The spirit of discontent continues to linger in the streets of Chicago and the youth continue to rise to the occasion. Students from Chicago State University staged a walk out recently and took their movement to save the school to the streets. They managed to shut down the Dan Ryan Expressway, one of the main arteries into the city for 15 minutes striving to get the attention of the press so that something can be done to save the school.
The governor of Illinois, Bruce Rauner, has yet to pass a budget that will help to provide the funding to save not just Chicago State University, but other schools that are currently being affected by this current stalemate.
Kwesi Ronald Harris, the African American resource director at CSU had this to say about the students’ actions: “I can tell you that I’m proud and encouraged by this display, which has been a series of responses and expressions of solidarity. Chicago State University has been viewed as the vanguard, it has never taken an individualist position, [and] we truly recognize #wewinwhenweallin meaning all nine public universities affected by this assault on higher education, which [will] result [in] educational genocide.”
We spoke with one of the student leaders, Charles Preston, and he provided some insight into how the students feel and how this is affecting the lives of African Americans on the South Side of Chicago.
Charles, it’s a pleasure to meet you and I would like to say congratulations on what you and your peers were able to do today. Take a moment and let everyone know who you are.
I’m a senior majoring in African American studies and hopefully I will be graduating in December of 2016.
What are your thoughts about this current situation going on at CSU?
I think its frustrating and very maddening. My mother is employed by the university, so while Im out her protesting and trying to organize students I’m also thinking about my mother potentially losing her job. When people talk to us about the school running out of funding I know that means things are going to get tight around the university. This means the loss of services, budget cuts and some have gone as far as to say closure. I hope that doesn’t happen. It’s really frustrating because we have a governor in Springfield that does not feel it like we feel it. We know what CSU means to the community, students, workers and veterans. A lot of people use the school as a lifeline. The governor and the state legislature don’t feel the pain or the grind of this issue. It pisses me off how they do not care about the lives on the South Side of Chicago.
This is directly affecting your family. What does your mother do for the university?
She works in the department of pharmacy doing administrative work. It definitely affects my home life. We’ve had arguments about the budget, about money. We have talked about what we are going to do as a family just in case the school does shut down and if she loses her job. If the school closes it will be hard for me to be in higher education anymore. My situation as a senior is unique. I have a lot of untransferable credits because I am an African American studies major and a lot of the state universities in Illinois don’t carry that major. It’s a horrible position to be in because I’m basically stuck in limbo. I went to Chicago State because it is affordable. I don’t have the money to go to another institution.
What do you think can be done to save the school?
I think everybody should be advocating for Chicago State, and put the pressure on the governor to sign the budget that is not detrimental to CSU, but more conducive to the South Side environment. I don’t think any money should be cut. I think all Black leaders should be standing with us and advocating that this budget should be passed. As a community, we need to organize people and organize money so that this does not happen again. I believe in more autonomy in education not necessarily being dependent on the state.
Tell us what you did today and why the Dan Ryan was a target.
I head up a collective of students called #budgetorelse. This Dan Ryan takeover started as a student walkout which was led by Daniel X a member of the Nation Of Islam along with another student by the name of Tj Crawford. They really pushed it. They asked me to be a part of it and I said I would be supportive and vocal about it. Daniel mentioned the goal was really to shut down the Dan Ryan for media attention. I agreed. I felt like we have to put the pressure on these officials and do it by any means necessary. We sent 30 students to the State of The State speech. We have been in contact with Jesse Jackson and Operation Push and they provided a platform for us to speak about our issues and introduced us to a lot of political figure heads. After all of that we decided to bring this street element in. We just take the Dan Ryan for 15 minutes and make a lot of people angry and upset and inconvenience them. We feel like the governor is inconveniencing futures. The response we got from the action is phenomenal. We have some detractors, but to me the comments are not as important as the numbers. We want everyone to know what is happening at Chicago State. The fact that students have to get on the expressway and risk their lives in order to raise awareness around this issue speaks volumes about the state of our community the state of the Roseland community and Chicago’s South Side.
You talk about the Roseland community and the South Side, what does the school mean to the community?
It’s a life line. It’s the biggest predominately black educational institution. The school offers mentoring programs for young men looking to acclimate themselves to the college life. It offers free mental health services and tutoring. The school provides ways for students and the community to be politically engaged. The school offers fun things for kids and the students. It’s a resource on 95th street. There is nothing else of any real substance on 95th the school means so much.
What would you say has been the biggest take away from your experience at CSU?
It has to be the Black Love. Baba Kwesi has had a profound effect on my life. He is there consistently in a supportive role mentoring young men. One of my professors in the Black Studies Department Kelly Harris just gave me a ride home yesterday. It’s a genuine black love and genuine caring that I really think you can’t find at another institution. The teachers really do care. The professors really want to see you succeed. They will hold you accountable, but help guide you toward success. I want other people to experience that in higher education. I think Chicago State does that well.
What would you like to say to the public?
Get engaged, please get involved. Help raise awareness about this issue anything helps whether it be a facebook post or a tweet. Call in to your representatives. We need CSU’s name out here and we need to put pressure on the governor and elected officials to get something done.
