On Thursday, March 6, several Butte College students banded together to peacefully protest social injustices and voice their support for equality. With handmade posters, they gathered in the designated free-speech areas of Main Campus.
Deciding to take action, Jared Smith and Cheyanne Seawater organized a peaceful protest to stand in solidarity with the various diversity programs in Butte College. Spreading the word through posters and online notices, about 30 students advocated for DEIA (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility) by initially protesting outside the Campus Center, near the solar power canopies.
With handmade signs and posters in hand and accompanied by rock music playing from a portable speaker, the advocating students expressed their support for equality and called out to others as they passed by. Once midday classes had concluded, they incited a chant and drew the attention of many more. Later, the group continued their movement by travelling over to the Student Administrative Services’ courtyard.
Jared Smith, the enrollment senator at Butte College, believes that “…standing for our rights and democratic values” is the best way to show support for his community. He cites the current federal approach toward minorities, as reason to continue these efforts in the future.
Butte College student Cheyanne Seawater thinks of the school as a “culturally diverse safe haven,” and losing federal funding to programs such as the Native American Center, Queer Resource Center, and more could change the college’s identity in a drastic way. She also hopes to form a dedicated student advocacy group that reaches out and supports communities of marginalized people.
By banding together and expressing their support with handmade posters, Butte College students aim to bring awareness to their need for equality and issues against social injustices. Starting off with a peaceful protest on Main Campus’ designated free speech areas, they hope to have more opportunities for others to offer their support.
