Approximately 400 students came together to march through downtown Naperville on Nov. 11 in solidarity against hatred. The March in Solidarity came three days after the election of Donald Trump to the U.S. presidency.
The route started near Naperville’s Riverwalk and took a winding path through the campus, even passing directly through the library. Various speakers told stories or spoke poetry, as Davonte Sanders (’17) did. Kevin Oyakawa called the group “the love coalition.”
Oyakawa added, “This protest is the first step of many, it is not the first of its kind and it will not be the last of its kind. And we just want to keep spreading the message of love in whatever avenue that we can.”
For the present, however, Oyakawa said, “We need to focus on studying, we need to be responsible going into week 10.”
Dorothy Pleas, director of multicultural affairs, called the march a success. Pleas said “I am willing to support them in terms of whatever they are trying to do, so if they want to have a march, if they want to have another kind of action, you know, I am just willing to support.”
