Students use chalk to voice their thoughts on important issues and encourage others to speak out.
Watch video here.
One participant explained the mission: "We did this because no one wants to be the first to speak out, but the supporters of ICE are in the minority. People are scared right now, and there is a lot of reason to be, but staying quiet keeps no one safe. Fascism requires constant conflict to survive. It doesn’t matter how quiet you are, they will find a reason to come after you. Fascists take what they think is the path of least resistance. They brutalize the population because they think they will get away with it. When we stay silent, we are allowing them to continue to delude themselves.
"By creating a permission structure for people to speak out, it cuts through the isolation. People can realize that they are not alone in their beliefs, and that others stand with them. It was illustrated perfectly by the chalking because as soon as others started to see our messages, they wanted to join in. No one wants to stand alone, but when you do, it has a ripple effect. People take their cues from their surroundings. If they see someone unafraid of the government, speaking truth to power, it tells them they can do it too.
"They sow fear because it is the only tool they have to control the entire population. They don’t have the resources, intelligence, or will to go after us if we stand as a united block. A perfect example of this is Minneapolis. Everyone pitched in, they delivered groceries to their neighbors, took their kids to school, alerted vulnerable communities to ICE presence, and sprang into action the moment their neighbors needed help. This model can be replicated all across the country. We just need to create the environment to allow for it. That starts with giving people assurance that they are not alone."
