The Daily Nexus endorses unopposed fourth-year psychological & brain sciences major Leiya Kadah for External Vice President for Statewide Affairs.

Kadah is running on a platform of representing and improving campus conditions for marginalized communities. Sherine John / Daily Nexus

The External Vice President for Statewide Affairs (EVPSA) mobilizes, advocates and represents UC Santa Barbara Associated Students (A.S.) to various institutions such as the federal and state government, the University of California (UC) Regents and the UC Student Association (UCSA). 

Kadah’s previous experience in A.S. as an off-campus senator has equipped her with internal knowledge, and her involvement in political organizing on campus has connected her to student groups. However, the Nexus hopes Kadah learns more about the roles and responsibilities of the EVPSA office prior to stepping into the position. Considering Kadah’s lack of work in the office, she left much to be desired in terms of knowledge on ongoing projects and personal initiatives. 

Kadah is running on a platform of representing and improving campus conditions for marginalized communities — in particular, students with disabilities, raising food security and advocating for those who are vulnerable within the current political climate, such as undocumented and international students.

“I decided to run for EVPSA after having some conversations with the current EVPSA, seeing the work that they do,” Kadah said. “Why I even essentially got involved with student government was [because] I saw it as an arm of advocacy.”

Kadah largely wants to continue the efforts of current EVPSA fourth-year communication and sociology double major Monica Mekhlouf, who championed a platform of supporting marginalized communities, including students with disabilities. The Nexus believes Kadah did not offer unique ideas, strategies or a deeper understanding of the issues students face on campus or the status of ongoing projects in her interview.

Kadah said she has met with Mekhlouf to discuss the position and would like to continue the projects of the current EVPSA, such as working toward establishing the Disability Cultural Center, although she is “not too aware of the inner workings” of the project’s progress. In addition, Kadah would like to renovate the ramps on campus and continue some of Mekhlouf’s housing projects. 

“I think it’s kind of essential to carry on those goals and those projects to ensure that they don’t get forgotten once people term out,” she said. 

While the Nexus commends Kadah’s emphasis on advocating for the student body, she did not discuss tangible steps to reach this goal aside from lobbying and discussing current issues with university administration. 

Kadah recently went to the state capital with the UCSB Lobby Corps to advocate for bills that would allocate more funds for transfer students and allow for more housing in different types of buildings to be built, as well as a bill to ensure that UC students and community members have to be informed when immigration services are nearby or on campus. The Nexus admires these efforts, but would have preferred to see Kadah display more lobbying experience prior to winter quarter.

The Nexus also recognizes that Kadah has promised to continue these efforts for the rest of this quarter. She will be lobbying at the capital again next week and hopes to learn more about how the EVPSA office, Lobby Corps and UCSA work together during the trip. 

“Getting more involved with organizations like Lobby Corps and UCSA, I am building those connections to not only be in better contact with those who I’d be working with if elected into this role, but also just learning from them and seeing how they’ve navigated different challenges within their role,” Kadah said. 

Kadah said that on her most recent lobbying trip, she learned how to be a better advocate for various Indigenous and other marginalized communities on campus. The Nexus commends Kadah’s efforts in educating herself on a wide range of demographics and issues and believes it’s a vital part of the role, since she will be representing the entire student body if elected. 

“I think it’s just one of the smaller ways we can go and right the wrongs of this country, and with so many of us in this university, coming from so many different backgrounds, I think it’s important to acknowledge that,” Kadah said. 

While she may have had less knowledge of A.S. as a transfer student, the Nexus believes that Kadah didn’t take full advantage of the position. As a senator, Kadah said she wasn’t able to implement bills as much as she wanted, such as the ethical spending bill, due to feeling discouraged by “pushback on certain projects.”

“I think that’s why I kind of took a step back and really stopped and thought about, okay, what can I really do? What can I do to make sure that even after I go and pass these things, they can really be enforced?” she said. “I think that’s somewhat what inspired [me] wanting to take on more of an executive role and make sure that I’m in these rooms every time that these conversations are being had.”

Kadah was the only executive candidate who did not submit an election supplement, which is a statement that candidates can post on the A.S. website describing their experience and platform points. Kadah said she didn’t “have too good of an explanation for other than personal reasons that kind of got in the way.” The Nexus believes Kadah should have been more prepared, considering her current connection to A.S. from her position in the senate and her current duty to her constituents.

The Nexus believes Kadah’s experience trying to enforce legislation will help her advocate for student needs at a broader scale amid federal budget cuts to education and pushback on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives.

“I think specifically in this climate and how I’ve seen so many people who are close to me be impacted by the threats of this current administration, [I’d want to be] just really reassuring that those who feel most threatened and vulnerable by the acts taken by this administration do feel supported by my office and by those who are in my office,” Kadah said.  

Although Kadah lacked ideas distinct from the current EVPSA and knowledge of the inner workings of the EVPSA office, she has demonstrated her compassion for various communities throughout the student body and concrete experience in pushing for reform through her role as senator. 

A version of this article appeared on p. 9 of the Apr. 24, 2025 edition of the Daily Nexus.