South Bronx, October 9–The crisis at the City University of New York (CUNY) is sharpening, as the capitalist trustees and politicians pursue their plans of implementing budget cuts, packing virtual classes with as many as a hundred students and laying off thousands of part-time instructors and college workers. CUNY administrators have increased class sizes, launching a racist attack on students’ education. This is a racist attack because the students at CUNY are disproportionately Black and Latin. But racism divides and hurts all working class students. So several student clubs and some union members from two Bronx CUNY campuses took to the streets and held a militant, multiracial march against racist cutbacks.
We began with a short rally near the courthouse, where students and faculty had an informal “warm up” of speeches. (see letters on page 6). We spoke about the need to fight back against these racist cuts, about why we need to strike, and about the need for unity between workers and students. Many faculty & staff have lost their health insurance in the midst of the pandemic that has disproportionately stricken Black and Latin workers and students.  Colleges throughout CUNY are pressuring staff to risk their lives at unsafe campuses. Our speakers included students from both campuses, who called on us to continue the fight back.  They pointed out how the problem is capitalism. Politicians are part of this capitalist system. An adjunct made the point that voting for the Democrats will not resolve this crisis. In New York City Democrats run everything. They are the problem. The adjunct said, “We are the ones we are waiting for.“ That’s right and the future for us as workers is communism where we run all of society.
Progressive Labor Party (PLP) members are active in our union committees and student clubs. We were happy to be joined by comrades from the Bronx and to see so many workers responding to CHALLENGE newspaper. In these mass groups that we work in, we are trying to bring workers and students closer to our communist ideas through discussion, struggle, and action. Our study group has discussions about how racism and capitalism go hand in hand, and why capitalism cannot provide us with the education we need.  We look forward to more of our co-workers and students joining PLP as we battle on!
The march ended in front of one of the Bronx campuses, where a number of security guards began approaching us and calling for backup until they realized we were “livestreaming” the march and backed off. It was a clear message to the marchers that we must demand COPS ARE REMOVED FROM  CAMPUS as well as the end to austerity. The closing speech was very inspiring as a professor who was laid off explained what it had been like for her to lose her livelihood. She thanked everyone for coming. “I love you all for standing by me” she said and then proceeded to call for us to continue building a movement to shut down CUNY and fight back against capitalism. We ended with a bang and formed a “human chain” extending from one end of the block to the other. With our signs and a huge banner facing traffic we called on drivers to honk in support.
One of the student leaders shared her reflections after the march. “It was amazing to come out to the march and get the message out about striking for a fully funded CUNY. Our voices were loud and clear, which encouraged passersby to join us and strangers to proudly honk their horns in support. I hope to attend more marches and be part of this collective fight.”
This march was powerful. It represented the class anger we feel at what is happening to our students and colleagues.  It was a collective effort with different people volunteering to plan the route, translate the leaflet, post the fliers on the Internet, etc.  It is a glimpse of how powerful the working class can be. Join us in the fight against racism and for communism!