.
This trust and change was not easy to build. Some students were still nervous to work with our office because of my history with BU. And rightfully so. Students have seen BU take money from Islamophobic DC lobbyists to fund their campaigns. Students have seen numerous BU council members, not just Danny Siegel, use arcane USAC rules to silence women at the USAC council table for exposing misogyny and racism.
Leaving BU was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made; it allowed me the freedom to serve the UCLA community. As an independent, I’m allowed to have my own opinions, I’m allowed to be with the people I want, I’m allowed to engage the entire student body.
During this week’s USAC elections, I ask that you consider my experience, the history of BU, and ask yourself, “Does BU really mean it when they say ‘Be You?’”
Sharma is the current USAC Transfer Student Representative and a candidate for Academic Affairs commissioner.
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In response to the part in which you say BU receives funding from “Islamophobic DC lobbyists,” how is equating a pro-Israel organization to an Islamophobic organization even remotely justified? And how is this statement even relevant noting that the article referenced is from late 2014? Where BU got its money years ago does not constitute legitimate evidence or foundation for this argument. And that is disregarding the fact that you equated pro-Israel to Islamophobic. Israel, the “Jewish State”, where almost 1/5 of the population is Muslim and has 10 Muslims holding Knesset seats.
It’s sad to see people like Divya lie through their teeth to get elected.
Divya used BU to get elected last year, and now he’s trying to slander them to win another election. He doesn’t give a crap about the student body– he’s ambitious and self-serving to the point of absurdity.
Here are the facts:
I’m sure Divya was encouraged to meet sorority girls? Isn’t that the point of a campaign, to meet people?
He claims that “offensive comments were made in BU group chats toward African American students” yet offers no details or evidence.
He leaks a photo of Danny Siegel throwing a gang sign on the day of the elections, a year later, for political gain and expediency.
It’s clear that Divya is spinning the facts and outright lying. He should be ashamed of himself.
Joe, did you forget to add “s United” to the end of your username when making this account? Of course you meet people when you campaign, but advising a candidate to position themselves as a ‘gay best friend’ is some pretty lazy outreach to put it lightly. And on the subject of the leaked photo (no evidence it was leaked by Sharma), perhaps the student body president should have known gang signs aren’t an appropriate joke for someone in his position?