Students support affirmative action
Rally, march commemorate history of UCLA’s activism
By Jennifer K. Morita
Daily Bruin Staff
In 1969, the Asian Radical Movement protested for two days in
front of Murphy Hall to ensure that the adoption of ethnic studies
was not meant just to placate minority students.
Schoenberg Quad was once the site of demonstrations protesting
apartheid, and in 1994 Filipino students fought there to maintain
the presence of Tagalog language courses at UCLA.
Two UCLA African American students were shot during a protest to
create ethnic studies centers on January 13, 1969, in front of
Campbell Hall; and in 1970 on Janss Steps students protested U.S.
involvement in the Vietnam War.
They were all part of UCLA’s history of student activism. Late
last quarter, a crowd of UCLA students added to that history in a
march for affirmative action.
Beginning in front of Murphy Hall, protest organizers chronicled
past protests during a tour through various sites of previous
activism on campus, ending in a rally near the James West Center
where UC regents were discussing the fate of systemwide affirmative
action policies.
"Our purpose was to educate the students on campus about this
issue and show our force to the regents as a diverse coalition,"
said Jioni Palmer, African Student Union political action and
education coordinator.
As about 50 marchers pushed forward, the protest reached a peak
of about 200 rallying students at the end of the march.
"It grew as we went to each spot," Palmer said. "And here it is,
the Thursday of Dead Week with finals looming.
"Part of the purpose was to visit the various historical sites
of activism," he said. " A lot of people were inspired to carry on
that legacy."
Chanting "Affirmative action will not go," and beating a steady
rhythm on a war drum from a Nigerian market, Palmer guided students
in a single-file line circling the James West Alumni Center, where
the regents’ meeting was taking place.
"I’m here to support the struggle for affirmative action and to
send a strong message to the regents," said undergraduate student
government President Rob Greenhalgh at the rally.
"Affirmative action significantly contributes to the diversity
at UCLA. If you get rid of it, you’ll be getting rid of a great
asset that distinguishes UCLA," Greenhalgh said. "We need to send a
strong message to the regents that affirmative action is here for
good."
Speakers delivering the message included York Chang,
undergraduate student government external vice president, Academic
Advancement Program Director Adolfo Bermeo and leaders of UCLA
student advocacy groups.
"We are here to talk about the death of diversity," Chang said
to the crowd. "Affirmative action has barely begun to make a dent.
Why are we talking about getting rid of it now? We’ll be going
backwards 30 years and limiting access. If they’re not careful we
just might lose faith in the Board of Regents."
Protesters showed support for Chancellor Charles Young in his
efforts for affirmative action, but urged for more action.
"You’ve got to go further," Palmer said at the rally. "Support
an ethnic/gender studies requirement and stop waffling on the
Chicano studies. Do something for real."
Groups from UC Berkeley, UC San Diego and UC Santa Barbara
joined in the protest.
"It’s about civil rights," said UC Berkeley student Becky
Roberts. "We’re not relying on the chancellor to take on a student
struggle."
Berkeley protesters urged other demonstrators to demand entrance
into the regents meeting.
"They had a different agenda," Palmer said. "They wanted to
disrupt the meeting. We had a different purpose."
After the rally, a group of about 25 protesters were admitted
into the meeting to observe the affirmative action deliberations
among the regents.
"The protest was a tremendous show of support and enthusiasm by
UCLA students for affirmative action," Palmer said. "It was a
testimony to the spirit of activism at UCLA."