The Cal State Bakersfield community will come together for the ‘Students for Solidarity’ march on Wednesday, Feb. 19 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., beginning at the Student Union.
Inspired by all of the marches and protests going on around the world, Victor Gutierrez Hernandez, club president of Latinos Unidos por Educacion and Marcila Diaz, club president of the Native and Indigenous Student Coalition are spearheading a march at CSUB, advocating for justice, inclusion and equality for everyone.
“It is your march of all marches,” said Diaz. “Just because [an issue is] not happening to you does not mean that it’s not important. I think that’s why it’s really crucial to practice empathy and practice caring.”
The march will encompass different important issues that cannot be ignored such as the California wildfires, immigration enforcement, CSU budget cuts and reduction to diversity, equity and inclusion funding. The goal of the march is not to create division but to create unity in a challenging time, said Diaz.
The two student leaders have been significant in organizing advocacy events since last semester with the hope that their events spark change in the community and provide a safe space for students to speak out on important issues.
“I feel like we’ve been called to advocate… and take this responsibility and share the needs of the people,” said Diaz.
Diaz and Gutierrez Hernandez shared that they hope the march brings everyone together to share their experiences, resources and create a sense of community. They want to demonstrate that they are stronger when they bring their voices together.
“It’s been a long time since a group of students came here and advocated,” Gutierrez Hernandez said. “You don’t see this type of presence in the school every single day.”
He hopes to reintegrate the school spirit, as he feels that recently the school has felt off and different.
He said that in their previous advocacy events such as the Post-Elections Debrief and the listening session with President Vernon Harper, they received significant support from students who appreciated having the safe space to express their concerns and feelings.
Diaz said that the march as well as any other event that they host will be inclusive. “It’s never going to be to make you feel isolated or targeted or attacked, it really is just to come together,” she explained.
The event has already received strong support from various campus clubs and departments, including the MAGEC Center, which has supported their previous advocacy events. According to Gutierrez Hernandez, the response from students has been overwhelmingly positive.
While there are concerns of potential encounters with people of different opinions, Diaz and Gutierrez Hernandez are determined to maintain a peace march, wanting to focus on creating a safe space because they don’t want anyone to be impacted in an unexpected way.
“Don’t wait for something to happen in order to make it happen,” said Gutierrez Hernandez. “Be proactive.”
Set to graduate this Spring, both student leaders hope to motivate others to advocate for themselves.
“I don’t think the work that we do ever ends or ends with us,” said Diaz. “We’re taking the first step and that’s why we appreciate for you all to take the next and join us.”
