WeSB

Who Are We?

WeSB stands for We are Economics at Santa Barbara. The "We" in WeSB includes any and all underrepresented, underserved, and marginalized groups in the Economics community, UCSB, and the US at large. These groups may include women, BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color), the LGBTQIA+ community, religious minorities, among others. We hope to create an inclusive and welcoming space for UC Santa Barbara Economics graduate students to grow in their personal and professional lives. 

What is our purpose?

• Create an inclusive and welcoming environment for all underrepresented, underserved, and marginalized groups.
• Encourage and welcome the participation of allies.
• Invest in a strong community and inclusive department culture.
• Highlight role models in economics & their work.
• Educate about bias, discrimination, and best-practices with respect to graduate & undergraduate students from historically underrepresented groups.
• Increase awareness of the issues faced by women, BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color), LGBTQIA+, religious minorities, and other underrepresented, underserved, and marginalized groups in the field of Economics.
• Create a safe and supportive space for all students to share experiences, ask for advice from peers who may have faced similar issues, and share information on confidential resources at the university.
• Foster informal relationships within the department to help students connect.
• Offer advice, support, and information about opportunities within the Economics community.

Link to previous breakfast hour “Did you know…” facts

Every quarter, WeSB hosts at least one breakfast hour with free coffee and bagels. All Economics graduate students and faculty are invited to attend. To foster our group’s mission and purpose at the breakfast hour, we always provide a fact or statistic to promote informal discussion about diversity and representation in Economics. The link to facts from previous breakfast hours can be found here.

Women in Economics Podcast

The Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis produces the Women in Economics podcast series, which members of WeSB have found to be helpful. The podcast highlights the studies and careers of women economists. For more information, please visit the Federal Reserve Bank website.