At the start of second period co-presidents of the Mecha club Carlos Taft-Vazquez and Johanna Gomez Lopez were accompanied by Vice president Camila Plascencia who rushed to the Greek theatre microphone in hand where they announced the San Marcos walk out. As people walked the halls of the B wing they were handed colorful posters, each a testimony to the voices that are fighting to be heard.
Carrying everything from hand painted ICE out posters to the Mexican and Guatemalan flag. Dozens of high school students carried their flags as capes blasting Bad Bunny’s, “DeBí TiRAR MáS FOTos”. The students of San Marcos stood together as they took a 20 minute walk from their classrooms to Thunderbird park, a space in which chants of “Ice out of 805” and “Chinga la Migra” were cheered for with passing cars honking in support. Senior and Co-president of the MEChA club Lopez commented on the reason for a walk out saying, “Were devastated to see that our families and friends are being dehumanized and we wanted to give power to student voices even though were young”
At the rally three students chose to speak in front of the press passionately voicing their concern for the safety of their loved ones and speaking against ICE aggression. A crowd of hundreds of people circled around the three students holding their sign cheering after every statement and standing in solidarity with one another. From heartfelt poems to opening up about their personal experiences, Senior Alandra Rubio was one of the three speakers at the protest, “As a kid from an immigrant parent I wanted to speak out against ICE because I understand the fear that other go through” When asked why the walk out was important Rubio said, “Because we’re the next generation”. To conclude this student led feat Lopez says that while speaking out can be daunting especially with the knowledge that the walk out could potentially draw unwanted attention to their loved ones, ”We are hopeful and we are united, we are standing here as students fighting for the future of our community and our parents just as they have fought for ours”
