(See the FLYER for the Campaign to Double Underrepresented Minority Enrollment in UC)
10:30PM – Throughout the evening, protesters chanted at the UCLA police station “Let them go!” and “No segregation in UC, Our people must go free!” The mood was festive, and passersby expressed support and took flyers. The last arrestee was released at about 10:15pm.
7:27PM – UCLA police arrested 13 people who were occupying the UCLA admissions office demanding (1) that UCLA double underrepresented minority enrollment and (2) that UCLA reopen the appeals process for the more-than-deserving Latina/o, black, and other underrepresented minority students who are appealing their rejections by UCLA.
5:54PM – The UCLA police are saying they are going to announce a dispersal order shortly and clear the UCLA admissions office. People are occupying to double underrepresented minority student enrollment and presenting appeals of stellar Latina/o and black students fighting their rejections. Previous updates below.
4:25PM: The occupation of UCLA’s admissions office, which began 3:25PM, is one hour old. Students are chanting, holding signs, and giving speeches. The protesters have 3 demands:
1. Double Latina/o, black and other underrepresented minority student enrollment
2. Admit more Latina/o, black, and other underrepresented minority students including some of the students we are submitting.
3. Reopen the Appeals process to allow the more than deserving Latina/o, black, Native American and other underrepresented minority who have been denied once or twice already the chance to be reconsidered.
3:25PM: Chanting “Educate, don’t segregate!”, about 30 high-school and community-college students, some of whom are underrepresented minority students fighting their rejections by UCLA, and supporters have begun an occupation of UCLA’s admissions office. They demand real action now by UCLA to double underrepresented minority student enrollment.
Press Release is BELOW.
OCCUPATION of UCLA Admissions Office Demanding Admission of Outstanding Latina/o, Black, and Native American Students Appealing Their Rejections
High-school and transfer students and supporters occupy & speak-out for their right to attend UCLA
FRIDAY, JUNE 1, 2012, 3:15PM
Front of Murphy Hall, UCLA
BAMN and underrepresented minority students, some who were rejected by UCLA, will occupy UCLA’s admissions office Friday to demand that it keep open its appeals process in order to signficantly increase the number of underrepresented minority students they admit. They are denouncing the resegregation of higher education and the resistance of the UCLA administration to double the number of underrepresented minority students enrolled. At the occupation, the high-school and transfer students and supporters, some who are appealing their rejections by UCLA, will testify on their commitment to unite and fight for their and their peers’ right to attend UCLA, and their own experiences combating racism and discrimination.
“I’m occupying because I’m representing the thousands of Latino, black, and other underrepresented minority students who fight every day for their education,”said Margarita Gamino, UCLA student. “The millions of Latinos and immigrants who are the backbone this city and of California, and their sons and daughters like me, deserve to get the best public university education in this state.”
On April 6 and May 11, BAMN held occupations of UC-Berkeley’s registrar and admissions offices, respectively. A number of the students who have worked with BAMN and fought their rejections have since won admission through appeal.
A number of underrepresented minority students, all with outstanding academic records, are still fighting for their admission, including:
* Miguel Gil, a Napa Valley High School student with a 4.3+ weighted GPA who has passed 5 AP exams (perfect scores on some of them) and is awaiting his scores on seven more. He is the son of Mexican immigrants and English is his second language. He was rejected by UCLA and twice by UC-Berkeley.
* Jackie Partida, a Chicana transfer student from Pasadena Community College who watched her father get deported back to Mexico. She is is fighting for herself and all undocumented and minority students. She is an outspoken leader at her college who is building a new civil rights and immigrant rights movement.
* Qui’Chi (Raul) Martinez, a Chicano transfer student with Indigenous heritage who has struggled as homeless student for years. He is a scholar whose optimism about life embodies the struggles and strengths of his multiple cultures.
* Jordan Martinez, a Latino student from Westchester High School who suffered the tragic loss of his sister when she was shot and died in his arms, and who himself survived getting shot in the projects of Los Angeles. He travels across the city by bus to get the best possible education so that he can empower himself and his community.
“These students are leaders to their communities and should be admitted to UCLA,” said Hoku Jeffrey, BAMN national organizer. “These students, and the thousands more they represent, are gifted, meritorious, and more than qualified, but UCLA and UCB are shutting the door on their futures. We are occupying to demand an end to UCLA’s new Jim Crow admission policies and for the admission of these students now.”
Latina/o, black, and Native American students comprise about half of California’s high-school graduates, but are only 25.6 percent of UCLA’s California-resident freshmen this year.
