🐾Mascot: "Mapaches"

If you're ever at the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB), you might hear about a unique mascot that almost took the stage: the Mapache, or raccoon in Spanish. This cute and intriguing animal was proposed as a new mascot back in 2018, starting as a joke but quickly gaining traction among students. The idea was to replace the existing Gaucho mascot, which some felt was problematic due to cultural appropriation concerns. The Mapache movement was fueled by memes and petitions, with over 2,400 students signing in support. While it didn't become the official mascot, it shows how creative and passionate students can be about their school spirit ⭐. So, if you ever think of a raccoon in a college setting, you know it's a symbol of fun and change at UCSB 🐦 🐾