A coalition of students, faculty and community members will hold a “Love and Solidarity” gathering for black students and activists on campus.

“We call on campus and county communities to join us … as we express our love and solidarity for Black Students for Revolution, Black Lives Matter Champaign-Urbana, and Black students on campus,” said a media advisory from the Allies and Accomplices for Black Revolution coalition.
The event will be held Wednesday at 1 p.m. on the Main Quad.

According to the advisory, the coalition reached out to President Timothy Killeen, Interim Provost Edward Feser, and Interim Chancellor Barbara Wilson. Both Wilson and Feser responded to the invitation in support of the event.

Wilson expressed her commitment to attend the event and “encourage(s) broad participation.”

Feser said the community needs to speak out and he will “make every effort to be there.”

The event will fall two weeks after a Black Student Solidarity rally was held on the Main Quad on Nov. 18 and an “Illini White Student Union” Facebook page was created in response.

“This is particularly urgent in this historical moment when white fascists nationwide are growing increasingly emboldened in their attacks on Black lives,” the advisory stated. “In this social climate, it is not enough to simply be passively ‘non-racist.’ This is a moment that requires us to be actively and courageously anti-racist.”

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