Unmasking Isla Vista: Human Struggle

text by News Director

01 August, 2021

KCSB News and Sports · Unmasking Isla Vista: Human Struggle

In our first collaborative project, KCSB and the Daily Nexus have worked together to document the ways in which our community has changed over the past 18 months. As a result, we are proud to bring you the first episode of Unmasking Isla Vista: A COVID-19 Community Archive, highlighting human struggle. KCSB’s Jennifer Yoshikoshi and Daily Nexus reporter Asumi Shuda focus on two critical components of human struggle throughout the pandemic: mental health and houselessness.

The two speak with 3rd District Supervisor Joan Hartmann and Gina Fischer, district representative for Hartmann’s office, concerning the social isolation among students in Isla Vista, and Dr. Janet Osimo, psychologist and assistant clinical director of UCSB’s Counseling and Psychological Services, regarding student mental health. Additionally, Yoshikoshi and Shuda address the impact of COVID-19 on the houseless community here in Isla Vista, with Food Not Bombs volunteer Gina Sawaya and Nick Barrett of the Good Samaritan Shelter.

Unmasking Isla Vista: A COVID-19 Community Archive is accessible as both a Daily Nexus article and a KCSB newsletter. You can find new articles and podcast episodes at dailynexus.com/unmasking-isla-vista/

Stay tuned for episode two of our series! Next week, KCSB’s Ashley Rusch and the Daily Nexus’ Sindhu Ananthavel discuss University & Students, exploring a variety of topics, from academic dishonesty to student housing.

An enormous thank you to those who contributed to Unmasking Isla Vista: A COVID-19 Community Archive.

KCSB Journalists: Alexandra Goldberg, Daniel Huecias, Pia Ramos, Ashley Rusch, Yulene Teagle, and Jennifer Yoshikoshi

Daily Nexus Journalists: Sindhu Ananthavel, Atmika Iyer, Holly Rusch, Asumi Shuda, and Katherine Swartz

Daily Nexus Videographers: Evan Cacatian and Juliana Zappitell

Daily Nexus Artists and Graphic Creators: Hannah Appel, Noelle Chan, Luca Disbrow, Emerson Domingo, Natalie Fiorindo, Daniella Gomez, Alex Rudolph, and Kelly Yan

KCSB Artists: Madeline Miller and Shirley Wang

Daily Nexus Photographers: Pia Ramos and Kaiyi Yang