ASUCD election candidate accuses Sens. Aaron Heth and Mia Oscanoa of mocking her name

Bibi Sara Naibi said the senators mocked her; both deny the allegation

By VINCE BASADA — campus@theaggie.org

Bibi Sara Naibi, a third-year engineering major and candidate in last week’s ASUCD election, says she was mocked by two ASUCD senators on the final day of the campaign.

Naibi said she was visiting the ASUCD Quarterly Showcase on the Quad Lawn when she began talking to Sens. Aaron Heth and Mia Oscanoa, who were tabling for the student government at the event. She says Aaron asked her for her name, and then compared it to that of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whose nickname is Bibi.

Naibi said both Heth and Oscanoa proceeded to laugh at her, expressing that the offense felt personally insulting given her Muslim faith.

“When they started laughing and making fun of my name and my religion, I had no words,” Naibi said. “I had nothing to say.”

Heth told The California Aggie in a statement that he did speak with Naibi but denied mocking or laughing at her. 

“I asked her name, and when she responded, I asked if anyone had said her name was similar to Benjamin Netanyahu, since Bibi is his nickname,” Heth said. “There was no laughter, and the comment was not directed toward her identity in any way.”

Heth also said that his question was not meant to insult, and he denied Oscanoa’s involvement in the interaction.

“On reflection, the comment was in poor taste, since Netanyahu is an incredibly controversial figure and his actions are connected with immense suffering in the Middle East,” Heth said via email. “That said, I did not laugh at Bibi nor mock her faith or identity. I did not know her faith background; I had just met her.”

Oscanoa provided a similar statement.

“I did not laugh,” Oscanoa said via email. “Nobody laughed.”

After leaving the Quarterly Showcase, Naibi met with her running mate Lia Washington for planned campaigning. However, both say that the emotional distress of the situation ultimately led her to discontinue campaigning soon after

“I witnessed her crying, struggling to regain her composure, and expressing fear about continuing to campaign in certain areas of campus,” Washington said via email. “While I cannot independently verify the statements allegedly made during the initial interaction, I can attest to the distress and fear she expressed afterward.”

Later that day, Naibi posted a statement on her campaign Instagram detailing her experience that has since garnered over 500 likes.

Naibi said Oscanoa reached out earlier this week with an apology, but says she thinks it is ingenuine. Naibi has since filed a report with the UC Davis Harassment & Discrimination Assistance and Prevention Program.

"I don't think that we need those kinds of people in ASUCD,” Naibi said. “If you can't represent the students and if you're against some groups of students, you can't be part of ASUCD.”

Written by: Vince Basada — campus@theaggie.org