Ethnic Studies Society, Chapman Activist Coalition organize counterprotest
A safe, virtual space was created March 3 for the Chapman community to promote and discuss ethnic studies and oppose a potential white supremacist protest that never materialized. DANIEL PEARSON, Staff Photographer
No white supremacist group was seen picketing the streets near Chapman University March 3, after Public Safety warned of a potential protest for the annual Education and Ethnic Studies Summit.
Yet Chapman’s student body was still determined to take a stand against that rhetoric.
A banner that read “Ethnic Studies” — its bold letters surrounded by action verbs like “empower,” “defend” and “celebrate” — flew high in front of Chapman’s Leatherby Libraries to commemorate the now-canceled Education and Ethnic Studies Summit. The display was devised by the student-led group Chapman Activist Coalition, working in conjunction with the Ethnic Studies Society to host a virtual counter-demonstration against the potential protest. Chief of Public Safety Randy Burba told The Panther that no demonstration actually occurred, but law enforcement presence was readily visible around campus to reduce the likelihood of a violent rally.
“It was really important to hold a counter event at this time, not only to preserve the safety of students by encouraging them to not go on campus, but to also not incite and engage with (the planned protest),” said Lucile Henderson, co-founder of Chapman Activist Coalition and senior communication studies major. “Putting up a message of solidarity in such a communal space at Chapman is really important as yet another means to create the culture of healing.”
Forty-three individuals attended the “Sit-in to Support Ethnic Studies” Zoom counter-event March 3. Molly Weitzman, the president of the Ethnic Studies Society, told The Panther it was planned to encourage event attendees to use their resources and come together during times of isolation, confusion, oppression or distrust in the community.
“We want to be proactive rather than reactive,” said Weitzman, a senior peace studies and integrated educational studies double major. “This is a pretty good example of that because we’re able to get ahead of any situation that might’ve happened on campus rather than try to find ways to support the community after something bad had happened.”
“We want to be proactive rather than reactive. This is a pretty good example of that because we’re able to get ahead of any situation that might’ve happened on campus rather than try to find ways to support the community after something bad had happened.”
Natalia Ventura, co-founder of Chapman Activist Coalition, told The Panther it’s crucial to not validate DesertKreig through publicity, should the small white supremacist group receive enough media coverage to spread their alt-right beliefs and convert students. Although Ventura said that Public Safety publicly announcing the potential protest in a Feb. 25 email was a step in the right direction, she believes Chapman administration can do more to protect students and eliminate a culture conducive to allowing white supremacists to promote hateful propaganda on campus.
“It reminds me of the feeling I had when Patriot Front put up stickers and posters when ‘La Frontera’ happened,” said Ventura, a senior peace studies major. “It was a very similar circumstance and it’s just these white supremacist groups just really trying to recruit from Chapman.”
Upon first hearing of the potential protest, Ventura reached out to conceptualize the sit-in with Henderson, Weitzman and a number of faculty and staff already part of the Education and Ethnic Studies Summit. The virtual space itself began with a one-word check in from the attendees, which was met with blunt responses like “stressed,” “drained” and “frustrated” from students unmuting their microphones.
Anat Herzog, the adviser for the Ethnic Studies Society, shared with attendees how the Summit, which she co-founded and helped launch six years ago, came to realization.
“Students wanted a space that could connect the scholarship they were learning, the activism they were doing and the gravity of an academic space to speak to administrators, to leadership, to faculty about things that are happening at Chapman and to advocate for the programs that they want,” said Herzog, a Chapman liaison for Academic Service-Learning.
After the sit-in introduced an overview of ethnic studies, its history at Chapman and Ventura’s “Chap-tivism” timeline, a healing circle opened to allow students to express their sentiments on creating an equitable campus community. During this time, students examined how ethnic studies could be implemented into their individual studies. Ethan Stoneham, a junior theater performance major, believes ethnic studies can assist in diversifying theater curricula to promote narratives outside those written by white playwrights.
“Theater is meant to tell stories first and foremost, explain parts of the human condition … and talk about those messages that are so diverse in identity and culture,” Stoneham said. “Those conversations can really help educate a lot of people (and provide) so many more stories that are so enthralling and beautiful.”
The Education and Ethnic Studies Summit is tentatively rescheduled for late April or early May, in either a week-long or a multiple-weekend format. Some workshops and panel discussions will include white supremacy on campus, how professors can introduce ethnic study educators in the classroom and how to be a student activist. The summit will also spotlight Chapman and local high school student research on ethnic studies.
“Ethnic studies is a social movement. It’s curriculum, it’s community-based, it’s for young kids, it’s for older people, it’s for everyone,” Weitzman said at the virtual event. “We’re starting to turn over that new leaf with students getting more involved.”
An Ethnic Studies cluster was approved at Chapman during the fall semester, and the minor proposal is currently undergoing review for approval. Weitzman, Henderson and Ventura agree their pioneering is well worth the effort if it means galvanizing a following that will continue promoting positive change at Chapman University, they said.
“It really was healing for me to see that we could turn a threat of hate into a rich dialogue about how to improve the curriculum on our campus and widen this culture across campus,” Ventura said. “We need to be in touch with our history of activism so that we’re able to build off of it and not have to reinvent the wheel over and over again.”