University of Iowa minority groups react to Trump’s shock win

Students came out ‘united against hate’

Today on campus at the Pentacrest, students assembled to voice their concerns with the nation’s newly elected president, Donald Trump.

Students of all backgrounds, African American, Latino, disabled, LGTBQ, and minority groups, reacted today and gathered to speak to and for one another of what the new president may bring to the people of the United States.

It goes without saying that there are mixed feelings about the outcome of this election.

Two male students speak out and address their peers at the the rally.

Two female students at the rally stood with a sign reading “Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate. Only love can do that,” a quote by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

At the rally today, students preached messages of love and acceptance. Student after student came forward to speak, sharing personal experiences, delivering motivational speeches, and even reading poems and singing songs.

African Americans, Latinos, Muslim Americans, the disabled, both women and men, and those who identified as LGBTQ opened up to the crowd to represent their minority group and encourage their peers to continue to fight for their rights.

Even those in passing stopped to listen to the uplifting messages being promoted by their fellow students.

The Tab Iowa spoke with the student who organized the rally, 20 year-old Nikkie Zapata from San Diego, California.

The student, who identifies as bisexual and Hispanic, says she planned the event with a friend to show others in distress about the election that they were not alone.

She wanted minorities to feel welcome and loved despite the hate that many have felt as a result of Trump’s campaign. She hopes that those who have privilege use that privilege not for themselves but to speak out for marginalized Americans who’s voices aren’t always heard like they should be.

Nikkie’s message to not only the rest of the student body, but also for Americans across the nations is this: “Be open and show compassion to those different from you, whether it be their race, religion, gender, or anything else.”

Messages of love were prevalent at the rally today

Media has largely publicized Trump for his crude comments toward women and minority groups. Americans are concerned about what his views mean for Trump as a role model to other Americans who actually hold racist, misogynistic, and other views.

Trump’s disapproving views on abortion and plans to defund Planned Parenthood have many American women worried for their rights. Similarly, Trump’s past history of misogynistic remarks and “locker room talk” rape rhetoric concerns women as well.

With Trump’ having spoken of plans to ban Muslims from the U.S. and place Muslim mosques under surveillance, Muslim Americans often fear to openly practice their religion after being so readily compared to extremist terrorists.

Then, of course, there’s The Wall that Trump wants to construct on the U.S.-Mexican border. These and more have all been significant issues of controversy throughout all of Trump’s presidential campaign.

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