Chicago, IL – On August 28, New Students for a Democratic Society at the University of Illinois at Chicago (New SDS at UIC) led a rally of over 50 students in the UIC Quad and marched through campus chanting “Donald Trump you racist clown – you’re not welcome in this town!” and “When cultural centers are under attack – stand up and fight back!”
This protest was UIC students’ answer to National SDS’ call for a National Day of Action to stand up to Trump, demand no cuts to cultural programs, and no deportations.
Ariana Vega opened the rally on behalf of New SDS at UIC, “If you don’t already know, UIC is an incredibly diverse campus with more than half of its demographic consisting of minority students. We have seven centers for cultural understanding and social change – the Black Cultural Center, Latino Cultural Center, Arab American Cultural Center, Asian American Resource and Cultural Center, Gender and Sexuality Center, Disability Cultural Center, and the Women’s Leadership and Resource Center. These centers exist because of activism of the student movement of previous generations.”
Referring to the lack of funding for cultural centers, Vega said “But UIC administrators and the University of Illinois System as a whole have made it abundantly clear that they will bend to Trump and his administration!”
“As Filipino youth, we must not stay on the sidelines. We must organize,” said Gabby Abacan from Anakbayan at UIC.
Abacan continued. “While education is being cut, while tuition and fees are rising, billions are poured into ICE and the machinery of deportation and detention. Instead of classrooms and community resources, our tax dollars go to tearing families apart.”
“We must fight to keep our culture alive by advocating for Filipino Language Classes at UIC, so that we can communicate and build connections with our families back home and fellow migrants!” said Abacan.
Freedom Road Socialist Organization member Ángel Naranjos said, “Trump’s ultimate goal is to dismantle public education. At the end of this mission, education truly will be only for the rich. But don’t get it twisted – there are real things that we can do to stop this.”
Naranjos continued, “Real resistance will come from people power – from students, faculty, campus workers and unions. The last few years have proved it: Youth and students are ready to fight. If you haven’t joined the student movement yet, there is no better time to start than now!”
Then, Valerie Domrzalski from New SDS at UIC closed the rally by reading a statement from National SDS regarding Trump’s recent attacks on education.
“On July 14, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of Trump’s layoffs of about half of the workforce, 1400 employees, in the Department of Education. National SDS sees these layoffs as an attack on students and federal workers, and are moves made to weaken public education,” she read.
Domrazalski continued, “Since coming into office, Donald Trump and his Secretary of Education Linda McMahon have carried out an agenda that will weaken public education in favor of the privatization of education.”
“Education that is accessible, affordable and meaningful to students is a right that students must be ready to fight for this fall. This incoming school year, National SDS, calls on all students to rise up to defend their education and to protest Trump’s agenda!”
The students ended the protest in a militant mood by marching towards the University Hall where the office of UIC’s Chancellor, Dr. Marie Lynn Miranda, is housed. Their march caught the eyes of administrators, campus police and hundreds of students. Many students expressed their appreciation of the protest by chanting along and pumping their fists in solidarity as the activists marched on by.
