A 
diverse 
crowd 
of 

about 
100 
people 
filled 

the Michigan Union Rogel 
Ballroom Wednesday night 
to listen as male and female 
survivors of sexual assault 
shared their stories at the 
Sexual Assault Prevention 
and Awareness Center’s 30th 
annual Speak Out event.

The event was organized 

by 
SAPAC’s 
Networking, 

Publicity 
and 
Activism 

Volunteer Program, led by 
LSA senior Alyssa Dunbeck 
and 
LSA 
junior 
Srinidhi 

Subramanian. 
SAPAC, 
a 

University 
entity, 
trains 

students to act as a peer 
network 
for 
survivors 
of 

sexual 
assault 
and 
aims 

to 
advocates 
for 
social 

change through professional 
services, such as counseling 
and crisis hotlines, for the 
campus community.

Dunbeck and Subramanian 

opened 
the 
program 
by 

noting the survivors’ stories 

were confidential, and the 
speak out aims to provide 
a safe place to empower 
survivors to share on their 
own terms. They asked that 
only 
survivors 
of 
sexual 

assault talk in front of the 
audience, and defined sexual 
assault as an umbrella term 
that includes rape, stalking, 
sexual 
harassment 
and 

intimate partner violence. 

The 
Michigan 
Daily 
was 

asked to not quote directly 
from any survivor’s story.

Survivors were given the 

opportunity to speak at any 

For many incoming freshmen, 

leaving home for the first time is 
a source of excitement and fear, 
regardless of how far they’re 
going.

But for international students, 

like Music, Theatre & Dance 
junior Jessica Gomes-Ng, living 
thousands of miles from home 
for years at a time is adds new 
elements to that experience.

Gomes-Ng said studying in 

the United States was an easy 
transition because of her previous 
education 
at 
international 

primary and secondary schools 
in 
New 
Zealand, 
Vietnam, 

Belgium and Singapore.

“I went to an American school 

michigandaily.com
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Thursday, November 17, 2016

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INDEX
Vol. CXXVI, No. 31
©2016 The Michigan Daily

NEWS......................... 2A

OPINION.....................4A

CL ASSIFIEDS............... 5A

SUDOKU..................... 2A

A R T S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 A

B S I D E . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 B

Nearly 
a 
thousand 
people 

gathered on the Diag and marched 
through University of Michigan 
buildings for a student walk-out 
protest against racism on campus 
following President-elect Donald 
Trump’s upset win Wednesday 

afternoon.

The 
walkout, 
which 
was 

organized 
by 
the 
student 

organization Students4Justice, was 
also attended by civil rights activist 
Rev. Jesse Jackson.

Prior 
to 
the 
event, 
the 

Students4Justice released a list of 
demands that they hoped to achieve 
from the protest.

The 
list 
included 
demands 

for University action to protect 

underrepresented 
minority 

students 
by 
re-channeling 

resources, as well as a call for the 
University to be an immigrant 
sanctuary 
site, 
to 
double 
its 

commitment to rejecting racial 
harassment, to divest from unethical 
corporations and to remove all 
symbols and fliers associated with 
the alt-right movement and those 
encouraging white supremacy.

LSA junior Lakyrra Magee, one 

of the event organizers, highlighted 
the call to make the University a 
sanctuary campus — a designation 
that would empower Universities 
to limit institutional cooperation 
with federal immigration officers 
seeking 
out 
undocumented 

students— as among the most 
significant demands.

“Our main message was this: 

Because President Schlissel came 

See STUDENTS, Page 2A

michigandaily.com

For more stories and coverage, visit

See SAPAC, Page 2A

See WALKOUT, Page 3A

In a Wednesday press release, 

the University of Michigan stressed 
that the 2017 commencement 
ceremony 
— 
the 
bicentennial 

ceremony — will include multiple 
in-person speakers.

The release came after a petition 

circulated among seniors this week 
alleging that there were tentative 
plans to ompile a video of past 
speakers instead of one or both of 
the traditional speakers — typically 
a student and a keynote speaker.

Engineering 
senior 
Clare 

Hyde said she created the survey 
Sunday 
after 
confirming 
that 

this was the committee’s plan 
for commencement with several 
individual 
sources, 
including 

See BACKLASH, Page 3A

The B-Side

Daily Arts Writers explore 
food and cooking, including 
a trip to a pie-making class 
and a review of Ina Garten’s 

new cookbook. 

» Page 1B

HALEY MCLAUGHLIN/Daily

Reverend Jesse Jackson speaks at a walkout organized by Students4Justice to protest racism 
on the Diag Wednesday.

EMMA RICHTER/Daily

A program for the Sexual Assault and Prevention Center’s 30th annual Speak Out rest on the chairs for audience 
members before the event in the Michigan Union Wednesday.

Jarred and unsettled, Michigan 

in 
Color 
has 
shared 
in 
the 

sentiments 
of 
many 
students, 

faculty and staff on campus: fear, 

confusion, hopelessness, urgency 
and the need for action. Given 
that Michigan in Color is a space 
by and for people of color, our 
work has centered on providing 
MiC as a space and a platform 
for students to make sense of the 

See JACKSON, Page 3A

MICHIGAN IN COLOR

HALEY MCLAUGHLIN/Daily

Hundreds of students and community members march, sometimes blocking streets, during the Students4Justice campus walkout Wednesday.

Nearly one thousand march 
through campus in walkout

Civil rights legend shares thoughts on 
recent campus incidents following election

NISA KHAN &

TIM COHN

Daily Staff Reporters

Rev. Jesse Jackson 
puts our struggle in 
context with MiC
Rev. Jesse Jackson emphasizes empowerment at student-organized event

International 
students find 
freedom and 
frustrations

CAMPUS LIFE

In transition to ‘U’, 
challenges in maintaining 
identity, acquiring work

NEIL SCHWARTZ
Daily Staff Reporter

Annual SAPAC Speak Out provides 
survivors space to share their stories

Audience places flowers on painting of tree during 30th iteration of event

KAELA THEUT
Daily Staff Reporter

‘U’ releases 
statement 
about 2017 
graduation

CAMPUS LIFE

Information about 
plans follows student 
petition on ceremony

EMILY MIILLER
Daily Staff Reporter

MICHIGAN IN COLOR

Senior Editors

