Solidarity message from CUNY student
leaders to the University of Puerto Rico strike!
Thestudents at the City University of NY (CUNY) stand in solidarity withthe student strike in Puerto Rico which began in April 21 and continuesto gain strength at each passing day.
We, CUNY students, are no strangers to the fight for education as ahuman right, and the example of our Puerto Rican brothers and sistersbrought us unprecedented access to public education right here in theUnited States. As far back as the late 1960s, it was Puerto Rican andBlack students who held a historic strike that led to open admissionsto the city-wide system and established Puerto Rican and Black studies.This struggle opened the doors of higher education to thousands ofPuerto Rican and Black students for the first time. While many of thesevictories have been eroded, the struggle continues to make CUNY freeand open to all. We continue to fight to stop the gentrification andprivatization of our schools, for greater access to public educationand against continued budget cuts.
As student leaders in CUNY, we see your powerful struggle today as an inspiration to us here in the United States.
We commend the students of the University of Puerto Rico for standingup and fighting for justice for all students. We also want to stronglyacknowledge the organization and leadership of these students, which isbringing the people of Puerto Rico together in great unity to fightagainst cutbacks, austerity measures and layoffs in the island.
To the students at CUNY, this is an example of what student unity andleadership can do. When we stand together and fight, anything ispossible. Lucha si, entrega no!
Francisca Villar
Lehman College
ExecutiveVice-President of Student Government
Charles Harding
Bronx Community College, Legal Legislator
Legal Legislator, Black Male Initiative
Sasha Murphy
Bronx Community College
President, ANSWER Club
Lamont Ole Wale Badru
Lehman College, Senator
President, Black Legacy
Olu Onemola
Lehman College
Board Vice President, CASA
Mobria Smalls
Lehman College, Senator
Ateo Peruyero
Lehman College
President, Puerto Rican Club
Nathalie Serrano
John Jay College for Criminal Justice
President, Justice in Action
Kenneth Cruz-Chan
John Jay College for Criminal Justice
Treasurer, Justice in Action