Protest to raise awareness, encourage student involvement.
Following the lead of national and community civil rights leaders, CU’s Black
Student Alliance held a walk out and rally on Monday in support of Louisiana’s
Jena 6 group and Megan Williams.
“We’re standing up for what we believe in and what’s right,” Jarvis Fuller, a
senior sociology and theater major who serves as the BSA student liaison to
UCSU, said.
The group’s main aim was to promote awareness of the two incidents and to
show support for the national movements protesting what occurred.
The case in Jena, Louisiana involves six black students from Jena High School
who assaulted a white student after nooses were hung from a “white tree” on
school grounds. The six black students were initially charged with attempted second degree murder and conspiracy to commit attempted second degree murder.The incident has raised a
nation-wide uproar, as many believe that the charges against the six students
are excessive and racially motivated.
Fuller described the case as “downright racist.”
“I’m appalled and disgusted,” Abenaa Adjei, a freshman pre-journalism major
said.
Adjei also expressed anger over the fact that many students appeared to be
unaware of what was happening in Jena.
“People don’t know what’s going on,” she said.
BSA is also trying to raise awareness for Megan Williams, a 20-year-old black
woman from West Virginia who was kidnapped and tortured by a white family
for six days. No hate crime charges have yet been filed.
The nationwide walkout was scheduled to take place at 10 a.m., but the BSA
rally didn’t start until 11 a.m.
The group then proceeded to speak out against the unfair treatment of the Jena
6 and encouraged others to get involved in the movement.
“Students should be given justice,” said Obinna Onyeali, a senior psychology and
communications major, president of the BSA and arts and sciences senator for
UCSU Legislative Council.
Following a speech by Fuller, the group opened up the discussion to anyone
who wanted to comment on the various issues. Among the speakers was UCSU
Tri-executive Charles Gilford, a junior business-management major.
Gilford challenged those at the rally to make a stand and maintained that racism
is still a problem in the community.
“Our eyes have been glazed over,” he said.
The last speaker was John Ali Sharza, a senior political science major and UCSU
director of diversity affairs. Sharza was quick to criticize students for their
apathy for the happenings in Jena.
“Just having people walk by [the rally] without asking what’s going on shows the
apathy on campus, especially with political, diversity and race issues,” Sharza
said.
Contact Campus Press Staff Writer Rob Ryan at
rryan@thecampuspress.com
