Submission: Student event will center on solidarity, intersectionality to raise awareness

In an effort to promote education and a sense of community among all Bruins, the Asian American Studies M119: “Asian American and Pacific Islander Labor Issues” course will hold an event centered on solidarity in the face of injustice. The event, set for March 11, 2016, will showcase the many voices of UCLA impacted by intolerance and historical struggles for immigrant and labor rights. Although the class is comprised of students with varying backgrounds, all have come to learn the power of historical consciousness. Because of this, these students hope to educate, empower and act in solidarity with their peers from the Muslim, Arab, South Asian, and Southeast Asian American communities. As the name of the event suggests, students from various communities will get the chance to reconcile their experiences with their fellow Bruins, many of whom share similar community struggles through the intersections of historical events.

The course, also listed as Labor and Workplace Studies M119, is led by professor Glenn Omatsu who encourages students to fully utilize their talents and resources to educate the greater community. Thus, this unique event creates the opportunity for students to present their final projects for more than just a grade, but also for the mutual exchange of personal histories. These projects include media presentations of community struggles with respect to historical accounts of unlawful incarceration, hate violence and xenophobic immigration policies. Students will use these historical accounts to raise awareness for ongoing issues affecting members of the UCLA community.

It is important to note that events such as these have been created by student organizations in the past. Nonetheless, this event is unique because it comes from a classroom setting. Because of Omatsu’s creative approach to education, his students have learned the value of interethnic solidarity necessary for coalition and community building. His focus on the many intersectionalities throughout history, such as the unity of Korean and Latino immigrant workers in Koreatown, have led to a deeper understanding of students’ responsibility to each other and the communities they belong to.

In light of today’s often highly politicized world, this event hopes to bridge students’ understanding of historical consciousness with contemporary community issues such as racial profiling, undocumented student rights and Islamophobia. The goal here is not only to increase the social awareness of the student collective, but also to bridge hearts and minds through meaningful interactions.

While the furthering of education exists as a purpose of this event, it is first and foremost a community event, meaning all are welcome to attend and share a piece of the proverbial pie. Being entirely student-run, there is an emphasis on student contributions – and many from the course have chosen art as an outlet to connect their experiences with others’. Featuring rappers, artists, poets and speakers, these students are expressing themselves much in the way immigrant labor communities have, both presently and in the past.

Ronald Holden is a fifth-year Asian American studies student.