For nearly a decade, UCLA has been bringing radicals to campus through its “Activist-in-Residence” program, a taxpayer-funded initiative aimed at “turn[ing] the university inside out.” Those activists have a right to their radical ideas—including one who called homelessness a “white man’s scam” and derided Israel as a “kolonizer” guilty of “genocide.” But UCLA is not entitled to hide records from the public about what those radicals are teaching or how much they are being paid with taxpayer dollars.
That’s why the Goldwater Institute—represented by attorney Bradley Benbrook, a member of Goldwater’s pro bono American Freedom Network—filed a lawsuit on Tuesday against UCLA. For more than four months, the university has refused to turn over any records related to the teaching materials and compensation of Lisa “Tiny” Gray-Garcia, one of its activists-in-residence and a self-described “poverty scholar” and “revolutionary journalist.”
The lawsuit seeks to enforce the public’s right to inspect government records under the California Public Records Act and the California Constitution, which guarantee broad access to information about how public institutions operate.
“Under California law, taxpayer-funded institutions like UCLA cannot withhold public records like the ones Goldwater has requested, even if those records include embarrassing or controversial information that the institutions would prefer to keep hidden,” Benbrook said. “UCLA proudly advertises on its website that it pays ‘Activists-in-Residence’ like Ms. Gray-Garcia to engage in the type of ‘poverty scholarship’ and ‘revolutionary journalism’ she pursues, yet it has refused to produce the basic documents Goldwater has requested about her work for UCLA and the financial support UCLA provides. We brought this case to ask the court to order UCLA to follow the law and turn over the records.”
Gray-Garcia—who describes herself as “a formerly unhoused, incarcerated poverty scholar, revolutionary journalist [and] lecturer”—is one of more than 25 activists participating in UCLA’s Activist-in-Residence program. The program brings in self-described revolutionaries to teach students and develop “power-shifting” social programs.
In one video linked to her program profile, California’s Pacific Palisades is described as “Stolen Land” that’s being “Occupied” by “hoarders,” and homelessness is characterized as “a white man’s scam.” The UCLA lecturer has also made several social media posts condemning Israel and Zionism— claiming that Palestinians have been incarcerated in their homeland since “the Occupation of Israel,” and called Israel a “kolonizer” and a perpetrator of “genocide.”
To better understand what students are learning from residents in this program and how much taxpayers are paying for their salaries, the Goldwater Institute submitted a public records request in October seeking Gray-Garcia’s contract with UCLA, her compensation, course syllabi and materials, university emails discussing topics such as Israel and Gaza, and all materials provided to activists-in-residence during the program’s 2024 orientation.
UCLA has failed to produce a single record in a timely manner as required under the California Public Records Act.
Goldwater explained in a Nov. 14 letter to UCLA that its request is limited and specific, and many of the responsive records—such as Gray-Garcia’s contract with the university and her compensation—should be easy to locate and produce. Despite acknowledging the request, never disputing that the records sought were public, and repeatedly promising production dates—in January, then February, then March—the university continues to delay.
Goldwater’s complaint asks the California Superior Court to order UCLA to produce the requested records and comply with state transparency laws.
“Taxpayers have a right to know what is being taught and how much a university is paying for it,” said Stacy Skankey, Litigation Director of the Goldwater Institute’s American Freedom Network. “UCLA should have responded quickly to our basic records request about Lisa Gray-Garcia’s work with the school. Unfortunately, they simply refuse to follow the law. Now it’s time for the court to step in and force UCLA to shine a light on what the public is paying for.”
Universities often delay producing records in hopes that requesters will simply give up, but California law does not allow agencies to obstruct access to public information.
The Goldwater Institute will continue to fight for transparency and accountability from public institutions so citizens can see how their tax dollars are being used. Through the American Freedom Network, Goldwater and its partners stand ready to push back against unlawful secrecy and delay tactics in every state.
Read the Goldwater Institute’s lawsuit against UCLA here.
