‘Audacious hope’ drives campus rally for diversity

More than 700 students, faculty, staff and community members joined to march across the Western campus on Monday afternoon in support of diversity on campus and the university’s commitment to becoming a more diverse campus in the future.

After some brief remarks in front of the Wade King Student Recreation Center, the lively throng moved through campus, clapping, carrying signs, and chanting messages in favor of diversity and inclusion.

The crowd, still chanting, filled the PAC Plaza as many of the student leaders, such as the Associated Student Vice President for Diversity Mayra Guizar, Teena Thach and Polly Woodbury of the AS Ethnic Student Center, and the AS’s Danyal Lotfi lauded the crowd for coming out and marching.

“This is amazing, it truly is,” said Lotfi. 

“I can tell you that where I grew up -- Iran -- this kind of event just wouldn’t even be possible,” he said.

Speakers at the rally touched on a variety of diversity-related topics, beginning with first-year student Yussufer Asphy of West Seattle, who pushed the audience to drop all labels and identifiers.

“We need to get to the place where there isn’t a ‘black race,’ an ‘Asian race,’ or a ‘Hispanic race.’ Just a human race,” he said. “All of us, together.”

Several speakers at the rally praised Western President Bruce Shepard’s statements that Western’s demographics must reflect the changing demographics of the state.

Professor of Political Science Vernon Johnson recalled efforts by students more than 20 years ago whose work towards a more diverse and inclusive campus brought about the formation of the Ethnic Student Center.

Woodring’s Veronica Velez, who identified herself as a “very proud Chicana,” told the gathered crowd that positive change towards diversity and inclusion on college campuses has to be powered by “audacious hope.”

“The power of love and audacious hope make us better people while also making us better teachers,” she said.

Members of the student body and the local community continued to push the day’s uplifting message throughout the event, such as Bellingham city councilperson and Nooksack tribal member Roxanne Murphy, the first person of color ever elected to that group.

“I look out at this amazing crowd, and really, this is what diversity is, what it means,” Murphy said. “And what a way for all of you to stand up make your voices heard. You’re amazing.”