Rutgers stands in solidarity with Mizzou
‘We are all people’
At 4.20pm, Livi Circle was barren, with only a few stragglers heading to class or the dining hall.
By 4.30pm, the circle was filled with people dressed in all black.
In light of the recent events at the University of Missouri and Yale, students planned to take a photograph expressing their solidarity with students across the nation.
We asked some students why they felt it was important that they came together today to display solidarity and to spread awareness about racial issues plaguing our country.
Kafila Tiamiyu and Dionne Higginbotham
Kafila: “As students, and especially as students of color in a predominantly white institution, we all experience micro-aggressions every day. To stand in solidarity with the University of Missouri is important so that they are not alone in this, that we do understand what is going on and that we support them even if the world doesn’t.”
Dionne: “The students at the University of Missouri really took a brave approach and the least we could do was come together to take a group photo to say that we fully support everything they are doing and are fully behind them.”
Javier Mendez and Nidia Tejada
Javier: “I believe it’s important that we show our support to the colored community, whether it’s African Americans or Latinos, who suffer the oppression from white supremacy. We should show that we are with them, even though we’re from a different state.”
Nidia: “Even though we’re from a different university, it’s important to show that we stand for the ideas that are behind the events at the University of Missouri. So even though we’re personally not there, and we aren’t experiencing it, there are other college students that are completely in support of what they’re doing over there.”
Briana Lockman and DeVaughn Johnson
Briana: “It’s important for all Rutgers students, not just minorities or African American students, because we are all people. Especially being college students in America, it is support for fellow students who experience injustice. Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”
DeVaughn: “It affects everyone. Even if people feel they do not associate with it, they are a part of it. If you don’t see a problem with what is currently going on this country, it’s because people like to turn another cheek to it and act like nothing is happening.
“But here are real issues going on. If you are turning your cheek to these issues and not paying attention to them, not supporting them and just staying indifferent to them, you are a part of the problem.”
Briana Harris
“I think it’s very, very important that students all over the country, specifically in American universities and black organizations, stand together and unite for a cause that has been circulating on the news and social media. Most importantly, we need to band together and join hands, not only on social media. We need to actually take action.
“It’s one thing to be talking on social media and hashtagging things, but that is not actually creating change. We need to step away from social media and circulate and let everyone know what’s going on.
“We need to join our hands together and change and promote change within universities. I think it’s important that black organizations get together because they are the most impactful with this on campus.”
The students then banded together and stood on the Livi circle steps, resulting in a powerful photo.
After the photo, many students left. Others stayed behind to deliver passionate and inspiring speeches and share their thoughts with the crowd.