Come Together Room

This room highlighted ongoing efforts to continue the legacy of those who were killed and injured, through the creation of the Isla Vista Love & Remembrance Garden, the formation of memorial scholarships, and the event entitled “Come Together” which was held on October 8, 2014.

In 2015, UCSB undergraduate student Kayli Cover drew the design for the exhibition marketing materials, and the image was so well received by the community that we asked her to create similar drawings featuring the names of the students who had been killed. Kayli is known for drawing whimsical flowers and we felt that her designs embodied the youthful and energetic spirit of Isla Vista. We wanted the exhibition to tell the story of community resilience from the perspective of undergraduate students, thus it was important to us to have a design created by a current student. These individual drawings were created for the section of the exhibition that focused on the Isla Vista Love & Remembrance Garden. A bench was created in the memory of each of the victims, and photographs of those specific benches appear below the corresponding drawings.

These individual drawings were created for the section of the exhibition that focused on the Isla Vista Love & Remembrance Garden. A bench was created in the memory of each of the victims, and photographs of those specific benches appear below the corresponding drawings.

This wall focused on the creation of the Isla Vista Love & Remembrance Garden.  It included the concept renderings of the design of each bench and photographs from the Day of Planting. To learn more about the history of the Garden project, please follow this link.

This cluster of photographs represents images from the Day of Planting. Friends, family members, administrators, students, staff, and community members all joined together to plant native trees, bushes, and flowers along the self-guided path. This was an incredibly meaningful day for many of us.

In the foreground is a box of tissues. We intentionally had them readily available throughout the exhibit both because people often needed them, but also because it made people feel like they had “permission” to cry. Crying is a normal reaction to such an emotional topic and especially an exhibit like this. Our project team members felt it was healthy to cry and we encouraged visitors to openly express their emotions when they spoke to us. We also had information available on counseling services on and off campus, and resources on grief, trauma, and self-care. CAPS (Counseling & Psychological Services) donated tissues and were essential project partners for us. CAPS continues to play a vital role in helping our campus grieve and heal. In the background is the poster “Come Together,” that Associated Students made to promote the event that they held on October 8, 2014 to help welcome students back for the new school year through a focus on community resilience.

This exhibit case held ephemera meant to encourage a sense of healing and community among UCSB students, faculty and staff in the wake of the tragedy. Artifacts included items from the “Come Together” event, #Gauchostrong bracelets, as well as information on campus resources that helped students and the broader community heal.

UCSB alumnus Jack Johnson singing to thousands of UCSB students at the “Come Together,” event. Jack and the Animal Liberation Orchestra (ALO) generously performed free of charge, and entertained everyone with their stories about their time as students living and performing in garages in Isla Vista. Associated Students held this event on October 8, 2014 to help welcome students back for the new school year through a focus on community resilience.

Photo taken from Storke Tower showing Jack Johnson and Animal Liberation Orchestra (ALO) performing to an audience of thousands of students.