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Ithacans Speak Out at Community Forum

By Gabe L. and Andrea Y.

A community forum was held at the Clarion Hotel on January 17 to give Ithacans a chance to voice their concerns about the tensions of the last few months. Approximately 250-300 people attended. The forum was moderated by Reinaldo Rivera, a representative from the U.S. Department of Justice’s Community Relations Service. Rivera introduced the forum by explaining that “This forum is about the city of Ithaca as a whole, and Tompkins County as a whole. The issues, concerns and challenges that we face are as a county.”

Among the speakers were a number of IHS students, who reflected on the issues at IHS and the progress that has been made. Midway through the forum, Cameron Y. ’10, one of the students who started the original protests at IHS, got up to speak: “This is what we asked for months ago. We wanted to see the community here.” Cameron Y. also commented on the pervasive effects of racial issues at the school: “For any student that wanted to say ‘because I’m in Honors classes, I’m not affected’: I take Honors classes, and they were empty that day that we were given the option not to come to school. You were affected.”

Another student, Isaac D. ’09, said that he and other students had already had two meetings with Rivera at IHS. “I think I speak for everyone there that they were positive experiences. … The issues that are coming up ... not only can be solved, but they have begun to be solved already,” he said. IHS senior Ethan S. ’08 agreed with Isaac D.; Ethan S. mentioned that he had made many new friends at the school forums, and that two groups with few cultural similarities could finally talk to and understand each other.