Eight protesters from Whose Diversity? took over the stage Tuesday afternoon as U College of Liberal Arts Dean John Coleman, far right, was delivering his annual state of the college speech. The group demanded recognition by the U of the death of a fellow Whose Diversity? member who died over the summer. MURPHY NEWS SERVICE PHOTO BY MCKAYL BARROWS.
By McKayl Barrows/Murphy News Service
Protesters from Whose Diversity? took to the stage Tuesday afternoon to interrupt University of Minnesota College of Liberal Arts Dean John Coleman during his annual state of the college address.
Eight Whose Diversity? members and supporters silently entered the Cowles Auditorium in the Humphrey School of Public Affairs and joined Coleman on stage as he was making his comments.
The group interrupted Coleman with a slow clapping of their hands and asked for a moment of silence for former protester, member of Whose Diversity? and U American Studies graduate student, Jesus Estrada-Perez, who died this summer.
“When Jesus passed there was no announcement made by CLA or any university administrators about his passing,” said a an unidentified young man, who seemed to have been leading the protest, “We have been waiting for any type of announcement to just let his passing go, or transition go. Without hearing words of condolences by our president or his administration in CLA, it was very disheartening”.
Protesters also held posters with quotes from Estrada-Perez, one which read:
“You are talking about systematically closing down departments that have you language to talk about diversity and racism, and you’re saying they’re not worthy — Jesus Estrada-Perez”.
A petition presented by the protesters demands that sanctions be dropped against against Whose Diversity? members who staged a sit-in in February in the Morrill Hall offices of U President Eric Kaler.
The protestors asked the audience to sign a petition asking that the U Office of Student Conduct drop the charges against the members of Whose Diversity? who were charged during a Morrill Hall sit-in in early February in the offices of U President Eric Kaler.
“We feel that the expression of dissent is a fundamental aspect of the education here at the U,” said the apparent leader when referencing his opposition to the petition.
The protest lasted about 5 minutes and elicited applause from more than half of the members of the crowd of students and faculty. Though, a couple of audience members expressed unhappiness with the protest, saying things such as “Get out.” and “Shut up.”
Coleman told the protesters the university has been in contact with the Estrada-Perez family and is, at this moment, treating the death as a “family situation”.
Coleman proceeded to thank the group for their message and the audience for their patience before continuing on with his goals for the future of the College of Liberal Arts.
He listed as priorities: 1.) ensuring that CLA graduates are highly prepared to enter the workforce, 2.) achieving “creative excellence” in CLA research endeavors, 3.) improved engagement of students and faculty and 4.) continued progress in diversification of the student base, faculty and curriculum offerings.
McKayl Barrows is studying journalism at the University of Minnesota.