About – CARE | Center for Advocacy, Resources & Empowerment

Mission

CARE (Center for Advocacy, Resources & Empowerment) serves the UC Santa Cruz community by providing free and confidential support to those impacted by sexual assault, intimate partner/domestic violence, stalking, or sexual harassment. We offer prevention education training and work collaboratively with campus communities to create a culture of respect and empowerment.

Vision

CARE envisions a campus in which all communities support those impacted by sexual and intimate partner harm through prevention and intervention. We strive to work collectively with members of all campus communities to cultivate equity and belonging. We’d love to hear from you!

Contact Care

UCSC CARE’s history

2015

CARE is established across the University of California system in January 2015

This is in response to student and community activism and as part of the recommendations issued in the UC President’s Task Force on Preventing and Responding to Sexual Violence and Sexual Assault.

2016

Starting with an initial advocate position at CARE, the team grew to 3 advocates and student staff

2017

The #MeToo Movement grows

2018

CARE relocates to Oakes Academic Building and adds an advocate

2020

CARE adds a Prevention Education Coordinator with assistance from the Student Fee Advisory Committee

2021

CARE adds a Prevention Education Coordinator with Equity and Mental Health Funds

2023

CARE Rebrands

See below!

CARE’s rebranding (fall 2023)

Along with the new name, CARE welcomed a brand new logo that features a lotus flower. The lotus is a symbol of resilience, healing, and transcendence through adversity, which CARE sees as a metaphor for survivorship. CARE also recognizes and takes inspiration from the lotus symbol’s roots, significance, and historical context in Asian/Eastern cultures and faiths.

Guiding Principles

The CARE lotus has seven petals that represent our seven guiding principles: community, self-determination, survivor-centeredness, trauma-informed care, intersectionality, empowerment, and prevention!