Perhaps now more than ever, UC Berkeley students need a tenacious and supportive student advocate. And that’s why you should vote for Nava Bearson.

Bearson’s commitment to supporting students shines through in her previous work. Serving in the Student Advocate’s Office for six semesters –– first as a caseworker and then as chief of staff –– has given her the institutional knowledge to effectively uplift student voices as the student advocate.

In an interview with The Daily Californian’s editorial board, Bearson showed an impressive commitment to restorative justice and survivor-centered solutions to sexual violence and sexual harassment, or SVSH, on campus. Her plan to create an equitable disciplinary process reflects her understanding of students’ needs, as does her platform to include academic accommodations for students facing trauma and violence. At a time when the Trump administration is threatening to rollback survivors’ rights with new Title IX regulations, Bearson’s survivor-centric platforms couldn’t be more critical.

Bearson has repeatedly emphasized her commitment to upholding the office’s nonpartisanship. Even though this may not seem like the most pressing issue, maintaining this policy is essential to ensure that all students, no matter their political affiliations, feel comfortable using the Student Advocate’s Office as a resource.

In addition to SVSH, Bearson prioritizes basic needs security and plans to continue and improve on the work that current Student Advocate Sophie Bandarkar has done this past year. Bearson helped create the Basic Needs Referendum, which sets aside funding for basic needs security during a period of unreliable state funding.

While Bearson is running unopposed, her proven devotion to students and her institutional knowledge make her the ideal candidate for student advocate. Her platforms demonstrate her dedication to upholding past student advocates’ efforts — and this continuity is critical to ensuring that the Student Advocate’s Office is able to provide students with the support they need every semester.

Vote Nava Bearson for student advocate.