With their arms around each other, chanting in a circle on Turlington Plaza, students and community members were united with the University of Missouri.
The Gator Chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and UF Dream Defenders held a peaceful demonstration Wednesday night to show their support for black students at the University of Missouri, whose protests over racial tensions on campus led to former Mizzou President Tim Wolfe’s resignation Monday.
The demonstration was put together Wednesday in about two or three hours, said Syleena Powell, an event organizer.
Students sang "Lift Every Voice and Sing" and chanted. The UF African-American studies junior said she wanted to have an event showing solidarity while the Missouri protests were recent.
Powell, 20, said the campus climate at UF is similar to Missouri because UF is a predominantly white institution.
While the group of about 175 was chanting, "I believe that we will win," three or four white students walked by and began mocking the group, Powell said. As the group clapped, the other students clapped sarcastically and made sounds.
"In that moment, we were definitely challenged," she said. "That just goes to show that it’s here."
Rakem Bess, a UF criminology and sociology senior, said he was shocked the students would mock them in public.
But the group didn’t react, he said. After the students left, the chants got louder and there was a greater feeling of unity.
Kayla Esparra, a 26-year-old community member, said she thought the program was strong. She said black students are being targeted and need to be better represented at universities.
"I was shocked, and I felt very fearful," she said in reference to hearing about the University of Missouri’s problems.
The demonstration showed that Gainesville stands with Missouri, said Malu Behrende, a Santa Fe College anthropology sophomore. He said he thinks people try to make blacks feel like they shouldn’t be standing up for themselves.
"I just felt love," the 23-year-old said. "They try to make these things feel hateful."
Bess, 23, said he thinks the incident shows that racial problems are on all campuses, including UF’s. The event was held to bring about change.
"That’s what we’re doing right now," he said.
As the demonstration ended at about 6 p.m., Daniel Clayton, a UF electrical engineering junior, prayed with the group. They bowed their heads, and they asked God to be with them.
"We go on with our lives," the 20-year-old said. "Help us to be even more unified after tonight. Let this be a part of something new. Let us get change done."
Contact Caitlin Ostroff at costroff@alligator.org and follow her on Twitter @ceostroff
Heather Monae Jackson, a 20-year-old UF business management senior and action co-chair of the Gator chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, stands in the middle of a demonstration on Turlington Plaza on Nov. 11, 2015, in support of University of Missouri students. “The primary message of the new generation is 'Justice or Else,'” she said, “and that is what this rally was about.”
