Here’s How SGA Is Supporting Racial Justice

Teresa Schuster/ Staff Writer

The Student Government Council at Modesto Maidique Campus has said they plan to use their platform to combat racial bias and further justice and accountability. Last week, the SGC-MMC senate passed a bill expressing support for the Black Lives Matter movement.

“This senate is committed to keeping their word,” said Bryan Gomez, the senate’s speaker pro-tempore and the author of the bill. “It can’t just be platitudes…we have to live by [it].”

Gomez said that while SGA is doing everything they can at the moment, they also don’t want to detract from FIU’s Black Student Union, and are focusing on supporting them.

SGC-MMC President Alexandra Valdes’s statement

SGA is currently partnering with BSU, helping them market their events and reach a larger audience. SGA’s executive board recently met with BSU’s executive board, and want to keep a “mutual line of assistance” open, according to Gomez.

SGA also posted safety guidelines for students attending protests, including the one at FIU last weekend, which Gomez and other SGA members attended.

“We [wanted] to ensure this event [went] well,” said Gomez, pointing out that any cases of Coronavirus in the student population could affect FIU’s reopening.

SGC-MMC president Alexandra Valdes released a statement affirming SGA’s support for “justice and equality” and enjoining students to work against bias.

“There is no place for actions of violence and hatred in our community and our University,” wrote Valdes in the statement. “I ask my fellow panthers to join me in solidarity and take peaceful action in any way they can.”

Valdes and SGC-MMC vice-president Alexandra Ibarria have created an Instagram live series to showcase good news and events at FIU. Students can submit news to be featured at go.fiu.edu/somegoodnews.

They will also host forums every other week via Zoom, where university leaders will discuss various topics important to students. On June 11, BSU’s leadership joined SGA’s to discuss how students can advocate for issues and make an impact on campus.

“[About] how we can make a change on campus,” Valdes said. “Not just by posting things on our social media but actually by taking initiative.”

Event participants discussed ways to increase education and awareness among the student body, including passing legislation to make diversity, equality, and inclusion training mandatory for student leaders.

Valdes told the panel this “could be a perfect opportunity to educate.”
“We’re having the right conversation,” she said.

Students had the opportunity to ask questions, and Valdes said she intends for there to be an “open discussion” at the forums. Registration for upcoming SGA forums is open at go.fiu.edu/sgaspeaks.

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