by Agostinho Da Silva
At 1:50 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 13, students of Willamette High School in the Bethel neighborhood of Eugene walked out of school to protest current ICE immigration actions in Eugene and Springfield.
Over 150 students participated in the event, walking from the school campus down to the intersection of Barger and Echo Hollow, filling the street corners and holding signs out to passing cars.
According to Bethel School District’s profile, 38 percent of students in the district are Hispanic/Latino.
With the sounds of vehicles honking in approval, student-led chants and live Corridos being played on guitar and trombone, the energy was motivating and exciting for those participating.
“It means a lot to me that we were able to gather as a community and find something that we can all agree on is, like, a problem,” says Jaelynn Hernandez Flores, student at WHS.
For Hernandez Flores, the decision to walk out wasn’t difficult. “I always knew I was going to participate, but it was just something that I wasn’t sure if I could be a part of, but I always wanted to be a part of this.”
For another student, Genesis, who is being identified by her first name out of fear of retaliation, the demonstration was personal. “My friend, her dad had recently got deported and I just want to make a difference in the world.” She adds, “It means a lot to me knowing that black kids are out here, and we are making a difference for somebody else.”
A third student, who asked to remain anonymous to keep her family safe from ICE, says “For me, this means something powerful, something more that we could do in our community, and I hope that ICE doesn’t come and that we don’t have to face dangers anymore, and we don’t have to be scared to leave our house, and be fearful that our families are taken away from it.”
To this student, participation was an act of defiant bravery, “I was feeling a mixed emotion. I knew what I had to do and all I had to do was come here, but I was scared of the consequences. I didn’t know if people were going to come, or if they were going to be protected or taken away.”
Hernandez Florez had a message to share with fellow students of Bethel, Eugene and Springfield school districts, “Immigrants built this country, I am proud to be a child of immigrants, and that nothing will change if we don’t stand up.”
Bethel School District did not respond to a request for comment.
