Students protest against immigration policies, bring music and dance to Dexter Lawn

This is a cross-published piece with Mustang News, more information can be found here.

Students took over Dexter Lawn in protest of recent deportation mandates from the federal government on Feb. 7. 

The protest, “Sit in Solidarity,” was organized by Amirah Gutierrez, a journalism sophomore and co-director of external affairs for Latinx Business Student Association. 

An arrangement of posters and live music inhabited Dexter Lawn as protesters and supporters gathered to speak out and sing against the recent activity of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) across the country and changes in immigration policies.

Phrases such as “stop the deportations” could be heard throughout the protest, and students held up signs displaying anti-ICE messages and disapproval of the new administration under President Donald Trump. As of Feb. 1, ICE has made 8,276 arrests and detained 6,577 people, according to updates on their X account.

As a third-generation Mexican-American, Gutierrez believes by her luck she has personally not had to deal with the fear associated with being an undocumented person in today’s political climate.

However, Gutierrez grew up around first-generation students and close friends with undocumented parents. Seeing and hearing the stories of those in her inner circle as well as the coverage all over the media sparked her motivation to organize the protest.

“For all of us who have that privilege of walking around on this campus without any fear, it’s our responsibility to stand up for our community and for the people who don’t have that voice,” Gutierrez said.

At the start of the protest, people sang along to a mariachi band performance in support of the event. The crowd gathered together as chants were said through a microphone and repeated aloud by students.

The group of protesters congregated to the edge of Dexter Lawn where another band began to play a more intimate concert surrounded by the crowd. This band, consisting of Cal Poly students Jose Tenoch, Julian Corona, Cesar Vazquez and Irving Oziel Fabela, played mariachi music for what seemed to be an endless setlist of songs.

“I think it was a success, a lot of people were pretty hyped about it, I like how they all contributed [their] energy,” Oziel Fabela said. 

Oziel Fabela is a freshman at Cal Poly studying architectural engineering. His instrument of choice during the protest was a traditional Mexican accordion. He and the other band members hadn’t prepared a performance for the protest, and some of them didn’t plan on going due to schedule conflicts. 

Ultimately, the band came together and played a spur-of-the-moment setlist along with other recommendations from the crowd.

For the band members, the protest symbolized strength and pride for their heritage and background, coming together as one at Cal Poly.

“It makes us feel proud of our culture that we all contribute [to] and to speak for those that can’t speak,” Oziel Fabela said.        

What had begun with protest chants and live music ended with a makeshift concert where music was blasted from a parked red pickup truck and students sang and danced.

Gutierrez praised students and protesters for “speaking their truth” and coming out to the protest despite the fear associated with demonstrating against the federal government’s demands. She also hopes for Cal Poly and Cal State schools to understand the presence of the Latino community on campuses.

At the university, Gutierrez believes students of color tend to have to stay in their own “bubbles,” though the protest signaled a hope for change.

“Seguimos aqui,” Gutierrez said, translating to “We’re still here.”