The UC FSJP supports staff and faculty across all campuses at the University of California who are advocating for Palestine and against genocide, occupation, and apartheid. We stand together. We will support one another through mutual aid.

Denise Caramagno is the first employee of the University of California to be fired for advocacy for Palestine since October 7, 2023. We are raising mutual aid funds to support her as she resolutely defends Palestine, her colleagues, and herself.*

For almost 11 months, the University of California and the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) have engaged in widespread repression of students, faculty and staff who have spoken out in support of Palestinian life and in criticism of Israel’s violence in Gaza, which has been characterized by countless legal experts around the world and Israeli scholars as genocide. Israel has murdered nearly 900 Palestinian healthcare workers, imprisoned and tortured hundreds of them, and destroyed the entire healthcare system in Gaza. Faculty and staff who have publicly voiced their commitment to the rights of Palestinians–especially Palestinian healthcare workers–have had their First Amendment rights and academic freedom violated. Caramagno is the first to be fired.

Denise Caramagno was hired to support survivors of domestic and sexual violence, almost 10 years ago, as the UCSF CARE Advocate and co-director of the UCSF CARE Program. Denise is being fired because of her public advocacy for a faculty member of color who expressed public concern about how racism and supremacism were impacting US healthcare. Caramagno was informed by email that her public advocacy for Palestine meant she was not fit to take care of Jewish students, staff and faculty; she was removed from that duty, an affront to her 30-year career characterized by a commitment to antiracism, anti-violence and professionalism. She was informed she is being fired for sharing the defamatory email with close colleagues at UCSF who had expressed concern for how Caramagno’s First Amendment rights were being violated.

“I was hired to do anti-violence work. That work entails challenging systems of oppression. I’m being fired for doing my job,” Caramagno succinctly reflects.

We appreciate your support of our beloved and righteous colleague, Denise Caramagno.

In solidarity,

UC FSJP

You can read more here:

https://48hills.org/2024/09/ucsf-fires-staffer-who-challenged-schools-stance-on-palestine/

https://www.kqed.org/news/12003439/a-ucsf-student-advocate-spoke-up-for-faculty-of-color-then-she-was-fired

https://open.substack.com/pub/rupamarya/p/silencing-the-messenger?r=3lznt&utm_medium=ios

*Transparency and disclosures:

Donations are not tax-deductible
Donations will be used for personal expenses related to the impacts of this repression like bridging COBRA health insurance and other bills, anti-doxxing software, and travel costs incurred for fighting this injustice.
We will launch mutual aid funds for others, as needed, in the future.
We are raising legal defense funds elsewhere.
Funds will be withdrawn as needed and excess funds will be used for other UC staff and faculty who experience severe repression
This inaugural fundraiser will be closed at $18,000

UC FSJP Mutual Aid Fundraiser--Defend Denise!

End Racist Repression and Free Palestine