Students at Cal State Bakersfield advocate for change and visibility through a Student for Solidarity March, bringing awareness to not only immigration issues but also issues affecting all marginalized communities on the CSUB campus.
The catalyst for this event began a semester ago, after Victor Gutierrez, president of Club LUPE and Associated Students, Inc. director of international student relations, and Marcila Diaz, ASI executive vice president and president of the Native Indigenous Student Coalition, hosted an election debrief and listening session with President Harper in response to the election results and how the campus was met with silence and fear for the future.
With the help of the CSUB Dreamers resource center and The Multicultural Alliance for Gender and Equity Center (MAGEC), as well as numerous student organizations, students were able to host an event that created a way for all students to feel safe.
At the early planning stages of this event, Gutierrez said it was originally intended for students. However, there was much support from the community, as well as staff and faculty at CSUB, which made it “so much better.”
“The people standing next to you are fighting with you and for you,” said Gutierrez.
Oftentimes, students may feel scared to speak up about the injustices in their personal lives, and internal struggles may take a back seat as academics get in the way. However, both Gutierrez and Diaz shared just how much student voices matter to advocate for and create change.
At the event, there were performances from the Eagle Heart Drum and Dance Group, as well as multiple speakers who shared personal stories and words of encouragement.
With the marches and protests happening around the world—from LGBTQ+ folks, immigrants, and Palestine—college campuses have seen an influx of student leaders and organizations protesting and marching for change. At CSUB, they decided to combine these shared conflicts to demonstrate that they are stronger fighting together.
“Hear me loud and clear: We are here,” said Ana Reyes, CSUB LGBTQ+ club vice president. “I know the fear… and anger. The power does not belong to them; it belongs to us.”
Power is exactly what they were taking back at the march. As the community marched around campus chanting, “Students united will never be divided,” and “What do we want? Justice. When do we want it? Now!”
Neyeli Elizarraraz, a CSUB student, shared that she started learning about student leaders and student-led protests through her ethnic studies class with Professor Dr. Nora Cisneros.
“She mentioned how students back in San Francisco also gathered and spoke up about education and wanting more people of color to be accepted into the CSUs,” said Elizarraraz. “Seeing how much of an impact students actually have, and that the power we have… people will listen to students as long as we make the effort to be heard, we will be heard.”
She shared that because of those who spoke up in the past, more women and people of color are attending universities, and it just shows why it’s important to speak about the issues, regardless of the fear of standing up.
While one way to stand up and become an advocate is to attend marches or protests, advocacy isn’t done there.
Gutierrez and Diaz encouraged the community to stick around and visit with organizations to become more educated and continue the fight beyond today.
“Be proactive… Nobody is going to judge you. And if they do, you have people to support you,” said Gutierrez.
“We hope we don’t lose your advocacy or voice going forward,” said Diaz. She encouraged people to not just attend today’s event, but to keep coming to future events, or to organize their own if there isn’t one presented.
