Stovall, Natasha and Andrew Hsiao, “Building a Movement”,” CUNY Digital History Archive, accessed September 11, 2024, https://cdha.cuny.edu/items/show/411.

Summary: In the issue featured in “The Village Voice,”People gathered outside of the NAC at CCNY to protest against the unfair policies that would prove to be hurdles in the paths of underprivileged groups. In particular, the movement was catalyzed by the new budget cuts. However, as the protesters began a hunger strike at 11 pm, NYPD arrived on the premises to arrest these individuals.  While this Hunger strike was monumental, people planned to partake in a bigger protest on April 25. This protest was described as “a day of simultaneous protest.”This description made sense as the protests were arranged to include health care activists, the same boat coalition, civil rights advocates, LGBTQ+ organizations, and more. A movement of this magnitude had not been seen for the last 20 years. The event is part of a broader movement-building effort, showing unity among the people. After years of people directing their energy towards one issue, this movement signals a shift towards a more comprehensive approach to advocacy.

Important quotes:

• “We’re depriving ourselves of nourishment the way the governments—city, state, federal—are depriving us of an education, a future.”
• “The source of our problems is the same.
• But we’ve been struggling in isolation, which leaves us all vulnerable.”
• “Now we’re trying to build a movement that will be a microcosm of the society we want—a movement that takes into account the multiple identities we all have.”

Reflection:

This issue demonstrates the inspiring voices involved in the movement and underscores the importance of perseverance and the power of solidarity. The tenacity displayed by the protestors is admirable because they were people who were willing to risk being arrested just so they could set a good precedent. They did not turn to violence when their requests went unanswered, instead, they stayed committed to the cause. Their prime motivation was to create a movement that would “take into account the multiple identities [they all had].” Inclusivity and diversity were what made this movement stand out from the rest. The people involved in the movement sought to integrate voices from different organizations to further their cause. They understood that the reason their fight seemed so tedious was because they had been “struggling in isolation.”Together, their efforts were amplified. The event demonstrates just how influential the coalition of diverse groups addressing intersecting social issues can be. The movement aims to make a notable impact by drawing attention to imperative issues and potentially setting a new benchmark for future activism and policy reforms.