Gusting winds did not deter more than 500 Northwestern students, faculty and administrators at The Rock on Wednesday evening who wanted to eradicate acts of bigotry on campus.
The rally was the second demonstration in two days protesting the 10 reported acts of bigotry that started in January. Minority students were encouraged to wear black and remain silent Tuesday to show what campus would be like without their presence.
But Wednesday’s rally intended to unite all of campus, as a diverse group of students chanted: “The time is now! The time is right! Be the change, Northwestern unite!”
A tearful Xander Saide addressed the crowd from the top of the stairs of University Hall in the first of 10 speeches made Wednesday night.
The words “Die Spic” appeared on a poster and a wall near Saide’s room in Chapin Residential College on Nov. 4. Saide told police he was held at knifepoint early Nov. 8 by someone who whispered, “Spic, we didn’t run away this time” in his ear.
“The feeling of a knife being pulled on me is still with me, and I don’t know if it will ever go away,” said Saide, a Communication freshman. “But this didn’t happen to me, it happened to all of NU.”
Vice President for Student Affairs William Banis attended the rally to pledge the university’s commitment to diversity. University President Henry Bienen told The Daily he was unable to attend the rally due to a lecture he was to give in Chicago.
Banis called the gathering “the most outstanding rally” he’s seen in his nine years at NU. Banis condemned the acts while supporting the student campaign against hatred.
“I am proud of you,” Banis said. “If we are to transform the community at NU, we need to move from complaints to commitment.”
One such commitment was increasing faculty diversity, said University Provost Lawrence Dumas, who also attended the event.
Students have blamed apathetic administrators for not ending racism on campus since the problem started, said Tamara Kagel, Associated Student Government’s student services vice president. Because the racial and religious instances of intolerance continue, she said, the entire NU community is “culpable.”
“It’s our fault, it’s all our faults,” said Kagel, a Communication senior. “What are we doing, here at NU, to make someone feel comfortable about doing this?”
Kagel blamed students for not making efforts to embrace diversity and added that NU will no longer tolerate an indifferent campus.
“We will defend our home and we will find you,” Kagel said. “Look at us now. We will fight back, because this is our home.”
Residents from Chapin led a march after the rally from The Rock to the Louis Room in Norris University Center, where a three-foot swastika was found on an outdoor wall Sunday afternoon.
Ayinde Jean-Baptiste, a Weinberg senior who spoke at the Million Man March more than seven years ago, told students in the Louis Room to continue their efforts to reject hate at NU and across the nation.
“We talk about Northwestern being ‘No Place for Hate,” Jean-Baptiste said. “But what place is a place for hate? There is none.”
Event organizers Tracy Carson, the coordinator of black student alliance For Members Only, and Chapin President Nathaniel Whittemore, a Weinberg sophomore, revealed a banner with the words “Be The Change.” The banner was signed by leaders of a cross-section of student groups.
The saying comes from one of Mahatma Gandhi’s mantras, “Be the change you wish to see in the world,” said Carson, a Weinberg senior.
“This shows we are united,” Carson said as she hoisted the banner. “It’s a visual representation of our commitment.”
Carson said the banner will be displayed in Norris permanently.
After the demonstration Music sophomore Matt Muckey said he was “excited” that NU students combatted its apathetic reputation.
“It was good for everyone to get together about an important issue,” Muckey said. “It shows people we do care about our community.”
