Washington D.C. – Twenty-five students protested the morning of March 2 on the campus of Howard University, one of the prominent historically Black colleges and universities (HBCU). African American students formed “Howard Resist” to demand President Wayne Frederick make Howard University a sanctuary campus and to criticize Frederick for his recent meeting with Donald Trump.

“I am protesting because I am tired of the lack of transparency and accountability displayed by Howard's President and administration,” said Joshua Parks, a student activist on Howard's campus who was at the action.

Parks continued, “President Frederick has had secret meetings with Education Secretary Devos, the FBI, and most recently attended the HBCU initiative at the White House. President Frederick has been very flirtatious with the Trump administration and we feel as if the Trump administration, given his history and the history of his current administration, exists in direct opposition to our very existence as an institution to serve and better Black, brown and marginalized communities.”

There has been huge controversy recently around Donald Trump's recent meeting with the presidents of historically Black colleges and universities, a meeting that most people on campus feel was merely a photo opportunity for the Trump administration.

“Our president has sold out and doesn't stick to the morals of this university,” said Kiara Wade, an activist with Howard Resist. “He isn't for the students. He's in it for his pockets!”

At the Howard convocation the morning of March 2, protesters rose exactly as the university president started to address the large crowd, demanding that he take a stand with students and not with white supremacists like Donald Trump.

Protesters then chanted, “We have a duty to fight for our freedom! We have a duty to win! We must love and support one another! We have nothing to lose but our chains!”

As campus and DC metro police escorted protesters out, the large crowd stood and applauded the student protesters’ stand for justice.

Howard Resist was recently formed. Their demands include that President Frederick make Howard a sanctuary campus; ban Donald Trump from stepping foot on campus; reject funding from the racist Trump administration; increases resources to the LGBTQIA community, Muslim community, immigrant and other underrepresented groups on campus; create a Kwame Ture community center and take a public stand and commitment for Black liberation.

Protesters say they will not stop until their demands are met by the university administration.

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