The Students of Color Coalition (SOCC) hosted an information session Thursday to discuss their endorsement process for ASSU candidates. About 15 attendees, almost entirely freshman, expressed interest in running for the ASSU Undergraduate Senate during the meeting.
SOCC is a coalition of six cultural, racial or ethnic student groups who promote on-campus diversity, support cultural centers, address acts of intolerance and maintain funds for the Voluntary Student Organizations (VSOs) under their umbrella. The group is comprised of co-chairs from the Asian American Students’ Association (AASA), Black Student Union (BSU), Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlan (MEChA), Muslim Student Awareness Network (MSAN), the National Association of for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and Stanford American Indian Organization (SAIO).
Each year, SOCC chooses to endorse up to 15 candidates for the ASSU Undergraduate Senate. If the group decides to give an endorsement for the ASSU Executive this year, they will endorse only one slate, according to AASA community liaison Tina Duong ‘12.
Candidates for the ASSU Executive Robbie Zimbroff ‘12, with running mate William Wagstaff, Jr. ‘12, and Brianna Pang ‘13, with running-mate Dan DeLong ‘13, also attended. Pang, current Appropriations Chair for the ASSU Senate, was endorsed last year by SOCC.
“We look for senators who are going to fight for the issues that we have presented, and who show that passion for it,” said Rafael Vasquez ‘12, current Senate chair and liaison for MEChA.
With wide access to the Stanford undergraduate community, the SOCC endorsement can greatly aid candidates with publicity.
Last year, 12 out of the 15 students elected to the ASSU Undergraduate Senate were endorsed by SOCC, in addition to current ASSU President Michael Cruz ‘12 and Vice President Stewart Macgregor-Dennis ‘13.
“SOCC also provides a support network through the year,” Cruz said at Thursday’s information session. “[When] doing the work, doing elections, [you have] people that you can trust and know to give feedback, to help you out with your projects.”
SOCC also provides workshops for its candidates that help with the campaigning process.
SOCC endorsement applications are due by March 2.
-Julia Enthoven