DAVIS, Calif. — One of UC Davis' Student-Athlete Resource Groups, the Coalition for African Diaspora Student-Athletes (CADSA) coordinates events and initiatives all year long to help students on campus as well as people in the local community. One example of this is CADSA's Holiday Toy Drive. The organization collected donations at the Men's and Women's basketball games over the weekend of December 9 and 10.
"As an organization, we try to put on events that build community. This year for the holiday season, CADSA wanted to give back by hosting a Toy Drive to provide gifts for children in need in the Yolo and Sacramento region," says Kerrington Smith, co-president of CADSA as well as a member of the Track and Field Team. "With help from the Athletics department, we were able to include students, fans, and the rest of the Davis community in this effort by collecting donations over the course of two days at the Men's and Women's Basketball games. In exchange for donations, we gave supporters free hot chocolate. Thanks to everyone who graciously donated, we received an abundance of toy donations and would count this effort as a great success."
The CADSA Toy Drive donated their collection to Yolo County's Toy Drive for Criminal Legal System Impacted Families. The Yolo County Public Defender's Office's Racial Justice Committee hosted their first-ever holiday toy drive to help families impacted by the criminal legal system. Unwrapped toy and stocking stuffer donations will be arranged so adults can individually pick out presents for the children in their lives inside the Public Defender's Office.
"People of color are not only disproportionately impacted by the criminal legal system but also by the economic repercussions of these disparities," stated Jennifer Melgoza, president of the Racial Justice Committee. "The Racial Justice Committee recognizes that, as a result, the holiday season can be a financially and emotionally difficult time for system-impacted families. By sponsoring this event, we hope to alleviate some of the seasonal difficulties felt by communities of color."
The success of the CADSA Toy Drive has helped support these organizations in their efforts to provide some holiday cheer for those in need.
UC Davis Athletics is home to multiple Student-Athlete resource groups, these groups help to create a sense of togetherness, community, and awareness for Student-Athletes. One of the resource groups on campus is the Coalition for African Diaspora Student-Athletes, also known as CADSA. CADSA aims to support Black athletes through advocating for them while they are striving to overcome the unique set of challenges they face as athletes and students; while simultaneously creating a safe space that ensures Black student-athletes feel welcomed, supported, and validated.
