Students Rally Against President Trump on Inauguration Day

January 20, 2017

A small group of Fresno City College students united on Jan. 20 to protest the inauguration of President Donald Trump.

Students gathered by the main fountain, kicking around a Trump piñata, holding up signs, playing instruments and chanting in solidarity against the new president. Members from the Mecha club at FCC took part, including Alexandria Ramos-O’Casey.

“We call on our safe communities, those who are Chicano, Latino, Muslim and different from anybody else,” Ramos-O’Casey said. “If the Affordable Care Act is repealed, we will lose about 24,000 jobs here in the Central Valley. Besides that, the hateful rhetoric and more importantly, the dehumanization of many of our communities of color – we are here because that’s not OK.”

The protest called for action against the rhetoric that the president expressed throughout his campaign before and after he was elected on Nov. 8, 2016.

“It shouldn’t be about different sides and different views, and who voted for who,” said student Cheyenne Dedmon. “It should be about us sticking together and having each other’s back. No matter who you are, be it your race or gender. It doesn’t matter. Everyone deserves equal opportunity, and that’s why I’m here today.”