Stanford Palestine Sit-in
Reaching its two-week mark on November 3rd, the sit-in hosted by Stanford students calls for the university to condemn Israel’s siege of Gaza. Located at the White Plaza in the heart of Stanford’s campus, the sit-in consists of protestors calling for more support to Palestinian students on campus and a condemnation of Israel’s siege. This protest, originally with only 14 students, has now amassed a large following, reaching a high of 100 students participating throughout the day. Drawing inspiration from a Stanford alumni protest against the South African apartheid that lasted 52 days in 1998, the students plan to stage a sit-in until their demands are met.
“What we are witnessing is not a war, it is a genocide,” Hana Sphaia, a Stanford protester said, “As Stanford students, we are in a position of incredible privilege. It is up to us to use that privilege to make the voices of Palestinian people heard,”
Online Taser Activism Forum
An online forum was held on Nov. 1 over Zoom talking about the usage of Tasers within the community, hosted by the San José Peace and Justice Center. In connection with the Coalition for Justice and Accountability (CJA), this activist forum is a space for informative conversations about the dangers of the use of Tasers on the streets and in jail. Featuring real voices and experiences, this forum aims to encourage participants to speak out about this issue in the next Board of Supervisor meeting to oppose the Sheriff’s request for tasers, however, the date of that meeting is currently unknown.
“The goal of the forum was to educate the community and organize people to speak out at the Board of Supervisors’ meeting,” Charlotte Casey, a representative of the Coalition for Justice and Accountability, said.
Queer Native Plant Nursery with Save the Bay
Save the Bay, a local nonprofit organization, presented a Queer Native Plant Nursery Event on Oct.25, striving to educate, restore and advocate for the restoration of nature and preserves in the Bay. This event is a safe space for those who identify as a part of the LGBTQIA+ community to seed, transplant plants and take care of the environment together. This event encourages a safer space for the community to explore Save the Bay’s mission by focusing on creating an opportunity to connect with the diverse array of plants and people that make the Bay Area incredibly special.
“I wanted to create a space where people could feel welcomed and celebrated in all aspects of their identity while learning about native plants, something many community members are enthusiastic to engage in,” Millie Calzada, Nursery Manager at Save the Bay, said.