Hundreds of students and faculty from across California gathered in Sacramento for a march to the state capitol building on Thursday, demanding changes to higher education costs.
The “March in March” began at Sutter Health Park and crossed over the Tower Bridge before arriving at the capitol building for a rally and speeches. Its goal was to call for changes to the higher education system as well as promote awareness about environmental justice, according to the groups RSVP page.
“We need to make sure that the community colleges serve all of our communities, that we have access to a high quality free education,”Jeff Freitas said, the president of the California Federation of Teachers.
Students and other participants were proudly chanting throughout the entire march. The most common chant being, “Ain’t no power like the power of the people cause the power of the people don’t stop!”
Owen Harwig, a nineteen-year-old history major from Los Angeles Pierce College in Woodland Hills, California, said he didn’t expect such a large crowd to attend the march.
“I thought this was a chance to get more involved and fight for our rights, and fight for the people who can’t,” Harwig said.
Harwig said he thinks it’s important for people to work the jobs they want and to live the life that suits them. He said he was happy people showed up to have their voices heard.
“Well, I personally believe that college should be free for everyone,” Harwig said. “Because I feel like, having to pay, to go have a chance at doing what you want to do and making a change in the world, that feels kind of crazy to me.”
There was a large presence of Latinx students who led many chants in Spanish and held signs reading “La comunidad unida”, among others.
David O’Brien, the vice chancellor for government relations at the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office, discussed the importance of students standing up for their futures.
“There are a lot of people in California who maybe have more money than some of us do, and maybe feel like they have a bigger voice,” O’Brien said. “But there are more of you in this great state.”
O’Brien was followed by Anna Mathews, advocacy manager for the Faculty Association of the California Community Colleges and recent graduate from a community college herself.
“Together, faculty and students can reestablish the mission and foundation that our beloved community colleges stand upon,” Mathews said. “Together, we can bring community back to community colleges.”
