Brown students plan #OurCampus walkout to demand safety for targeted students

It is apolitical but in the wake of the election

On Wednesday at 3pm, Brown students have planned a walkout to Wriston Quad in solidarity and support of the #NoDAPL movement for Standing Rock, and Movimiento Cosecha’s #SanctuaryCampus.

In light of the election, Brown students have found support within their communities to uplift and begin to organize for the safety of all Black, Latinx, Muslim, LGBTQ+, Indigenous, undocumented, immigrant, and all students of color.

At 3pm students will stand up and announce, “I am walking out to call Brown University to protect its students, particularly Black, Native & Indigenous, undocumented, Muslim, Latinx, and LGBTQ+ students. Please join me if you would like to do the same.” They will then leave their class.

UCS President Viet Nguyen sent out an email to the Brown community earlier today expressing love and support to those who are hurt, scared, and angry in response to the election.

Viet includes ways that members of the campus community can get involved to organize and demand change within the university such as a letter to President Paxson and Provost Richard Locke that has been circulating around faculty and staff to establish Brown as a “sanctuary for undocumented students.”

In that same vein, letters containing the same message have been circulated across alumni and undergraduate student networks as well.  Students are encouraged to sign this petition in support of their peers and members of the Brown community who are and will be affected post-election.

President Paxson has also responded to the turmoil of the past few days, calling for Brown to “unite as a community” and saying:

“During this time of immense change, the work Brown does to better understand the world and to help confront its most complex challenges can make a tremendous impact in serving our communities, the nation and the world.

“Let’s take care of each other and ourselves, reaffirm our core values, and recommit to the important work we do here at Brown.”

The walkout remains apolitical, as organizers and the #SanctuaryCampus walkout hopes to focus on student activism to demand that Brown, as well as more than thirty other institutions across the nation provide ample support and resources for marginalized students of color rather than the candidates.

A photo from a recent protest in New York against Trump. The walkout remains apolitical

In doing so, according to national event Facebook page as well as the one from Brown organizers, they ask of the following from the participants on the day of the walkout:

“If you are participating:

Wear black clothes, if possible. Wear black clothes in solidarity even if you can’t go!

Bring signs with solidarity messages or signs that say “Our Campus”,“#SanctuaryCampus”, and “#NoDAPL”
(some examples of solidarity signs: Black Lives Matter, Refugees/Immigrants Are Welcome Here, etc.)

Go to class and then @3pm explain why you are leaving. Do not engage in any debate/discussion that will waste time; you are making an announcement. Encourage all others to join, and then leave to WRISTON QUAD together.

**Please read out the following statements when walking out:

“I am walking out to call Brown University to protect its students, particularly Black, Native & Indigenous, undocumented, Muslim, Latinx, and LGBTQ+ students. Please join me if you would like to do the same.”

PLEASE DO NOT DO THE FOLLOWING:

Do NOT bring signs with electoral messages to the walkout. This means no Hillary Clinton/I’mWithHer/Love Trumps Hate stuff. This walk out is about something bigger than a single election.

Do NOT bring a USA flag.

Do NOT try to start chants on your own.

With love and solidarity.”


Support #NoDAPL and Native Americans at Brown with these links.

 

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