By Jazmon DeJarnette
SEASIDE, California (KSBW) — Students at Cal State Monterey Bay gathered outside the Otter Student Union to protest after racially charged graffiti was discovered at the same location in February, calling for accountability and increased safety measures.
“Tell me how many times you’ve seen a derogatory term on your door or on your student union, or in your face, or someone telling you to your face, or on Instagram or whatever?” said DeeJay Thornton, a student at CSUMB.
Another student, Brejhan Williams, expressed frustration with the university’s response, saying, “I need more than just an email. I need competency classes, cultural competency classes, so people stop looking at me like I’m the odd one out because I’m not the only Black person that they’ve ever seen.”
The university stated that the incident remains under investigation and outlined steps it has taken to support students.
“We are working and meeting with our cultural identity center, specifically our Helen Rucker Center, our Black Student Union. We have regular check-ins and follow-ups to ensure that we are hearing them and that we are addressing their concerns,” said Nizhoni Chow-Garcia, associate vice president of Community and Belonging at CSUMB.
The school announced additional measures to prevent future incidents, including mandatory microaggression training for all students and staff starting next semester, security camera upgrades in residence halls, and increased awareness around Title IX.
“We unequivocally support our Black students and our Black community. Our mission as a community is social mobility for all and especially our underserved communities,” Chow-Garcia said.
Students also raised concerns about broader issues on campus, including challenges faced by the Helen Rucker Center, which serves as the Black Student Union.
“The Helen Rucker Center, which is also the Black Student Union, where we all collect, also has been under attack. There have been certain affiliations coming in and challenging Black opinions when we are having seminars,” said Morgan Woods, another student.
The protest ended with participants joining hands and raising their voices in unity. Students emphasized the importance of fostering change within their community.
“The university can do the things that they can systemically. But at the same time, we as students have to build a culture of accountability and build a culture of love amongst our Black students and show that we’re really supportive,” Thornton said.
The university reiterated its commitment to addressing these issues and announced a campus-wide seminar next Friday on the impacts of harmful language.
The-CNN-Wire
