In the days following demonstrators with signs appearing on campus, the Texas State community rallied together to find ways to reconnect and create symbols of unity.
Two demonstrators arrived before 12:20 p.m. on Nov. 6 at the Fighting Stallions, holding multiple provocative signs targeting women and the LGBTQ+ community. A counterprotest from students quickly followed.
The day after, students surrounded the stallions, holding signs bearing contrasting messages from the day before, such as “Free Hugs,” “Don’t Lose Hope” and “Y’all Means All.”
“Be you, simply just being yourself as a form of protest is a form of resilience, a form of courageousness,” Jerard Mosley, musical theatre freshman, said. “Simply just being yourself makes the world a better place, not falling to the systematic pressures of hate and all the other horrible things in the world.”
Mosley stood with his friends to support the community on Nov. 7. He said random students showing up and wanting to make a positive change rather than the moment being organized made it beautiful.
Mosley said some students stayed for several hours to reach the student body. He emphasized that two people, unaffiliated with the university, couldn’t define who and what Texas State is: a diverse and inclusive place.
William Eugene-Onyejiaka, public administration senior, and his friends formed a group offering free hugs to any student who passed by. Eugene-Onyejiaka said he was disappointed some individuals had twisted scripture from the Bible in a way that misrepresents Christianity.
“Don’t let your love be idle, but instead, let love be active, and out of that love, let there be joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, self control as well,” Eugene-Onyejiaka said. “And make sure that you are demonstrating your love by the way you live and the way you treat others.”
Among those with Eugene-Onyejiaka were Yasmim Seibert, health sciences freshman, Michael Benitez, exercise and sports science junior and Sarah Wilson, education junior, who all took turns holding the signs throughout the day. They said the most impactful moments that day were when they could tell the person needed the hug — either not letting go, holding on tight or crying afterward.
Beyond the signs on campus, student leaders organized within the dorms to support the peers around them.
Sean Harris, Blanco Hall president, felt outraged, upset and frustrated at the demonstration. He reunited his dorm community later that day by organizing a group session for 50 students. The event allowed students to vent, ask questions and discuss their feelings about what might happen next, providing a community to those who felt they didn’t belong anymore.
Harris said he felt a shift in his dorm’s morale, which holds the Black & Latinx Theme Community. He said his floor, once vibrant, became quieter as students stopped leaving their rooms. Harris hopes to continue supporting those around him.
“I once had someone tell me ‘talking will only get you one thing — another word back,'” Harris said. “Stand with the people you’ve made at this campus to be your family. Stand tall. Don’t be afraid. Don’t let fear hit you because that’s what they want.”
Taysha Richardson, Bexar Hall president, organized a spontaneous movie night event on Thursday for her community as residents expressed to her how they felt as a result of the demonstration.
Richardson was at the demonstration and experienced anger but also pride and excitement seeing Texas State organizations counterprotesting. She said events like the one she organized provide a safe space for people to gather, talk and form new friendships.
“I think [the demonstration] definitely showed that people here… we’re more together than what we really realized and that there’s people out here who care about you,” Richardson said. “It definitely brought us together as more of a whole than we actually realized… this just really connected us as Bobcats.”
As students across campus continue to promote unity, some have also turned to creative outlets to express their feelings, including AnaBelle Elliott, journalism senior.
Elliott posted a song on Instagram a day after the demonstration. She said when approaching her song, she wanted it to focus on humanity, rather than the hatred of the demonstration, and recenter the community on self-love and staying strong.
“I do think that students are the ones ultimately that hold the most power socially and I think we’ve seen that,” Elliott said. “I think that the students absolutely have said ‘we don’t tolerate this’… I think that’s really beautiful.”
