By Rika Yonemura Fabian and Jessica Silver-Sharp

Responding to the most repressive political climate we’ve seen in many of our lifetimes, students and faculty union members came together in solidarity for rallies on International Workers’ Day at both Cañada and Skyline Colleges. The focus was on the range of rights and freedoms currently under attack from the federal level all the way down to our local District level, with a particular emphasis on faculty solidarity with international student struggles and calls to action for administrators to enshrine protections for students and faculty alike. On view was a core principle of the labor movement: “an  attack on one is an attack on all.”

 

Cañada College

At Cañada College, where AFT faculty organized the rally, the necessity for the action was made clear early on when the event was all but prohibited by the College. Organizers overcame a variety of hurdles including having their calendar event posting denied and facilities requests (microphone, table, pop-up canopy) canceled. Communications intended to silence employees critical of District inaction to protect vulnerable students have also been received from the administration. Ironically they erroneously cited as their reason as District Board Policy 2.30 on Political Activity, in ignorance of the more relevant Board Policy 3900 (Speech: Time, Place and Manner) which permits faculty rallies of this type: “The Board of Trustees recognizes that fostering free speech and encouraging the broad expression of diverse views are essential to the District’s goal of offering a rich educational environment.” 0

Faculty members Michael Hoffman and Camille Kaslan kicked off the rally at Cañada College, May 1, 2025.

 

To a Cañada College crowd of more than 50 students and faculty, instructors from across the disciplines took to the megaphone to share critical perspectives on protecting our rights in the face of authoritarianism. Colin Ehara (Ethnic Studies) called out the importance of Ethnic Studies in community college general education patterns; Doniella Maher (English) spoke on reproductive freedoms we cannot afford to lose for ourselves, our students, and our children; Elizabeth Terzakis (English) explained the political responsibilities of institutions of higher education to take a stand for what’s right; Michael Hoffman (Mathematics) connected academic freedom with the attack on international students advocating for a free Palestine; Helena Almassy (Mathematics), the daughter of immigrants, spoke about the importance of protections for these communities; and Camille Kaslan (Chemistry) reminded us of the need to organize and build up our collective voice to hold both College and District administrators accountable for our community’s safety and well-being. Student speakers included representatives from Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) and the Black Student Union (BSU). The event concluded with a community singing of the Civil Rights era anthem, “Ain’t Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me ‘Round.”

 

Skyline College Coalition Organizes

Students for Justice in Palestine display their banner, Cañada College, May 1, 2025

At Skyline College, the rally was organized by a coalition of community and student groups with a long-standing history of collaboration on campus: Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP, Skyline), Myanmar Student Union (MSU, Skyline College), Anakbayan Daly City, Sexualty and Gender Aliance (SAGA, Skyline), and Political Action and Literacy (PAL, Skyline). MSU in particular demonstrated their organizational strength to make the rally a success. 

With AFT’s Executive Director, Chet Lexvold, emceeing the rally, at the height of the event 80 to 100 people occupied the space between Buildings 6 and 7. AFT faculty speakers including Janice Sapigao (English), Mustafa Popal (History) and Mick Song (AFT Skyline Chapter Chair, Biology) brought their perspectives to the rally along with students, expressing the needs for joint struggles for queer, immigrant, and racial justice. As one student speaker explained, 

“Student Solidarity is working class solidarity is queer and gender solidarity is race and immigration solidarity – ultimately, we are all bound in the struggle by the same oppressive systems of capitalism, colonialism, imperialism, and white supremacy.” 

Other speakers called out the recent confusing responses by the District to potential immigration enforcement activities on campus. Professor Popal denounced recent District messaging encouraging employees to essentially do nothing for their students in the case of an ICE raid, interpreting the District’s message to say that if individual faculty stand up for students, they can’t expect District support. He called out the gap between District words and actions on the issue. 

 

Professor Sapigao concluded the rally with a call to action:

“Today I call on my colleagues – those of us with degrees and the privilege of a classroom or an office or a full-time job – to put our bodies on the line for our students. To stop discouraging them from going out in public, and to encourage them to gather in the light and not be afraid in the shadows; if they are going to an event, go with them to protect them. And if they want to say something or ask a question, amplify their message. Listen to their voices that live in you.” 

 

Petition Circulated

At both rallies, students, faculty and community members signed a petition, “BAY AREA COMMUNITY COLLEGE FACULTY DEMAND PROTECTIONS AGAINST TRUMP ADMINISTRATION REVOCATION OF STUDENT VISAS.”Jointly initiated with the Foothill-De Anza Faculty Association and now in coalition with City College of San Francisco Faculty Union (AFT 2121), the petition came about in response to the sudden visa revocations of ten international student visas at both campuses.

As AFT 1493 wrote to faculty on April 21, 

“We are expressing our plea as a united force between the two faculty unions, as we’ll be linking with other unions in the Bay Area and across the state in the weeks ahead to persuade our Districts that they need to support our students first in order to support our institutions.” 

Readers are encouraged to take action and sign this important petition today.