150 USC Minority Students Protest ‘Racial Insensitivity’
LOS ANGELES — About 150 minority students at USC staged an all-day sit-in Wednesday to protest “racial insensitivity” by two student body leaders, resulting in the resignation of one of the students.
The protesters, who occupied the student government office on campus for several hours, demanded the removal of Student Senate President Derrick Pedranti and student program director Mitesh Gala. Among the concerns raised were remarks by Gala that the students considered to be racial slurs, a decision to cancel separate graduation ceremonies for African-American and Latino students and the impeachment of an African-American student senator, which was later overturned.
“It is time for us to take a stand,” said Shingirai Chanaiwa, president of the Black Student Union. “We need to make enough noise to get the administration to listen.”
Pedranti would not comment Wednesday on the protest. Gala submitted his resignation late Wednesday to the Student Senate.
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