Cal Poly Democrats hosted their Community over Division Resource Fair on Oct. 21, from 6:30-8:30 p.m. in the UU, which took place simultaneously as the Turning Point USA national tour event on campus.
READ MORE: Turning Point USA event brings hundreds of attendees and over 70 protesters
The fair was hosted alongside various Cal Poly clubs and local organizations, including Unitarian Universalists of San Luis Obispo, Sierra Club, Latinx Cultural Association, Sigma Omega Nu, Students for Justice in Palestine, as well as representatives from the San Luis Obispo County Democratic Party.
When it came to choosing to host with certain organizations and clubs, Cal Poly Democrats had the goal of inviting organizations that promoted Diversity, Equity and Inclusion initiatives and were designed to help students feel comfortable and welcomed on campus, according to their president, Talie Krantz, a political science senior.
“Turning Point’s a very loud presence on campus, and we wanted to help students know that there were students on campus that support [students who don’t agree with TPUSA],” Krantz said. “A lot of the rhetoric that comes out of Turning Point USA is very negative, especially towards different marginalized groups on campus that already feel kind of on the outside of campus.”
According to Krantz, the resource fair was not an anti-TPUSA event, rather its purpose was to promote positivity and community.
In a statement posted in Cal Poly Democrat’s social media, the organization explained in reference to TPUSA’s event that “Many of the speakers at the event have made a career out of antagonizing marginalized communities. Hosting TPUSA sends a message to the marginalized groups at Cal Poly that they are not welcome.”
While the resource fair and TPUSA event took place, a group protested outside the Performing Arts Center, expressing their opposition to TPUSA and their goals.
When addressing both events, Krantz expressed that both the protest and the resource fair are important to show the resistance to TPUSA’s presence.
“We’ve coordinated a little bit to make sure that we’re all working towards the same mission, even if it looks different,” she said.
Other clubs and organizations at the resource fair shared similar goals with Cal Poly Democrats.
Jose Tenoch, a political science junior and representative for Students for Justice in Palestine and for Centro, a club meant for Latino students passionate about political education and advocacy, felt strongly about taking a stance against TPUSA’s presence on campus.
“It’s just really disappointing to see the school get away with stuff like this,” Tenoch said in reference to both the TPUSA event and Cal Poly’s plan to have U.S. Customs and Border Protection at last year’s career fair. “If we just sit back and let them do this and not stand up against them, they’re just going to keep on going.”
READ MORE: U.S. Customs and Border Protection to recruit at Cal Poly Career Fair
Lesley Leon Ramirez, an architecture sophomore and the public relations chair of the Lantern Fest and Sigma Omega Nu, a Latina-interest sorority, explained her organization’s shared goal with the Cal Poly Democrats.
“One of our biggest goals is to provide minority students a home away from home and a community where they feel welcomed and supported,” Leon Ramirez said.
Leon Ramirez explained how Sigma Omega Nu is a part of the United Sorority and Fraternity Council, a council of Greek organizations that share the goal of bringing students together and celebrating cultures.
“I feel like this was a good event for students to come and learn more about the resources here for them to be heard and to feel safe,” Leon Ramirez said.
President of the Sierra Club and environmental management protection senior, Simryn Regehr, had a similar outlook on the value and mission of the resource fair.
“We really are all about protecting within our community,” Regehr said. “We just wanted to get students involved in that advocacy and just know that there are accepting groups out there.”
As the Sierra Club’s only first official year on campus, Regehr explained the club’s goals are more than just creating advocacy for environmental protections but to also protect the planet and its residents.
Krantz said the event was much more than just countering the TPUSA event on campus.
“This isn’t about stopping TPUSA or being against TPUSA, but instead just finding the positivity and uplifting the positive parts of our campus,” Krantz said.