News and Views from the People's Struggle
Tallahassee, FL – On Friday, April 10, Tallahassee SDS, along with Freedom Road Socialist Organization and FSU YDSA brought together over 40 people on FSU’s Landis Green to protest the Israel Fair, an event sponsored by pro-Israel groups across the campus to celebrate Israel as it carries out genocide against Palestinians.
Normal, IL- On Wednesday, March 25, student activists from New Students for a Democratic Society at the University of Illinois at Chicago made the three-hour car trip to Normal, Illinois to table at Illinois State University.
Orlando, FL – El jueves, 26 de marzo, los Estudiantes Por una Sociedad Democrática de UFC con los Socialistas Democráticos Jóvenes de América organizaron una demostración de más de 40 en la que hicieron una marcha para el Salón Millican, el edificio administrativo de la Universidad de Florida Central.
Jacksonville, FL – On Wednesday, April 8, students at the University of North Florida gathered to protest Florida gubernatorial candidate James Fishback, a vehement racist and xenophobe, who was allowed to speak on campus.
Detroit, MI – On Sunday, April 12, another protest took place in Detroit to demand an end to the war on Iran. The second weekly protest brought around 90 participants to the Spirit of Detroit sculpture and through the streets around Woodward Avenue and Campus Martius Park.
Tampa, FL – On Tuesday, April 6, Tampa Bay Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) held a rally near the University of South Florida (USF) to demand “No ICE on campus” in response to USF and Department of Homeland Security signing onto a 287(g) agreement and the recent pause on H-1B visas passed by the Florida Board of Governors.
Milwaukee, WI – On Tuesday, March 31, Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) at the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee held a rally for Trans Day of Visibility. The event took place at the UWM library and was co-sponsored by Reproductive Justice Action Milwaukee and the Milwaukee Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression.
Orlando, FL – On Thursday, March 26, UCF Students for a Democratic Society alongside Young Democratic Socialists of America organized a protest of over 40 students to march on Millican Hall, the main administrative building for the University of Central Florida.
Baton Rouge, LA – On March 28, a crowd of 1500 people gathered across the street from the Louisiana State Capitol in Baton Rouge on No Kings Day to protest Trump’s reactionary agenda.
Chicago, IL – On Tuesday, March 10, over two dozen students gathered at the University of Illinois Chicago east campus’s quad to demand that UIC administration set a precedent for a true sanctuary campus now.
The rally was organized by Mexican Students of Aztlan’s (MeSA) Educación, Resistencia y Activismo (ERA) committee and was a part of a broader week of action events that commemorated the 20th anniversary of the first megamarches that occurred on March 10, 2006 in Chicago.
The rally included speakers from New Students for a Democratic Society, the Immigrants’ Rights Working Committee of the Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression, and Mexican Students of Aztlan.
Ileanne Cecilio, a member of MeSA and the emcee of the rally began by sharing the importance of the day which signifies 20 years since the megamarches and how the struggles for immigrant rights is far from over, especially at UIC. Cecilio elevates the work of the many immigrant rights activists who have built up the movement where it is today and UIC’s history of student activism to get the resources that exist for students now such as the Latin American Recruitment and Educational Services (LARES) and the Latino Cultural Center. They also raise the demands of MeSA’s current sanctuary campus campaign in needing the current administration to take a stand for their students and not continue the capitulation to Trump's racist agenda.
“We are living during interesting times of uncertainty and oppression by the U.S. government,” began Ikzael Hernandez, ERA’s committee lead. “We need to stand together and be on the same page, not only within the boundaries of this UIC institution but beyond.”
Another student and member of MeSA, Briseida Buitron, shared a powerful poem, “Our people keep fighting. We’re here and they don’t like it! Kick us all out, but we come back marching.”
Gianna Escareno from the Immigrant Rights Working Committee stated, “We must continue to show solidarity from Chicano liberation to Black liberation, Palestinian liberation, workers’ rights, women and LGBTQ rights and of course immigrants’ rights because we know that the attack on our communities won’t end until we fight back, resist and until all of us are free!”
Students then marched across campus and to University Hall as they chanted “No ban, no wall, sanctuary for all!” and “Sanctuary campus now!”
Student organizers encouraged those present to join one of the many progressive student organizations like MeSA, New Students for a Democratic Society or Anakbayan who are all fighting for various struggles on campus.
They encourage people to support Mexican Students of Aztlan as they continue to build their campaign for a sanctuary campus at UIC and stay tuned for future actions. They are on Instagram @mesaatuic.
#ChicagoIL #IL #StudentMovement #ImmigrantRights #MESA #SDS #SDSatUIC #UIC
Fight Back News Service is circulating the following statement from the New Students for a Democratic Society at the University of Illinois Chicago (New SDS at UIC).
Rick Toledo is a student activist and SDSer at Cal Poly State Humboldt who, for years, has been demanding that Cal Poly State Humboldt divest from the Israeli genocide and make the university a sanctuary campus!
By Bailey Heaton and Dena Rico
Denver, CO – On Wednesday, March 11, Denver Students for a Democratic Society (Denver SDS) rallied to demand that the Auraria Higher Education Center (AHEC) – the owner and manager of the Auraria campus and all its buildings — ban ICE from campus.
Chicago, IL – On March 19, New Students for a Democratic Society (New SDS) held a campus town hall meeting to demand campus administrators increase funding for cultural centers, protect DEI, and declare a sanctuary campus. A crowd of around 50 students faced the three administrators who were seated next to a podium to hear students’ testimony.
New York, NY – On March 12, around 20 NYU students and faculty picketed at the front of the Kimmel Center, where the university senate was set to take place. The Students for a Democratic Society at NYU organized the picket to demand a sanctuary campus.
Austin, TX – On Friday, March 13, around 20 students rallied in front of the Student Services Building at the University of Texas at Austin (UT) in support of students targeted by UT administration for protesting against Trump’s “Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education” and the consolidation of ethnic and gender studies departments.
New Orleans, LA — On Friday, March 6, the Liberate and Unite New Orleans chapter of Students for a Democratic Society (LUNO-SDS) held a rally and speak-out event in support of adopting sanctuary campus policies at Loyola University New Orleans.
Chicago, IL – On March 4, 30 students rallied in the quad at the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC). The protest, organized by New Students for a Democratic Society, was originally a counter-protest meant to happen at the same time as a Turning Point USA (TPUSA) event.
Austin, TX – On Saturday, March 8, at noon, around 80 people gathered in front of the Texas Capitol building to rally for International Women’s Day.
Jacksonville, FL – On Wednesday, March 4, Jacksonville Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) held an ICE rapid-response training for students at the University of North Florida. In total, 15 students attended.
West Lafayette, IN – On Monday, March 2, over 30 protesters gathered in front of the Armory on Purdue University campus to protest the illegal war on Iran by the United States and the apartheid state Israel.