On the 13th of February, more than 60 PHS students gathered after school and marched to Town Hall, protesting ICE (Immigrations and Customs Enforcement) policies and the negative effects they have on immigrant communities.
Last week, an instagram story from the account @pwayalmostfriday circulated amid PHS students. It described a planned PHS “Anti-ICE Walkout”, modeled after the other anti-ICE walkouts high schools all over the country have organized. Students were encouraged to leave their classes, walk out of the building, and march to the Municipal building in order to protest the ICE raids and violence that have been occurring all over the country.
However, once PHS administration found out about this plan, they released a schoology post. “No student should leave campus at any point during the day unless it is with a parent or guardian”, stated PHS principal Christopher Baldassano. “Any student doing so may face disciplinary action.” Soon after, the walkout was cancelled.
PHS junior Nelly Ortega watched this situation play out. She decided to create a different, more effective, protest. “I decided to step up and help organize it and make it safer for everyone” she wrote in a message. “A walkout was definitely more ideal to most of us on the team, especially since we wanted to draw attention and show that the students do care and they will act, but seeing the drop in students wanting to participate is what made us change it to an after school protest because we wanted as many students as possible and [we wanted] them to feel safe, without being scared of getting suspended.”
Ortega described her experience organizing the event: “Ryan Espinosa, a former PHS student, had contacted us and made us a meeting with the [town] council”, she said. Derek Lopez, another one of the organizers, said that “The people who really did help us were the Township council president Dennis Espinosa and councilmember Gabrielle Cahill. They were such an important help to our team.”
Ortega also met the PHS administration; however, she noted that it was “a little disappointing.” “They wanted to help us protest, safely and in school, which would be in the bus loop.” She said, “Brianna Marroquin (another one of the organizers), and I didn’t really like that idea since we wanted something bigger. Something that people outside could actually see and notice.”
A new post circulated under the account “Pway Protests” (pway.protests). A new afterschool protest, run by Piscataway students Nelly Ortega, Derek Lopez-Chirinos, Edgar Veliz-Carrera, Brianna Marroquin, and Katherine Iñigo, was scheduled for Friday, February 13. “This protest is meant to be peaceful and bring everyone together, showing our passion for the ANTI ICE movement”, the post said.
On the day of the protest, over 60 PHS students gathered in their coats outside the tennis courts. Posters, flags, and even speakers blasting Bad Bunny were among the items brought by students.
Some PHS students shared their reasons for coming. “I came here today because it is very important, I believe as someone who is personally not affected by this, that it’s my responsibility to speak out and contribute as much as I can to help these innocent people” said PHS junior Tori Wells.
An anonymous PHS student (who did not want to share her name due to fear that she would be targeted) shared their thoughts on the protest. “They [other students] didn’t come because they didn’t think it would do anything, but in my mind, in my heart, this feels much better because I’m with a ton of people who all agree that this is something that we should not do nothing about.”
PHS students weren’t the only attendees at the protest. Nancy Salgado-Cowan, board president of the Piscataway Board of Education, was among the attendees. “In my opinion, it’s always the right of the students, their first amendment rights are always protected, and I always stand with students because I put my students and my kids first,” said Salgado-Cowan.
The students crossed the street to the Municipal building, the street blocked off by Piscataway police cars. The police were watching the protest from start to finish, as the student coordinators met with the leader of the police department prior to the protest.
At the Municipal building, coordinators of the event gave speeches. Ortega noted that “Piscataway in itself is a very diverse town. We all have different backgrounds and cultures, it’s always been beautiful to explore a little bit of every part of the world every time a new friendship is formed”. She spoke into the mic with passion and confidence. “When we see our family, neighbors, people we see as brothers and sisters, start fearing their safety simply because they or their families were in search of a better life, we cannot stay quiet and we cannot stay put.” She questioned “what is an ice agent”, then proceeded to answer it as “a racist who can’t stand seeing a stolen country be shared and improved. They hate our loud voices and dramatic mannerisms yet there they are blasting our music. Our skin complexion bothers them and they’ll disrespect us for it but yes, they will be getting their hair done and dress just like us.” She finished her speech by saying “ we are strong, we stick together and fight back, not with the same aggressive and destructive tactics they’ve used, but with peace, unity, and resilience.” Everyone erupted in cheers as she stepped off from the pedestal.
Ortiz gave the mic to PHS junior Derek Lopez as he began his own speech. He demanded “reform and full transparency from our leaders”, and while he “understands that laws exist, and agencies have responsibilities”, he claimed that “ doing your job should never mean terrorizing innocent children, families, or citizens because no job, no policy, and no badge justifies putting fear in children or ripping families apart.” He stated that “this fight is for our future generations, our children, our rights, ourselves, and we will fight for it all” as he concluded his speech by stating “we are done asking. We are demanding better”.
PHS senior Edgar Veliz-Carrera took the pedestal. “We the people have been enveloped and drawn under a blanket of hopelessness and despair—this feeling of powerlessness, the feeling that we cannot do anything against the conflicts that plague our nation” he stated. “And, in some sense, it’s true, we as individuals are under the grasp of the elite, our rights being silently taken away from us to keep us as sheep in the system.” He explains this is why “we the people must organize for these efforts; we are only as strong as we are capable of working together. Our voices are louder when we all chant the same message”. As he spoke about his family’s experience as immigrants, he stated that “immigrants are not the enemy, my people are not the enemy, the real enemy are the elite exploiting their power to keep us under their control…stop blaming the victims and start fighting against the perpetrators; eat the rich, and melt the ice.
While PHS senior Kathrine Iñigo was unable to attend the protest, Veliz-Carrera still read out loud her speech. “Remaing in silence does not protect us, she wrote. “Silence only delays the moment when injustice appears on our own doorsteps”. She expressed her feeling of frustration, as she wrote “Every morning, law requires us to pledge allegiance to a nation that promises liberty and justice for all. But for millions of immigrants and their children, those promises are unfulfilled.”
Then, Piscataway leaders offered their voices. Speeches were given by Council president Dennis Espinosa, Senator Bob Smith, and Councilmembers Gabrielle Cahill and Laura Liebowitz. Mayor Brain C. Wahler, while unable to attend, also wrote a speech.
They then opened up the floor to any students who wanted to share their opinions. Ayush Desai, a PHS senior, took the pedestal. “They want to treat us like animals, they want to dehumanize us–we’re not going to let this continue. Because who are we? We’re human”. He demanded justice for the “countless us citizens and non citizens who have been killed by ice” and gave his “empathy and deepest condolences for their families because, who knows, god forbid, your family could be targeted next”. He finished his speech by reminding everyone “we are Piscataway, we are New Jersey. We are the United States of America and we will continue to be united, never divided, by this terrible government that has plagued our country”.
After a few other students gave impromptu speeches, recited poems, and chanted, the protest was over. Some students continued protesting on the streets, others walked back to the high school, and most got rides home.
“I feel like it went very well,” Lopez said. “ I feel like we had a great turnout. Our voice was heard. I’ve seen so many posts about it…I’m really glad, I’m really proud of the work that we were able to accomplish in that period of time.”
On the “Pway Schools” Instagram page (@pwayschools), Superintendent Erskine R. Glover wrote a few words. “We are proud that our students lifted their voices in a safe and respectful manner. It is important that we support our students as they exercise their civil rights, and make sure they can do so safely, securely, and without disrupting the school day for themselves or their classmates…they also spoke very eloquently and passionately about their concerns, in a way that should make all of Piscataway proud.”
