Local Anti-ICE Protests

The local I.C.E. protests throughout January and February gained lots of attention. Kids from all across the country decided to walk out of school to peacefully protest, whereas some didn’t show up to school at all for the “no work, no school, no shopping” nationwide protest. Many students made a statement by making signs and chanting to practice their First Amendment rights. 

I went to the protest that was organized by the Black Student Union here at Valencia, and it was without a doubt, an experience I will never forget. It was truly supportive and I felt glad that many people sacrificed their lunch time for something important like this. It made me feel like I was being heard and so proud that we all got to share the same views, and be present for each other and for the people all around the country for this edifying moment. I had the pleasure of interviewing a student from Canyon High School who also protested. 

Grace Ryan (Sophomore): 

1. Q: First of all, describe the process of the protest: what emotions did you have–any thoughts, feelings, ideas, etc.? Basically, how did all of it make you feel? 

   A: “Before the protest, I felt anxious to leave school without a solid plan, but I also felt a sense of community and mutual pride; everyone standing up and fighting together was such an amazing experience for me. During the protest, I felt safe and happy, and everyone had each other's backs. It was pretty controlled, we were all fighting for the same thing and when someone would drive by us yelling obscenely, we would just laugh and ignore them because they weren’t the point. The sense of camaraderie I felt I will never forget. No one was hurt, and our message was clear: Love will always prevail over fear; over hate.”

2. Q: How did you learn about this protest?

   A: “I learned about it through my friend's Instagram note that said, ‘When is the walkout?’ Later that day, I saw a post by a page called “Canyon Walk Out” saying when and where it would be taking place. Many others, including myself, reposted it to our stories multiple times and spread the word in real life as well.” 

3. Q: Did you guys feel like you mirrored each other's actions and emotions? What did you notice in others–whether protesting or not–that gave you hope or spirit, and how did that affect you? Do you think it generally affected everyone else who was protesting or not?

   A: “Many kids left my school, and the protest was huge. People were on every square inch of sidewalk, and still there were more behind them. It was absolutely phenomenal. Hundreds of students went, including most of my grade (10th), and even my friend who didn’t come said there were less than 10 kids in attendance in her class. It made us feel proud and reminded me that this is bigger than just us–my friends and I–bigger than our school and city. Seeing how many kids that were there made me realize just how important it is to stand up for what’s right and to be on the right side of history. I think the sheer volume of people that turned up and the support we garnered really made a difference, and I’m confident that if we have another protest, more people will come. The main reason kids skipped out on the protest was that they were scared, but we don’t have to be—not when there’s so many of us and so much love around.”

Some things she mentioned were: “Protesting is the best way to spread the word, we outnumber them, we always will, because good will always absolve evil in the end.” and “Once we come to terms with class consciousness we win, it’s that easy; we have the strength and will to win."

(Ari Johnson)

I also had the pleasure of interviewing Ari Johnson, who organized the protest at our school. 

1. Q: Why did you want to protest? 

   "A: I've been seeing a lot of stuff on the news and social media about how bad ICE has been since Trump took office. Innocent people were being murdered and detained. We had seen things like that happening with slavery and the Holocaust. That's why I organized the protest: so students could feel like they had a voice."

2. Q: Why is protesting important to you or in general?

   A: "Protesting is one of our First Amendment rights; it is important to take advantage of that. Especially since there have been people trying to take that right away. Even though the administration is trying to deter people, we want to show that we are not afraid to speak up for what is right."

3. Q: How would you encourage the act of protest to those who are a little skeptical about its impact?  

   A: "The amendments give us the right to do it. And they also say that if the government is not serving its people, it’s the duty of the people to rebel and do something about it. The Civil Rights Act would have never been passed if there were no protests. Women's right to vote/labor unions would not have been a thing without protests. Throughout history, when people come together as a united front, change happens."

4. Q: How did protesting make you feel?     

   A: "It made me feel empowered and not so hopeless. And it made me feel really good seeing so many people know that this isn't right and that there are so many people willing to sacrifice their time for the cause. It showed me that it just took a small spark to get things rolling, because many other schools had the same protest after us."

5. Q: Did you feel like a lot of people were protesting at your school, and was there a sense of unity? 

   A: "Yeah definitely, it felt like around 200 people there. And it felt like everyone was looking out for each other and it was definitely very peaceful."

6. Q: How did you learn about this protest? 

   A: "The protests started in Minneapolis, and I was inspired by other student protests across the country." 

Her final statement was, “People should always stand up for what they feel in their heart is right. If you know that's what's right, then you should stand up for it.”