Hermanas Unidas de UCSB
Land Acknowledgement
We wish to acknowledge the traditional custodians of this place and all land upon which the University is located, and pay our respects to the Chumash Elders past, present and future for they hold the memories, the traditions, and the culture of this area, which has become a place of learning for people from all over the world. We honor the Chumash people and their rightful place on this land that has been taken from their community as a way to acknowledge the pain, suffering, and violence that the land and its people have experienced and continue to experience. Read more here.
Chapter History
In the fall of 1994, five young women: Zuleyka Heredia, Ricki Robles, Amelia Schustz, Erica Solorzano, & Bernadette Vargas decided to establish a new Chicana/Latina support group at UC Berkeley. This organization was created in order to give Chicanas/Latinas on campus an opportunity to find a home away from home, while providing academic and community resources and a family networking system through the basis of three pillars: academics, community service and collegiate networking. The first meeting was held at Casa Joaquin Murieta, the Chicano/Latino co-op near the UC Berkeley campus. Soon after, the founding mothers agreed to shorten the Hermanas Unidas letters to "HaU", with an emphasis on the "A" in HermanAs. The first official general body meeting was then held in Wheeler Hall on the UC Berkeley campus, where the official HaU colors, motto, and logo were chosen. At that time, Hermanas totaled less than 15 girls and could all fit into two cars! Hermanas Unidas has now developed into a 25 year old organization and has expanded into 19 chapters on California campuses. The group has also grown tremendously in terms of its members, growing from the original fifteen members to hundreds of intellectual and aspiring young women. Overall, Hermanas Unidas has grown to be not only an organization that fosters academic excellence or a foundation through which we empower our communities, but a true familia away from our loved ones at home. Never forget: Once an Hermana, Always an Hermana!
UCSB Chapter
On December 9, 1999, three inspiring young women: Elissa Gomez-Foehl, Violeta Coto, and Veronica Burgos, were joined together for the first time with the goal of establishing a Chicanx/Latinx organization at UCSB.
Aiming to provide options on campus as an organization that encompassed a variety of unique characteristics, these young women took the initiative to contact the founding chapter at UC Berkeley. Twenty years later, we have come to flourish as individuals, community leaders, and role models..