Learned about ‘colonialism, occupation, apartheid, genocide’
Last week at Yale, thanks to the group Yale Liberation Coalition, students had an opportunity to “read a collection of texts” pertaining to “colonialism, occupation, apartheid, genocide and censorship” and their relationship to Gaza.
According to its Instagram page, the Yale Liberation Coalition is a group of “students [and] greater community united working towards the liberation of all oppressed peoples.”
Readings at the event included “Apartheid Outside Africa: The Case of Israel” by John Quigley, “Settler colonialism and the elimination of the native” by Patrick Wolfe, “Nice and White during a Genocide,” and South Africa’s recent brief to the International Court of Justice which accuses Israel of genocide.
“All struggles for liberation are interconnected, and we are looking to build a coalition of as many campus organizations as possible in support of this week of action and broader goals for liberation!” the reading syllabus states.
Event organizer Angel Nwadibia, who’s also involved in climate change-related activism according to her Linkedin page, said the “genocide” in the Gaza Strip “has awakened a lot of people’s eyes” to other occupations against which “oppressed peoples have been fighting” — such as in Puerto Rico and Hawaii.
“We ask that this is a space of study, not performance,” [Nwadibia asked].
Some student attendees were drawn to the event not just to learn more about the issues but also for the sense of community that the space offered.
One such attendee was Zada Brown ’24, who noted she appreciated the togetherness and dialogue the event provided.
“I was curious about the group. I have definitely been reading a lot of news, trying to educate myself, but it’s nice to have a space to do that with other people. I came for the community, I guess, and to hear what other people are thinking about and talking about,” said Brown who attended successive days of the event. “It’s part educational, but also an affinity space for some people.”
The Instagram advertisements for each night’s readings ask attendees to “please mask up!” and says “we keep us safe.” It’s unclear if this pertains to COVID-19 or, as someone asked on their page, “shaming.”
MORE: Yale is a ‘campus without care’ after hosting ‘anti-Israel’ event, Jewish students say
IMAGES: Yale Liberation Coalition/Instagram
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