A protest was held at 1 p.m. today outside the EMU by high school and college students as a part of the 11th annual Raz Unida Youth Conference. Over 150 students from over five schools were present. The event, hosted by the student group MEChA de UO, was a conference that brought together different high school Latino groups from across Lane Country.
According to UO senior and MEChA de UO member Yanely Rivas, the goal of the conference is to empower high school students in the local area, and encourage them to attend college. The motto for this year’s conference is “Mi Barrio, Tu Barrio,” which translates to “My Hood, Your Hood.”
The group conducts a political action event each year. This time, the focus is police brutality against people of color. The chant “Hands up, don’t shoot,” was chanted by the students as they marched from the EMU, around Johnson hall and back.
“This year we are addressing police violence in our nation,” Rivas said.
“I think it’s an opportunities for people to participate in social action, which a lot of young people don’t really have a lot of opportunities to be exposed to,” said Tibor Bessko, a School Counselor at Churchill High School.
The conference allows Latino youth to gain access on the college process and how to obtain scholarships and financial aid, according to MEChA’s website.
“We just want to make them aware of how they can be agents of change,” Rivas said.