We are in shock this morning at the news that our UCSC Chancellor, Denice Denton, jumped to her death in San Francisco yesterday. Apparently she had been depressed, but the sadness and reverberations will resonate throughout our community for a long, long time. I didn't know her personally, as she started just after I retired from UCSC, but I know many of the people she worked closely with, and I know the culture and the issues at UCSC. I also know something of the pressure cooker environment in which she has been working Her job has not been an easy one, right from the start. Being a woman and an Out lesbian can't have made it easier. It is such sad news.
This news comes as we are packing up the car and getting ready to leave for Denver tomorrow morning. Daniella will be showing her paintings at an art festival called "Cherry Creek", over the weekend of the 4th. Our dear pal, Christopher, will join us in Colorado and he and I will explore that area, while DD shows (and hopefully sells) her paintings. We will stop on route in Grand Junction to visit old friends, Mark and Missy Smith, who left Santa Cruz years ago to start the Main Street Bagel Bakery in GJ, a huge success. So we are excited to be traveling! Zuma will stay home with my son, Tommy.
I had hoped to have lots of time to spend with friends here in Santa Cruz during the month of June, but alas it was not the case. Between getting a little sick one week, and then all the preparations for leaving town for the rest of the summer, time sped by. We'll be back briefly after Denver, then I'm heading to Whidbey Island for the rest of the summer. So, to all my dear friends here, farewell for now, and wish we could have had a little more time together.
We're taking along lots of books on tape for the drive, including a couple of books by Laurie R. King, our own local mystery writer. Last night we heard her give a talk at Bookshop Santa Cruz. She is so smart, witty, intriguing, and full of energy. Anyway, I'll write periodically over the next several days, and then more frequently when I finally get to the island!
3 comments:
Suicide is a tragedy, I'm so sorry for the loss to USCS. Whatever the underlying causes, suicide has such lasting long term effects on the surviving community.
Good luck to Daniella at the show.
The rock photo is soothing. Yes, shocking is the word re: our chancellor. It is the pressure cooker to beat all up there on the hill -- I've felt for the beseiged scientist, PhD, woman, human being.
Have a safe and successful journey, both you and D. Hope to see you either up north or back home at the end of the summer.
You're probably already on the road. Safe and happy trails to you both.
Looking forward to seeing you on Whidbey, and we can have a long talk about this tragedy. Until then...
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