Chicago IL – On April 3, nearly 70 students rallied at the University of Illinois at Chicago to demand the university do more to support its diverse student body. This included increased funding to cultural centers, ethnic studies programs, diversity programs, increased Black enrollment and retention, and hiring more Black and Latino faculty. Despite freezing wind and rain the students marched and rallied for over an hour, chanting “We’re cold, we’re tired, we don’t like the admin!”

The rally was called by Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) and endorsed by Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), Mexican Students of Aztlán, the Black Student Union, the Latine Student Coalition, Anakbayan, Students for a Revolutionary Union, Speak Up, and the Freedom Road Socialist Organization.

Jimmy Rodgers opened with a speech for SDS attacking the hypocrisy of the UIC administration touting its diversity, stating, “UIC holds the highest Palestinian student population in the entirety of the United States and yet when asked to provide care to these students the university begins to fall and fumble over itself to find cowardly ways to tell you that they don’t actually view these students as people.”

Abdal Alfawaqa from SJP emphasized the importance of Black and Palestinian unity, saying “Historically and presently both the Black and Palestinian communities have faced systematic oppression, from the days of slavery and colonialism to the ongoing struggles for civil rights and self-determination. Our communities have been bound by shared experiences of marginalization and resistance.”

Esme Vasquez from Mesa explained the history of the Latino Cultural Center and emphasized the hard-fought struggle of Latino, Chicano and Puerto Rican students to get it built. The cultural center, diversity programs, and the correspondingly high rate of Latino enrollment at UIC (around 29%) were only made possible after militant marches and sit-ins forced the university to construct the center in the early 1980s.

Citlalli Santiago from SRU shared her experience as an indigenous student at UIC, talking about the chronic underfunding of the Native American support program. She explained that, unlike many other diversity programs on campus, the Native American Support Program is not attached to a cultural center and is far out of the way of most students who would want to take advantage of its services.

Jeremiah Munoz from SDS spoke about the importance of increasing the number of Black and Latino faculty, pointing out the glaring disparity between the composition of UIC’s student body and faculty. Munoz stated, “Nationwide, we see this trend of underrepresentation in academia. Only 6% of professors nationwide are Black and only 10% are Latino, despite together making up one-third of this country! Here at UIC, despite the claims of diversity and inclusion, we see this reflected in a faculty body that is 60% white at a school that is 70% non-white.”

Munoz also spoke to the impact of Black and brown faculty for students of color “They serve as our mentors, as our role models, and as our advocates. They validate our experiences. They inspire us to excel in our lives. I want to stress that representation matters when we see ourselves reflected in our educators!”

Liz Rathburn of FRSO spoke about the importance of learning the movements of students and oppressed people in the 1960s and 1970s, stating, “We know that the reason the ruling class in this country is so obsessed with keeping working and oppressed people from learning their history is because that history is a weapon. All over the country students are learning from the victories and defeats of the last 60 years and building a movement that will win back those gains and keep going.”

SDSer Angel Naranjos ended the speeches, summing many of the speakers up by leading them in a chant of “Education is a right not just for the rich and white!” before denouncing the ongoing segregation of higher education. Naranjos raised the demand for increased Black enrollment and retention, pointing out that despite the population of Chicago being nearly one third Black, UIC’s undergraduate student body is just 8% Black. “In the city’s largest public university and in a city that is almost 30% Black – we think that this glaring disparity is an outrageous inequality.”

Naranjos ended their speech by demanding the university take material steps to increase Black enrollment, saying, “UIC’s claims of valuing diversity don’t have to simply be lip service.”

After the speeches ended, students marched to the main administrative building on campus, University Hall, to make sure their demands would be heard by the UIC chancellor. The march coincided with a passing period and hundreds of students watched as their classmates marched with the banner reading, “Education is a right not just for the rich and white!” Several bystanders joined as they marched.

After reaching the hall, organizers led students in chants of “Dare to struggle! Dare to win!” and “Fund ethnic studies now!” before finally dispersing to warm up and dry off. Organizers say they will continue to protest until UIC provides students with the resources and support they deserve.

#ChicagoIL #StudentMovement #Diversity #DEI #SDS

Tampa, FL – On April 1, about 15 students from the University of South Florida and community members marched in support of diversity and in opposition to cutbacks.

The march, organized by Tampa Bay Students for a Democratic Society (SDS), called for the protection of the Women, Gender and Sexualities Studies department at USF, the expansion of Africana Studies, and the funding of multicultural organizations. These demands come as a response to state legislators’ banning of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) efforts in universities statewide due to House Bill 999/Senate Bill 266.

The University of South Florida has implemented these changes through defunding of programs such as the Office of Multicultural Affairs, which funds student organizations, and the gradual elimination of programs from the Africana Studies department.

Tampa Bay SDS member Samara Habyarimana spoke on their petition, signed by students, faculty and student organizations, echoing their demands and holding USF administration accountable for their inaction on the legislative attacks. Habyarimana stated, “Despite the fact the student body is actively calling for and supports diversity at USF, admin has refused to meet with student organizers to discuss the students’ demands.”

In a recent university board of trustees meeting, the Board Chair William Weatherford responded to worried faculty members by saying USF was diverse enough. USF President Rhea Law also said the university was “supportive of opportunity,” while confirming there was no longer any Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion on campus. These contradictory messages and obscuring of facts have made students call for more transparency regarding the future of DEI.

Community members also spoke, as the African People’s Socialist Party and the Uhuru Movement joined the event. Their speaker highlighted the connections between the oppression faced by Black people in the United States and the elimination of courses in the Africana Studies department. Speakers also highlighted this attack on diversity as part of a larger reactionary effort to curb people’s rights in Florida.

Protesters chanted “USF shame on you, defend diversity like you should,” and stated they will continue to fight for this cause.

#TampaFL #StudentMovement #BDS #DEI #Diversity #SDS

Arlington TX - On Wednesday, October 18, the Progressive Student Union (PSU) organized two rallies on the campus of University of Texas Arlington.

At noon, PSU and other members of the community gathered in front of the University Center to speak out against Senate Bill 17 which prohibits the presence of offices around diversity equity and inclusion initiatives and other practices to limit discrimination and lack of representation. The chant “Defend, diversity! Defend, diversity!” could be heard from the megaphones, and the energy gathered was used to march onto the University Hall where the second rally around support for Palestine was held at 1 p.m.

This rally was originally planned to take place within a room where a local political science professor, known for downplaying the oppression of Palestinians and the Israeli regime, was leading a Q&A event around the “Israel-Hamas conflict.” The crowd was prohibited by campus police to enter the room on the grounds of overcrowding, despite many students walking out of the event in disgust, so it was decided to hold the rally right outside of the building. The crowd grew to a peak of 200 as speeches and chants calling out the genocidal war crimes of the Israeli government and the need for Palestinian liberation were expressed by all who gathered. 

The rally went on from 1 to 1:30 p.m., at which point PSU members led a march onto the front of the Central Library where a list of demands of the UTA administration was delivered to the crowd by several members of the organization. The high energy and solidarity of the crowd would carry this rally to its end an hour later in front of the Central Library.

#ArlingtonTX #StudentMovement #FreePalestine #UTA #Diversity #AffirmativeAction

Austin, TX – On July 8, ten students gathered on the steps of the Texas Capitol building to protest recent attacks on affirmative action. They protested the U.S. Supreme Court decision that race cannot be a factor in college admissions.

The protest linked this with the recent attacks on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs, and with defense of the Tampa 5. The Tampa 5 is a group of SDS members from the University of South Florida currently facing felony charges. They were brutalized and arrested by police while protesting the attacks on diversity programs by Governor DeSantis of Florida.

“We can see that the far-right Republicans from state legislative assemblies to the U.S. Congress to the Supreme Court are determined to destroy what little gains have been made in terms of racial and gender equality since the 1970s,” said Jules Lattimore from SDS.

Lattimore continued, “The fact is, if the far right in the federal or state governments cared about racial equality in education, they would ensure that majority Black and Latino schools received equal funding in the first place.”

Student speakers emphasized the need to struggle for more than just protection of DEI programs or affirmative action and are further demanding that their universities hire more Black and Chicano faculty and increase funding to multicultural programs.

After speaking, protesters chanted, “Hey hey, ho ho, Greg Abbott has got to go!” and “Education is a right, not just for the rich and white!”

The students passed out flyers with the SDS national statement on affirmative action. There is a national call to action for July 12, demanding to drop the charges on the Tampa 5 as they appear in court that morning.

#AustinTX #diversity

Austin, TX – On Tuesday, June 27, close to a dozen students and community members gathered in front of the Texas State Capitol to speak out against Senate Bill 17, which effectively bans diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives in public universities in Texas. At the speakout, called by Austin Students for a Democratic Society (SDS), students talked about the impacts of the ban on diversity programs.

“Austin SDS is out here today to express our dissatisfaction and anger about the passage of Senate Bill 17, which was signed into law on June 17,” SDS member Jules Lattimore said. “Greg Abbott is trying to do what Ron DeSantis is doing to Florida, and we're going to fight to make sure that doesn't happen.”

Jake Holtzman, another SDS member, said, “We take inspiration from the Tampa 5, who bravely continue to fight for diversity programs, ethnic studies and increased Black enrollment at their school even after facing brutal repression. We stand in solidarity with the Tampa 5, and we will follow their example here in Texas.”

Holtzman concluded with a call to action: “We are out here not just to defend diversity programs at our schools, but to demand that these programs go even further. So let’s get organized to make this happen. If we stay organized and continue to build a fighting student movement united in action, we can win our demands!”

Other people in attendance at the speakout included organizers with the Texas State Employees Union, the Young Democratic Socialists of America, the Impact Movement, and the Epic Movement.

The demonstration closed with group chants like, “Hey hey, ho ho, Governor Abbot has to go” and “Ho ho, hey hey, diversity programs are here to stay!”

#AustinTX #diversity

Tallahassee, FL – On Thursday, March 23, around 30 students marched from Landis Green to Westcott Fountain demanding Florida State University President Richard McCollough take a stand to protect diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs, especially in the light of House Bill 999 and other right-wing attacks on public education. Students chanted, “No hate, no fear, DEI is welcome here!” and “Racist, sexist, anti-gay! Ron DeSantis, go away!” The march was organized by FSU Students for a Democratic Society (FSUSDS).

After the march reached Westcott Fountain, in front of the building that houses the administration, students gathered around the steps of the Westcott Building for a rally and speak-out. FSU administration proceeded to lock every door into the building, including the main entrance. The protest continued outside, with the main demand being a meeting with President McCollough.

Under pressure from the students boldly chanting, “We want a meeting!” an FSU admin exited the front of the building and asked to speak on the mic. He was promptly denied and fled back inside.

Although FSUSDS requested a meeting with the president through official channels weeks in advance, the university failed to follow up on the request. It soon became clear that a meeting would not happen unless students took matters into their own hands.

As the administrative lackey scurried back into the Westcott Building, one SDS member was able to catch the door on its way shut. The students entered the building and marched up the stairs to President McCollough’s office. Students continued chanting and demanding a meeting with the president, who was nowhere to be found. Around five minutes later the group was notified that FSU Provost Jim Clark would be willing to have a meeting with only four students out of the over 30 that showed up.

During the meeting, the students called on the university to publicly denounce HB999 and commit to FSUSDS’ four primary demands which are, first, protect and expand diversity programs and multicultural studies; second, increase Black enrollment and faculty; third, protect trans students and athletes; and fourth, oppose all attacks on public education.

In response, Provost Jim Clark said that the university is “aware of the issues” and will not take a public position on the bill. He also declined to comment on the university’s plan for complying with the bill, specifically in regard to majors, programs and student organizations that would be abolished under the bill.

Left unsatisfied with the administration’s lackluster response, the students exited the meeting chanting, “FSU admin take a stand! Oppose education bans!” and rejoined the group in the hall and directed the protest back outside to the steps of the Westcott Building.

One FSUSDS member who sat in on the meeting, Teddy Vegezzi, addressed the crowd, saying, “Students who actually are first-gen, students who are Black, students who are Hispanic, we know they don’t care about us. They never have and they never will.”

“How is it that we are paying tens of thousands of dollars to be here and when our majors are under attack, the provost and the president can’t even make a public statement about the classes they offer at their university?” asked another member.

FSUSDS is determined to continue the fight against right-wing attacks on public education and will participate in a statewide mobilization to the March 28 Board of Governors meeting alongside other Florida SDS chapters.

#TallahasseeFL #diversity

Arlington, TX – On Wednesday, March 22, the Progressive Student Union rallied over 60 students and community members at the University of Texas at Arlington (UTA) student center to protest the pause of diversity, equity and inclusion policies on campus. The students also rallied against bills that the Texas legislature recently proposed which seek to forbid transgender athletes from competing in events with accordance to their gender identity, and ban critical race theory and diversity, equity and inclusion policies in higher education.

Student speakers explained how the banning of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policies hurt underrepresented communities and asked why the university has not taken action to defend policies that protect and advocate for diversity on campus.

After an hour of speeches and chanting, students marched to the administrative offices to pre-sent a list of three demands that call for, first, a statement from university President Jennifer E. Cowley’s office against proposed Texas legislation that would ban DEI policies in higher education, exclude trans women from college sports, and forbid the teaching of critical race theory; second, a plan for how the university would resist implementation of these Texas state legislature policies, including regular meetings with the PSU and other affected student groups or and university bodies; and third, action by the university to address its racist history, such as changing building names and removing memorials which honor racists.

As the students marched to the president’s office, they held banners and chanted, “Stop attacks on diversity programs” and “Diversity is not a prop, these attacks have got to stop!” The spirited march drew the attention of many students and staff present.

Students entered President Cowley’s office to present their list of demands, but were informed that the president was not there, and that they could leave a message on her phone line. President Cowley was in Austin with the university’s student government and other student representatives for a day of lobbying at the state capitol.

After several attempts to ask if the staff could contact her directly, PSU members decided to stage a sit-in in the office while calling to flood the president's phone line. Students and community members left voicemails listing their demands and grievances. During the sit-in, members were harassed by staff members. After two hours, the sit-in concluded, and all protesters slowly exited the office and left the building.

Progressive Student Union (PSU) members told Fight Back! that they felt a sense of accomplishment because they were able to get the attention of the student body and remind the administration that they serve the students. “This is just the beginning of the student movement's campaign to fight these attacks. This event demonstrates the power and resilience of PSU and other student and community organizations that are pushing for change,” said Jay Rodriguez, secretary of PSU. “It's the first of many more demonstrations that will continue to challenge far-right legislators and school administrations. The fight is going to be a long and hard one, but we at PSU are daring to struggle so that we all dare to win!”

#ArlingtonTX #DEI #diversity