A Call for Justice
By Noor Khalil
Immediately after returning from the People for Palestine Conference, I delivered a heartfelt speech at the San Diego City Council CLERB meeting. This speech was born out of the discussions and reflections in our class, where we examined the power of our voices in advocating for justice and change. It was through the support and inspiration of this class that I found the courage to address the council about the violence and discrimination faced by students at UCSD. Below is the speech I delivered, which encapsulates the urgency and emotional weight of that experience
I’m going to speak to you today from the heart. I'm going to tell you exactly what I felt on May 6th 2024. UCSD was my dream school and I couldn't wait for the day that I step foot on this campus, to be able to come and accomplish all of my dreams. UCSD has not become a place that I dread to go to. I should not have to dread going to school. To the place that I always wished and dreamed of going to. UCSD is such an amazing university but every single time I step foot onto this campus, everyday, I can no longer handle it. I go to school, I do what I must do and leave immediately because I do not feel safe on thi campus. On May 6th, I went to campus and was met with police brutality, and I saw my friends, my best friends- I was looking around and I want to describe this to you. I was walking- actually not walking, I was running. I felt like I was at war. I saw friends on the floor getting pepper sprayed, people who were lotterly going blind, women that got their hijabs ripped off. My parents came to this country 30+ years ago for freedom. They left their countries that have war in them to have a better life here. What is this better life? What is this better life? I was born and raised here but I do not feel safe here. On May 6th when I went home, I was met with tears and hugs from them, because they were so upset that they had put me in this situation. They had come to this country for freedom, but we were not able to give our students freedom.YOU. You sit in this chair, you have so much power in your hands, so I demand that you use it for the correct reasons and you stand up for justice for all of your students. Me as a muslim student, as jewish students, and all students for justice. Thank you.