UC Merced students denounce Trump victory

UC Merced student Juan Pirir hugged one of his peers as they wept and comforted each other Wednesday morning in front of the campus library. Pirir held a sign saying “I am LGBT and Trump America Hates Me.”

Incensed by Donald Trump’s presidential victory, dozens of students rallied at UC Merced, vowing to fight to protect the rights of minorities, women, immigrants and the LGBT community.

The rally in front of the Kolligian Library followed a raucous midnight protest that saw hundreds of furious students march through the campus, shouting “Not our president,” and expletive-filled chants denouncing the victorious Republican candidate and his promises to build a wall on the border with Mexico.

At both rallies, some students waved flags, including the flags of Mexico and Puerto Rico, and rainbow flags as a show of support for the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.

Leaders of the protest outside the library Wednesday shouted to the crowd, “When our communities are under attack what do we do?”

“Unite! Fight Back!,” the students shouted in response.

The actions at UC Merced came as protests erupted at campuses across California, where voters statewide favored Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton.

More than 1,000 high school students walked out of classes in Berkeley on Wednesday, many holding anti-Trump signs, The Associated Press reported. Overnight, hundreds of students swarmed the streets in and around the UCLA campus while protesters also gathered at the other University of California campuses in Berkeley, Irvine, Davis, Riverside, San Diego, Santa Cruz and Santa Barbara, according to various media reports.

“All types of phobia won last night,” Pirir, 21, said. “I’m in fear not only for my life but (for) friends and loved ones.”

The fourth-year history student from Inglewood said he comes from a family of immigrants led mainly by women, and he doesn’t want to live in an America that condones the “horrible words” of Trump.

“He’s Hitler with a wig,” he said.

Florence Lucey-Renteria, 19, made efforts to organize the rally Wednesday with the help of other students, and said her initial reaction to the election results was “shock.”

Being a woman and Latina, Lucey-Renteira said, “it made me feel like the general population of the country doesn't care about my existence. We’re only looked at from where we come from.”

Charles Nies, vice chancellor for student affairs at UC Merced, said the school is trying to find a way to help students express their concerns. Since the beginning of the presidential campaign, he said, there have been many groups of students voicing their unease.

Trump’s comments regarding minorities, undocumented immigrants, the LGBT community, sexual assault victims and people with disabilities have made students on campus feel vulnerable, Nies said.

“People don’t realize the emotional trauma this created,” he said. “It made people stand up and be concerned.”

The focus Wednesday, Nies said, is helping students to feel safe regardless of their positions on the election.

“This is part of democracy,” he said, “the reaction part of the election.”

Omnya Elhag, an applied mathematics student, said she became a U.S. citizen after emigrating from Khartoum, Sudan.

“I’m Muslim, I’m colored and I’m a woman,” the first-year student said. “I thought America could be better.”

Elhag said she is worried about where the country is going to go from here, especially since, as a 17-year-old, she was unable to vote and the election was out of her hands. She described her feelings as “angry,” “sad” and “disappointed.”

“I kind of counted on America to give us a good president, but there was nothing I could do,” she said.

A third-year English major at UC Merced, TaNayiah Bryels said she was almost “sick” with hope that Clinton would pull through to win the election.

“I want to throw up,” the 21-year-old said. “I want to cry.”

Bryels, from Santa Clara County, said she is more worried now, because although Trump can’t do everything he’s promised in his campaign overnight, he has the Republican backing of the Senate and House, along with the power to choose U.S. Supreme Court justices.

“I don’t like Hillary, either,” she said. “She’s not great, but she can be changed. I was hoping for a candidate to at least listen.”

Not everyone at the protest had similar views to those chanting and telling their stories. One individual was advocating for students to change their lifestyles, shouting, “UC Merced students are living in sin.”

According to a statement from UC Merced Chancellor Dorothy Leland, the California Room on campus was open Wednesday for students to talk to counselors who were “prepared to facilitate individual interventions for students in emotional crisis.”

Groups of students also can request facilitated interventions, Leland said. Counseling and psychological services are available 24 hours a day by calling 209-228-4266.

University employees can contact 800-422-5322, the Employee Assistance Program, or email insighteap@insighteap.com. Additional resources can be found through the CARE Office, 209-228-4147 or the UC Merced Police Department, 209-228-2677.

This story was originally published November 10, 2016 at 10:36 AM with the headline "UC Merced students denounce Trump victory."