UCCS students held a peaceful protest on June 13, 2020. Students, faculty, staff, alumni, and community members gathered at the University Village Center to discuss racial injustice in America and brainstorm ways to dismantle structural racism. The protest concluded with a peaceful march from the University Village Center to the corner of Austin Bluffs and Nevada Ave and back.
Chancellor Venkat Reddy offered words of support to the gathering.
“It should not have taken the deaths and injustice of so many Black Americans to get us here,” he said. “But we are here now. There are deep, painful issues we need to address both in our society and on our campus. We need to work for equality and acceptance, and we need to do better.”
He continued, “Our students are the future leaders of our world. Everything we do today and in the coming days and years will make the world a better place for you to lead. To everyone here today with ideas to make UCCS safer, stronger and more inclusive – I am listening.”
“Black lives matter,” he concluded. “They always have, and they always will. Thank you for your voices. Thank you for making yourselves heard.”
