While in Santa Cruz from 2021 to 2024, he created a student housing advocacy coalition<\/a>, advocated for several pieces of statewide housing legislation and was appointed to the Santa Cruz Transportation and Public Works Commission<\/a> at age 19, the youngest commissioner ever. In 2022, he helped write Senate Bill 886<\/a>, which streamlined student housing construction in the University of California, California State University and state community college systems by exempting certain projects from environmental review, and was championed by pro-housing groups across the state.\u00a0<\/p>\n He graduated in three years with a bachelor\u2019s degree in politics and a minor in legal studies.\u00a0<\/p>\n One of Ulyate-Crow\u2019s first lecturers at UCSC, legal studies lecturer Nathan Coben, told Lookout he wasn\u2019t surprised at all to learn about his campaign. Coben said that among his students, Ulyate-Crow stood out for his energy and depth of knowledge about political issues, particularly related to housing.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m born and raised in Santa Cruz, and he knew more about city politics than I did,\u201d Coben said. \u201cHe had to teach me about all this stuff that was happening.\u201d<\/p>\n Ulyate-Crow<\/a> is running on four main issues: lowering that cost of living, improved delivery of government services, keeping entertainment jobs in Southern California and protecting the environment. As a member of Gen Z, he said his generation is facing these crises at critical moments in their lives, as they\u2019re exiting college and starting their adult lives. But, he said, there are not enough people living this experience and representing the cohort in state government.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cAll of these things came together for me to say that I have to be the change that I want to see,\u201d he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n It\u2019s a crowded race as the June 2 primary election approaches, with 12 other candidates running for the seat. Uylate-Crow so far counts two endorsements: Michael Tubbs, a special adviser to Gov. Gavin Newsom and former Stockton mayor, and Santa Cruz Mayor Fred Keeley. Ulyate-Crow\u2019s campaign had $531 on hand at the end of the quarterly reporting cycle at the end of last year, according to Secretary of State campaign finance reports<\/a>.<\/p>\n In a statement, Keeley said Ulyate-Crow has left a \u201clasting impact on Santa Cruz\u201d through his advocacy and represents the future of the Democratic Party.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve had the pleasure of working alongside Zennon throughout his time in Santa Cruz,\u201d he said.\u00a0\u201cAnd I know that, through his experience both here and beyond, he is prepared to serve his community as State Senator and become the first Gen Z representative in Sacramento.\u201d<\/p>\n Tubbs said Ulyate-Crow combines \u201clived experience with a record of real policy results.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cBeyond policy wins, Zennon demonstrates discipline, strategic thinking, empathy and persistence,\u201d he said in a statement. \u201cHe understands how to move ideas from advocacy to implementation.\u201d<\/p>\n As a young, up-and-coming candidate, though, Ulyate-Crow says he\u2019s come across some skepticism<\/a> and outright opposition, even from fellow Democrats. He\u2019s been told to \u201cwait your turn.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s this whole insider baseball game where you wait for the musical chairs of politicians to move before you\u2019re allowed to run,\u201d he said. \u201cI\u2019m not campaigning for party insiders \u2014 I\u2019m going directly to the people of this district.\u201d<\/p>\n Have something to say? Lookout welcomes letters to the editor, within our policies, from readers. Guidelines here<\/a>.<\/p>\n \t![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Zen003.jpg\")
Zennon Ulyate-Crow, a candidate for state Senate District 24, graduated from UCSC in 2024. Credit: Judy Clouser<\/p>\n