The SGA blood drive was coordinated by Vice President Davis Darusman to donate blood for Santa Fe victims in response to the mass shooting. | Courtesy of Eduardo Flores CoogTV
A blood drive was hosted by the Student Government Association Tuesday in support of the Santa Fe High School shooting victims and survivors, where eight students and two teachers were killed earlier in May.
Hours after the Santa Fe High School shooting, SGA received messages from people asking how they could help, Vice President Davis Darusman said.
“It shows solidarity with the community. Santa Fe is about an hour and a half away from us,” Darusman said. “We are still in Texas, we are still a family, we are still one big community.”
SGA hosted the event in collaboration with The Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center and other student organizations. Students at the event could eat and listen to live-music performances by other students after donating blood.
Blood donated will go to a general blood bank.
The idea for a blood drive came from Darusman, as a way to help without making a huge political statement, President Cameron Barrett said. He said SGA may not have the power to influence Washington politics, but they can put on a blood drive to help from the ground up.
“In the future I hope we don’t have to do this again,” President Cameron Barrett said. “I hope there’s not another shooting where we have to organize another blood drive.”
Tilman Fertitta, Chairman of the UH System Board of Regents, said in a news release that he could not be more proud of student leaders at UH for showing solidarity for others in the community.
Fertitta, who is also the owner of the Houston Rockets, gave tickets to Santa Fe High School seniors to see the Rockets play against the Golden State Warriors in game five of the NBA Western Conference Finals.
The shooting in Santa Fe has been happening too often lately, Darusman said. He said students have the opportunity to let their voice be heard and elect people who can change gun laws.
“It hit so close to home because it is close to home for us,” Darusman said. “It’s on us as students, as a young generation, to help our fellow students in need.”
Video Edited by: Derek Dziedzic
Camera Operators: Derek Dziedzic & Kiyan Badkoubeh
