Photojournalist: Mark Anderson/ Nommo Staff
Oct. 16- For the second day of “Days of Defiance II,” students gathered to voice their objections to the Universities’ plan to name its new commons after the previous UCLA Chancellor Albert Carnesale who supported prop 209—the anti-affirmative action policy that reduced Afrikan American’s presents at the school.
Kamilah Moore, Chairperson of UCLA’s Afrikan Student Union states, “We are gathered here today to tell UCLA that we do not agree with the 15 to 20 million dollar investment by Albert Carnesale to put his name on a building…that money could have gone to many resources at UCLA to better enrich our campus climate and promote diversity.”
For the students at the rally, the Sproul Building adjacent represents an ugly irony of the universities history, as Maryssa Hall, a fourth year Afrikan American studies major states, “these buildings were built by Mexicans in east and south Los Angeles…and now they’re going to name a building after a man who is trying to keep minorities out?” Her question evoked a synonymous response from the crowd, “Shame!”
Carnesale was also reprimanded by protestors for allegedly being disposed to war. Moore states, “This man was for weapons of mass destruction, nuclear proliferation and war– which has devastated indigenous peoples and people of color around the world.”
Photojournalist: Mark Anderson/ Nommo Staff
Moreover, students used the rally as a platform to respond to critics who condemn affirmative action for allegedly allowing unqualified individuals into the university. Clinton Johnson, a third year political science major states, “ It’s not about the [unqualified], it’s about leveling the playing field after generations of discrimination. You have to understand, for hundreds of years government policy was used to keep blacks from learning to read, so we need to use government policy to rectify the effects of that history of discrimination.”
October 16 marked the end of the two day “Days of Defiance” rally.
Author: Michael Holmes, Jr.
Nommo Staff