RIT students plan BLM rally on campus

A Black Lives Matter rally, complete with speakers, music, poetry, and dancing groups, is scheduled tomorrow on campus by Rochester Institute of Technology students.

“People really need to be educated about the actual purpose of the Black Lives Matter movement and why we’re behind the movement,” said Olivia Morgan, who is coordinating the event with the College Activities Board. “It’s not about saying ‘all lives matter’ and moving on.”

Morgan, a third-year biomedical sciences major from Roanoke Rapids, N.C., attended BLM rallies in Rochester this summer. “I wanted to see a BLM event at RIT as well.”

The rally, from 1 to 4 p.m. Oct. 3 on the Greek Lawn near the Gordon Field House, is open to the RIT community. Attendees are expected to wear masks and be safely distanced either standing or sitting on the grass, Morgan said.

Scheduled speakers include Keith Jenkins, vice president and associate provost for Diversity and Inclusion; Kory Samuels, executive director of RIT Dining; Odessa Despot, a staff psychologist with Counseling and Psychological Services; and Gary Moxley, director of RIT’s Public Safety.

Performances are expected by RIT Velocity, a student-run urban dance team, and Sunshine 2.0 performance group from RIT’s National Technical Institute for the Deaf.

Sign language interpreters have been requested.

Morgan also has applied to start a new club, RIT Voices, to help amplify the voice of RIT students.

“A lot of students mumble, saying they wish RIT would do this or that, but they don’t talk to the right people to make that happen,” Morgan said. “RIT Voices will make sure those concerns get addressed.”


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