May 2, 2024 | NEWS | By Lilly Asano and Tessa Frantz
A chilly, late-April breeze fell across Tava Quad. While birds chirped and the hum of passing cars lingered in the air, the quad was completely silent for the first time in almost half an hour.
On May 1, students in support of Palestine organized a campus-wide walkout in solidarity with Palestinians affected by the conflict in Gaza. Traveling alone or with friends, on desire paths or sidewalks, students, alumni, and faculty arrived at the quad’s center when Shove Chapel’s bells struck 9:30 a.m.
“I think the act of resisting in higher education is really powerful,” Caroline Cullinane ‘27 told Catalyst reporters. “Colleges have a lot of power. We’ve seen that throughout this entire conflict. The ability we have to walk out is just really powerful and shows that students have a voice.”
The moment of silence recognized the nearly 34,000 Palestinians who have been killed in Gaza since Oct. 7, 2023. After participants gathered, the protest commenced with opening remarks, explaining that there would be various speeches from students and faculty members, followed by activities and a bake sale.
The walkout on May 1 wasn’t the first protest organized in support of Palestine. A sit-in at Charles L. Tutt Library on March 3 sparked campus-wide controversy when protesters stationed themselves on the library’s second floor, played music, led chants, and marched through every level of the library, including the silent basement and fourth floor.
Students later received an email from exiting president L. Song Richardson explaining that when the noise level became disruptive, the student protestors’ activities were “interfering with other students’ ability to learn.”
Due to previous conduct cases raised during protests and worries over academic suspension, student organizers of May 1’s walkout were unwilling to speak with The Catalyst.
In an official statement to the Catalyst, Pedro de Araujo wrote, “Our Freedom of Expression policy encourages the CC community [to] be active and engaged citizens, which may include participation in protests and demonstrations. Protests always create discomfort and difficult choices — in many ways, that is the point of protesting.”
“I have faith in our community’s ability to engage in protest without resorting to violence, antisemitism, or Anti-Muslim hate, and today’s protest demonstrated this,” the dean of the college wrote.
CC administrators developed a safety and emergency management plan in light of recent campus encampments and student arrests. If needed, de Araujo explained that the school would focus on de-escalation “with no plans to call the police unless we had an immediate, unexpected health or safety issue.”
In contrast to past protests and demonstrations, the walkout on May 1 had by far the largest student participation.
Some of the speeches consisted of personal anecdotes. Many contained sobering statistics from Palestine.
“We are entering the 200 day of US backed Israeli genocide against Palestine. We are here today because we are making a negotiation,” one speaker said. “We are negotiating our responsibility, our comforts, our privileges, our normal in order to make it clear to ourselves, each other and Colorado College that we do not accept its economic support of the Israeli war machine.”
A prominent theme throughout the walkout was the emphasis on Jewish solidarity with Palestine. One student highlighted the difference between the Jewish faith itself and Zionism, a movement with imperialistic roots.
“In this current movement, we see Jews as some of the most active voices, demanding divestment from Israeli, apartheid and genocide on college campuses and in cities across the country,” one speaker stated.
Celia Palmer, ‘16, lives in Colorado Springs. As participants arrived, Palmer’s friends and fellow alumni greeted her with hugs. With signs like “CC Alumns for Palestine”’ and “Free Palestine,” the alumni stood proudly near the front of the crowd.
“The college seeks money [and] support from us. We’re part of the college’s reputation. We’re part of the college community, and we’re residents of Colorado Springs,” Palmer said. “The college is a place where we can have perhaps more of a direct impact.”
Many Jewish students attended the protest, adorned with posters or verbally affirming the speeches. Some wore shirts reading “Not In Our Name,” a popular phrase proliferating through the pro-Palestine Jewish community.
“I feel like best honoring my Jewish identity is standing up for people who are actively being oppressed,” said Bella Wasserman ‘27. “I will not have my name be used as a justification for genocide.”
Reverend Candace Woods ‘13 delivered a speech to the gatherers, expressing how her role as an alumna and a Christian has shaped her view of the conflict, specifically the CC endowment.
“Alumni are asking for the institution to check in with itself about what our endowment is being used for. Is it being used to support the people who are here right now? Is it being used to create equitable systems?”
Woods made a point of maintaining dialogue with peers from other faiths. She believes that many religious traditions share common values and that people should connect through them.
“A lot of people allow their faith to define their humanity. For me, I want my humanity to define my faith,” she said.
Faculty played a vital role in the strength of the walkout. Dozens of faculty members arrived with the intention of reading a signed letter expressing their requests to the CC administration. The email containing the letter was sent before the Wednesday morning walkout.
The letter is published in this edition of The Catalyst on page 9.
Thursday, May 2, is the halfway mark on the final block of the academic year. With 18 guaranteed days of class instruction through the Block Plan, some students and faculty decided to spend one of them at the walkout.
Peter Wright, associate professor of religion studies, believes participants didn’t really miss a day: they just elected to hold class in a different setting.
“They took an alternative class, and in fact, a lot of them gave class,” Wright said. “That’s why we’re there as faculty.”
Wright sent the faculty letter to the college’s administration on Wednesday morning through his school email. He strongly supports students’ right to exercise the First Amendment and believes faculty have a responsibility to help students develop their own conscience.
“One of the things we’ve kept emphasizing is that this is really part of their college education,” he continued. “There’s certain things in life that I think really have to take precedence.”
Some professors, like Doug Edlin, opted to cancel class in light of the protest. Edlin, who is teaching the inaugural Free Speech class, wanted his students to be able to participate without the fear of missing instruction.
“As institutions of higher education, I think there is a particular obligation on the part of faculty members and students to pursue the truth in whatever way they understand that,” Edlin said.
While the academic year closes on May 15, to some, the protests seem far from over.
Sitting in his office following the walkout, Wright teared up as he reflected on the change students are trying to bring. Growing up in the 60s, Wright witnessed the changes young Americans made.
“It’s, you know, once a century or something. You’re not going to see it again. I think I’m seeing it again, and I cannot tell you how happy it makes me.”
“Gen Z is coming in in style,” Wright laughed. “I will say that I could not be more proud of the students who have stepped up.”
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