As a youth, Mark Lopez grew up in a culture of community solidarity and resistance on the Eastside of Los Angeles. Mark’s grandmother, Juana Beatriz Gutierrez, was one of the founders of the Madres del Este de Los Angeles (Mothers of East Los Angeles), a community based non-profit organization that successfully fought against the construction of a prison in Boyle Heights, as well as the construction of an underground oil pipeline, amongst other things. Mark’s mother, Elsa Gutierrez Lopez, worked as the Executive Director of Madres until his senior year in high school. This set a foundation to fuel an activist lifestyle and drive in higher education.
http://intern.ucsc.edu/cuip/success/lopez.html

Santa Cruz City Councilmember Tony Madrigal

Tony Madrigal called UCSC to let them know that he would not be attending the inaguration unless AFSCME was given a fair contract.

Sandra Lane is UCSC's new Organizing Director of SUA. While working to get elected, here's what Sandra had to say:

"I am running for the Organizing Director of SUA because I am passionate about organizing campaigns on campus to better the lives of students and workers. Through organizing, I have been an advocate for lowering student fees, worker's rights, and increasing diversity on campus. I feel that through student-led and student-run organizing we can create concrete change and represent the needs of students! My experience includes: Legislative Liaison for the UC Student Association Board, Office Intern for the Organizing Director of SUA, Multi-racial caucus chair for the United States Student Association board, SUA voting member, and College Eight Senate member. These positions have given me the opportunity to engage in campaigns to reach successes such as registering over 1,000 new student voters during the Get Out the Vote campaign, coordinating lobbying efforts in-district, Sacramento, and DC, and contributing to the Wage Parity campaign to raise workers wages."
http://elections.ucsc.edu/candidates.cfm

Hundreds Rally at UCSC in Solidarity with Alette Kendrick (May 24, 2007)
http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2007/05/25/18421131.php

** PLEASE SEE THE SECOND SET OF PHOTOS AT:

UC Workers and Students Block California Highway 1 in Santa Cruz to Protest Poverty Wages
http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2008/06/07/18505111.php