Chokma AISC inkana,
I write to express our collective concern regarding the events of recent days on the UCLA campus. The AISC came about, in large part, because of student activism and protest. We stand committed to free speech and the right for our students to exercise non-violent political protest, safely and without fear of retaliation. We are outraged by the violent attacks on the non-violent Palestine Solidarity Encampment by a mob of instigators last Tuesday and by the removal and arrest this morning on May 2nd of over 130 students and faculty, including many Jewish students. The AISC is here to support student-led voices that advance human rights and social justice, always and unconditionally.
Shannon
Dr. Shannon Speed (Chickasaw)
Paula Gunn Allen Chair and Professor, American Indian Studies /Gender Studies/Anthropology
Director, American Indian Studies Center
Special Advisor to the Chancellor on Native American and Indigenous Affairs
UCLA