BUZZ
‘We can take power out of the hands of billionaires and fascists, and put it back in the hands of working people and students’
An unofficial “mostly first-year” student group at George Washington University was created last semester to confront the Trump administration and “build a first-year-friendly community for progressive students.”
According to The GW Hatchet, “Revs Rise Up” is an offshoot of the nationwide “Students Rise Up” movement that began late last year. According to its website, Students Rise Up demands “free college, a fair wage for workers, and schools where everyone is safe to learn and protest — regardless of their gender or race or immigration status.”
Revs Rise Up founder Molly Weber, a political science major who believes Trump is an “authoritarian” due to the Iran War and actions of ICE officials, said she decided to focus on freshmen since Trump will be in the White House for most of their college years.
The group’s Instagram page says it is “fighting back against authoritarian control” (its members look determined) and that “in the face” of such “we can take power out of the hands of billionaires and fascists, and put it back in the hands of working people and students.”
“I think we’re in a really unique moment in history right now,” Weber (pictured) said. “There’s a lot of confusion about where our country is headed.”
Despite just 30 “active” members, 146 Instagram followers, and minimal interactions on that platform, Weber said Revs Rise Up “successfully recruited mass numbers of students” via social media and a March “tabling” event.
In February, Revs Rise Up held a “listening campaign” at which students said their main concerns “on and off campus” were the war in Gaza, climate change, “rising tuition,” and Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
That last issue resulted in a campaign against Enterprise Rent-A-Car which, the Hatchet notes, “allegedly provides vehicles” for use by ICE. Revs Rise Up wants GWU to “disaffiliate” from the company.
Amaka Agwu, a first-year majoring in international affairs and a member of Revs Rise Up, said the organization attempts to build a sense of belonging by combining advocacy with activities like picnics and craft nights, while simultaneously sharing information about how to “combat authoritarianism.” She said the group seeks to build a community that wants to be together while seeing change enacted on campus. …
She said the group is part of a coalition of progressive student organizations, including Democracy Matters, Swing Left and GW American Civil Liberties Union, who helped plan last month’s “No Kings” protest where hundreds denounced ICE and Trump’s ties to Jeffrey Epstein.
Freshman Jack McConnel added the group being “unofficial” gives them leeway “to advocate for students” since it’s not bound by the same rules as official student organizations.
“They shut down Revs Rise Up, we’ll show up again,” McConnel said. “You can’t kill us. There’s not really a way to shut us down.”
MORE: George Washington University dean: Donald Trump is a ‘Nazi-in-chief’
