[OccupyCU] Fwd: FW: Invitation to take RACIAL ACTION at ILLINOIS (RAIL), January 22, 2015

[Rachel Storm via OccupyCU]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Storm, Rachel Lauren <rstorm2 at illinois.edu>
Date: Thu, Dec 11, 2014 at 11:15 AM
Subject: FW: Invitation to take RACIAL ACTION at ILLINOIS (RAIL), January
22, 2015
To: "rachelstrm at gmail.com" <rachelstrm at gmail.com>


 FYI--Campus-based action surrounding racism and racial action is happening.




 ------------------------------

*From:* Racial Action Illinois [raillinois at gmail.com]
*Sent:* Friday, December 05, 2014 8:31 PM
*To:* raillinois at gmail.com
*Cc:* geo-solcomm at lists.uigeo.org
*Subject:* Invitation to take RACIAL ACTION at ILLINOIS (RAIL), January 22,
2015

Friends,



You are invited to the first official organizing meeting of a planned
coalition called RAIL (Racial Action at Illinois) on Thursday January 22,
2015 at 7:00pm. Location to be announced.



In light of recent discussion to memorialise the costume of "Chief
Illiniwek," concerned students in American Indian Studies (AIS) and members
of the Graduate Employees' Organization (GEO)'s Solidarity Committee met to
discuss issues of racism and racial injustice on campus. Those involved in
the first round of discussions felt the strong need for a campus and
community coalition to address the numerous longstanding, and yet to be
resolved, issues of race and racism in the UIUC community.



One of the many racist and colonial ideologies and actions we in the UIUC
community are up against is manifested daily through the persistence of
"Chief Illiniwek." Following a conversation between Chancellor Wise and
some AIS students, it has become clear that the administration plans to
make this colonial legacy permanent by encasing the costume of "Chief
Illiniwek" in the Alumni Center. This racist act of memorialization not
only prevents us from fully eliminating "the Chief" from our campus, but
also celebrates the erasure of the Indigenous peoples whose land this
university occupies, and enacts violence upon the indigenous peoples and
people of color who live, work, and study here.



This planned coalition is envisioned as a space for individuals and
organizations to come together as a coalition to constructively organize
against racial discrimination and injustice shaped by settler colonialism,
anti-black racism, and various other forms of racial chauvinism. The first
campaign that is being proposed involves two absolutely crucial demands -
(1) The "Cheif Illiniwek" costume must not be put on display in the UIUC
Alumni Center or any other venue, and (2) UIUC should ensure that the
student body adopts a new mascot to permanently replace "Chief Illiniwek."



In that spirit, we would be glad to hear from you and work together towards
extending and expanding RAIL further. Please come to Racial Action at
Illinois' first meeting on Thursday January 22, 2015 at 7:00pm. Location to
be announced.



RAIL Against the System!



Concerned AIS Students & GEO Members
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