CSUnite brings campus together
By Tony Phifer
A chilled crowd of nearly 3,000 students, faculty, staff and community members came together March 29 to march, to cheer, to reflect and to listen during CSUnite.
The 90-minute event featured speakers from faculty and staff, melding with student voices to address hate-related incidents that have shaken the campus community. There was music, there was sadness, and there were messages of hope that the divisions on campus can be repaired.
Blanche Hughes, vice president for student affairs, urged the crowd to use their "eloquent rage" – a mixture of anger, frustration, hope and optimism – to stand up against hate, and to let anyone affected by such incidents know they are not alone.
Participants in the solidarity walk and rally, led by the President's Multicultural Student Advisory Council, included everyone from college deans to student activists, office staff to student athletes. Members of the football, volleyball, soccer, swimming and diving and men's and women's basketball teams, as well as resident advisors from Housing and Dining Services and representatives from International Programs walked together and carried signs of support.
Albert Bimper, associate professor of ethnic studies and a senior associate director of athletics, gave a stirring address prior to the march, charging all in attendance to be part of CSU's story: "There is no place for hate anywhere. There's no place for hate in Ferguson, there's no place for hate in Chicago, there's no place for hate in South Carolina, Louisiana, there's no place for hate in the back yards of Sacramento, there's no place for hate in the front yards of Fort Collins. There's no place for hate on this plaza, there's no place for hate on our faculty, and there's no place for hate in the ranks of our staff. There's no place for hate anywhere."
CSUnite participants carried signs and banners from Newton's Corner to the Lory Student Center Plaza to stand against incidents of bias and hate on campus.
Albert Bimper delivered the charge to the begin the CSUnite solidarity walk: "There is no place for hate anywhere."
CSUnite: No Place 4 H8 walkers number about 3,000, despite intermittent snow showers, and included everyone from youngsters in strollers to CSU President Tony Frank.
Speakers at CSUnite told their individual stories, including Vice President for Student Affairs Blanche Hughes.
The crowd filled the LSC Plaza, with more people on balconies of buildings all around the space.
Human Development and Family Studies professor Toni Zimmerman talked about the difference between what non-marginalized members of the campus community want to be true and what is actually true for others. "Being an ally is active; reach out to let everyone know they belong here."
Mechanical Engineering student Vance Payne told the crowd at CSUnite that to make campus really no place for hate is for everyone to let anyone making hateful remarks or actions know that such behavior is unacceptable. "Actually do something. Make people uncomfortable. Challenge those ideas of hate. They are not welcome here."
Dwayne Iron sang an honor song from the Ute culture for all of those who are part of the Ram nation, following remarks from Ty Smith and Jan Iron of the Native American Cultural Center, who drew parallels between traditional Navajo teachings and CSU's Principles of Community.
After the CSUnite program, participants shared thoughts and feelings about campus and change they'd like to see.
Banners celebrating the Principles of Community will remain on the Lory Student Center through Commencement.
Photos by CSU Photography
AlumniAthleticsCollege of Agricultural SciencesCollege of BusinessCollege of Health and Human SciencesCollege of Liberal ArtsCollege of Natural SciencesCollege of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical SciencesDepartment of Ethnic StudiesDivision of Student AffairsFaculty and staffOffice of the Vice President for DiversityStudentsvideoWalter Scott Jr College of EngineeringWarner College of Natural Resources
Tony Phifer
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