Memorial for Last Year’s Deltopia Death

People will gather Wednesday night to remember an 18-year-old Giselle Ayala, a Cal Poly San Luis Obispo student who died after she fell off of a cliff last spring. The memorial will be held at 7:30 p.m. at the lawn by the UCSB lagoon and university center.

The tragedy occurred the night before last spring’s Deltopia. Media reports following the incident indicated that Alaya fell from the cliff after a party that had become chaotic as people dispersed when officers arrived to break it up. A jogger found Ayala’s body the next morning near Campus Point.

Molly Morrison, UCSB student and a high school friend of Ayala, is organizing the memorial to remember Ayala and talk about safety issues surrounding the spring street party. Morrison is a member of Fence Isla Vista — a movement to improve current fencing standards along the cliffs along Del Playa Drive — and Associated Student’s Public Safety Commission. “I’ve learned it’s best to have these events for people who need it,” Morrison said adding that Ayala’s high school friends and other UCSB students will be attending.

Morrison is also hoping to get the word out about safety issues surrounding Deltopia, which is planned for Saturday. Deltopia was created via social media to replace Flotopia — UCSB’s infamous beach party — after authorities shut down the beaches years ago in response to safety and environmental concerns.