On Friday, Nov. 8th, 2024, at 11:30 a.m., approximately 40 students walked out in response to the results of the November presidential election. After painting a mural on Allston Way, students gathered at Civic Center Park, across from Berkeley High School, to hear speeches from fellow student speakers.
The walkout was planned by Sunrise Berkeley High, a BHS climate activism club, in collaboration with members of Jackets for Palestine and the Black Student Union. According to Azucena Uribe, the president of Sunrise, the walkout sought to foster community and collective action in response to the election, while highlighting the urgency of addressing climate change.
“It was a time for people to get ignited and use their emotions about what’s going on to cultivate intentional action for the next four years and for our lives,” Uribe said. “(The BHS community) is all young people, and we’re going to feel the effects of what’s going on in this political moment for generations, especially in terms of climate change.”
Melanie Chang, another organizer of the walkout, said that the walkout emphasized how the Trump Administration could harm the climate change movement.
“The Trump Administration plans to support the gas and oil industry, which means the clean energy industries will be limited,” Chang said, “His administration will also be reducing the funds that support work towards a cleaner Earth, as a way to reduce inflation. This is a major hit to the climate change movement because of the little time left we have to save the planet.”
During and after speeches, students also collaborated on a mural painted on the street of Allston Way. Designed by Maria Sanchez Perez, a BHS senior, and David Solnit, a Bay Area muralist, the mural spelled out “We will not live by Trump’s policies,” and “All Power 2 the People.”
“Because the walk out was made to bring awareness of the dangers Trump poses to many communities (at BHS), I wanted to design something that would also bring us hope,” Sanchez Perez said.
The mural was made up of two circles. According to Sanchez Perez, one side represented what the BHS community stands for. This side included a tree representing life and growth, the Black Lives Matter symbol, the transgender symbol, the woman symbol, and a hand that says “Palestina libre.” The other side represented what the community will not stand for, and included an illustration of a smoke tower.
“Seeing everyone come together and work on the mural was really powerful,” Uribe said, “It felt like community.”
According to Chang, the walkout successfully provided participants a sense of community and hope.
“The students who showed up were able to bond with each other and listen to each other's stories,” Chang said, “Those who gave speeches were vulnerable, and were able to tell their stories, speak up for their communities, and have their voices heard. Knowing that other students at our school are willing to fight for change, and fight for their futures made me strongly believe that we will be able to make change.”
