Toddlers, former drug addicts, lesbians and more than 100 other people filled the the space around the Sample Gates from the bus stop to the Franklin Hall sign.
“We gather to defend the undocumented and their families.”
The crowd cheered.
“We gather to defend our Muslim neighbors and friends.”
The crowd cheered louder.
“We gather to forcefully resist any assault on Black Lives Matter.”
The crowd cheered, people shouted “Yes” and loud drumming echoed.
The crowd gathered Sunday afternoon at the Sample Gates for the the Defense and Progress rally. Organizers said this rally was not to protest the recent election’s outcome but to unite Bloomington and IU’s various social justice organizations.
Alexandria Hollett, an IU doctoral student, facilitated the representatives’ speeches. The UndocuHoosier Alliance, Students Against State Violence, Bloomington Against Islamophobia and 10 other organizations had speakers.
The rally’s speakers covered many social issues, including LGBT issues, racial tension, undocumented students, homelessness and women’s reproductive rights.
Despite the breadth of issues covered, the overwhelming themes in each speaker’s speech were unity and connection between groups that advocated for different minority rights.
Stanley Njuguna from Students for a Democratic Society said he woke after the election feeling pain and frightened but knew it was time to do something to bring people together.
Njuguna said he and SDS plan to create a student coalition to unite IU students and take substantial action.
“Now more than ever, we have to support and fund the ACLU, fund Planned Parenthood, Black Lives Matter and undocumented immigrants,” Njuguna said.
As he spoke, he directed the crowd to chant after him.
“Black Lives Matter, rise up, LGBT issues, rise up,” he said and the crowd echoed. “The power of the people is greater than the people in power.”
Amanda Lanzillo represented Bloomington Against Islamophobia. She carried a poster that read, “If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor.”
“We are going to have refugees in Bloomington,” Lanzillo said. “We are not going to have hate speech stop that.”
Lanzillo said Bloomington Against Islamophobia will fight against the oppression of Islamic people by organizing educational and outreach events in Bloomington.
The UndocuHoosier Alliance’s Gionni Ponce spoke about the effects Donald Trump’s plans for deportation and removal of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival program will have on IU students and the Bloomington community. DACA is President Obama’s executive order that prevents undocumented children from being deported.
Ponce said the removal of DACA threatens undocumented students' financial aid and ability to legally work but also most importantly puts them at risk for deportation.
Ponce said DACA students self-identify, so the government is aware they are here without documentation.
She and the UndocuHoosier Alliance want to work to designate IU as a sanctuary campus. This would mean IU would become a place that supports undocumented people. Sanctuary cities, like New York City and Washington, D.C., are cities that protect illegal immigrants from legal prosecution.
Students Against State Violence representatives also spoke about designating IU as a sanctuary campus, an additional demand to those they are currently working on. These demands are elimination of the IUPD, restructuring of the Office of Student Ethics and creating a social justice requirement as a part of IU’s general education requirement.
Alice Corey, an IU staff member and a member of Stop Criminalizing and Stigmatizing Poverty, Addiction and Mental Illness, said she calls on IU to honor the promise set forth by Provost Lauren Robel to create an inclusive community.
“I hold IU to make good on that promise,” Corey said.
Corey said she acknowledged the crowd gathered at the Sample Gates included many privileged, educated liberals.
“The spirit of connection is what we need more than ever,” Corey said. “Resistance is hard. It makes you feel uncomfortable. I call on you to feel uncomfortable, because other people don’t get to decide.”
William Morris from the Bloomington National Association for the Advancement of Colored People led the large group of people in singing “This Little Light of Mine”.
“This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine, / Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine,” Morris’ and the crowd’s voices joined together.
There was no longer loud, harsh cheering; rather, there were soft voices united in song.
A previous version of this story identified Alice Corey as IU faculty instead of IU staff. The IDS regrets this error.
