Shouts of “Whose University? Our University!” resonated outside the Illini Union and Swanlund Administration Building on Wednesday afternoon as students, workers and community members of various organizations gathered to express their feelings on Inclusive Illinois and janitor contracts among other topics. The demonstrators held signs splashed with the words, “No Justice! No Peace!” and “Human rights will not be ignored.”

Initiated by the members of the Students Transforming Oppression and Privilege (STOP) Coalition, “Take Back the Union!” was the combined effort of several campus and community groups, including graduate student and labor unions.

The demonstration was intended as a cooperative action aimed more toward the people than at administration, said Treva Ellison, graduate student and former Illini Media Company employee. The demonstration was meant to send a message to the community that individuals should no longer be afraid to defy the concept of “business as usual,” Ellison said.

“‘Business as usual’ is the problematic things that go on every day until they become normalized,” Ellison said. “It goes on until we become desensitized to them.”

Vanessa Gutierrez, junior in LAS, said one of the issues they were demonstrating against was Inclusive Illinois, which, according to its Web site, is a one campus initiative “about promoting and fostering an inclusive and diverse campus community.”

“We’re against Inclusive Illinois. (The administration) usually sets up programs just to shut us up. We’re fed up and this is the way to get their attention,” Gutierrez said. “We’re hoping the next time they make any programs that they actually include our opinions instead of promoting diversity when they don’t.”

The University stands by the program, University spokesperson Robin Kaler said.

“Inclusive Illinois is our statement on the importance of diversity and acceptance,” she said. “We don’t want to go back on that.”

Issues that were also addressed included the renewal of contracts for building and food service workers and efforts to make Illinois apparel sweatshop-free, said Alison Maguire, junior in FAA.

“The University administration has a sickening sense of entitlement,” Maguire said. “I think the chancellor has an attitude that he doesn’t have to listen to students, specifically about the sweat(shop)-free campus.

Individuals must be proactive in order for the administration and other students to become aware of daily occurrences of oppression and privilege, said Patty Garcia, graduate student.

In 1968, the Black Student Association held a sit-in at the Union to protest institutionalized racism on campus. Now, almost 40 years later, the demands of inclusion have not been met, Ellison said at the demonstration.

Garcia said that the Union is supposed to be a place for students, but there are designated zones where students are allowed to distribute information.

The Union is meant for students yet students are restricted by what they can say or how they have to act, said Lori Serb, member of STOP.

“(The Union) is not an open space for dialogue, for conversation,” Serb said. “The Union is a restrictive space for a lot of students.”

The demonstration ended at the Swanlund Administration Building, but Chancellor Richard Herman was not available to hear the individuals’ concerns.

“I think it went well; a good number of people turned up,” Ellison said.

Kaler said the University environment is about expressing yourself.

“Students absolutely should speak out on the issues that are important to them,” Kaler said.