Statements & news

Like a lot of leaders, Sidalia Reel started young. In fifth grade, she ran her household, making sure her four younger siblings didn’t get into too much trouble. Now, she’s the director of Staff Diversity Initiatives in the Office of Equity and Inclusion at UC Berkeley, making sure more than 9,000 staff feel like a valued part of campus. To some, it might seem daunting. But for Reel, it’s a natural fit. Listen to her interview above.

Dear campus community,

Over the next three weeks, the U.S. Congress will work to craft a bill that encompasses immigration reform and importantly addresses the fate of those individuals among us who have been protected by the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) policy.

As an 8-year-old, Luis Mora, like a lot of kids, walked home from school every day. He would take the same path home — across a covered bridge, down a flight of stairs and along the road until he got to his home in Quito, Ecuador.

One afternoon, as he crossed the footbridge, a teenager walked up to him, held a gun to the second grader’s chest and demanded his cell phone. (Mora’s parents, who worked long hours, had given their son a phone so they could easily stay in touch with him throughout the day.)

UC Berkeley Chancellor Carol Christ has promised to establish a new space on campus for undocumented students by early March.

At its Feb. 7-9 conference this week, the National Institute for the Study of Transfer Students will honor UC Berkeley senior and transfer student Diana Castro, 22, as one its four transfer student ambassadors for 2017-18.

Recent false Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, raid warnings and sightings — perpetuated and disseminated through social media — have resulted in instances of panic and fear in Berkeley and other communities across the East Bay.

Posts have surfaced across social media to warn individuals of border patrol vehicles, uniformed ICE officers and even ICE checkpoints and raids. They are shared and spread before the information can be confirmed — and while these posts might be based on actual observations, they are often unsubstantiated.