UK KFTC Participates in Anti-Racism March & Vigil

Last night, UK KFTC members participated with around two hundred other students in a march and vigil in response to the effigy hanging on campus.

Students first marched from the UK Student Center's "free speech area" to the Mines and Minerals Building, near where the effigy was hung. Students and other demonstrators then lit candles and, with different people taking each stanza, recited Abel Meerpool's "Strange Fruit," a poem about lynching. Then students, including UK KFTC members Katie Goldey, Chuck Clenney and Danny Cotton recited Nordette Adams' "Behind the Color Blind," a poem about celebrating diversity that includes the line "and until that day in glory when we are truly one, let's love ourselves in color not pretend that we see none."

Then, three African American students spoke about incidents of racism that they experienced on UK's campus. The message was clear, this is not an "isolated incident." Also, that the election of one candidate, while historic, would not automatically end prejudice and ignorance at the University of Kentucky. It would only occur when we, as individuals and as a group, stand up to discrimination and admit it is occurring and do what we can to stop it.

A group of students of many races, from different walks of life, made it clear that they would not stand for racism at their University or in their community.

Also, local media from both the Lexington Herald Leader and the Kentucky Kernel, UK's student newspaper, were in attendance and got pictures of some of the UK KFTC members and their signs, so keep an eye out.

                                                                                       - Danny Cotton