‘This is a humanity issue’: Spokane students lead anti-ICE march through city

By Gen Heywood | FāVS News Photographer

On Saturday at Franklin Park in Spokane about 175 people joined a student-led rally and march demanding ICE out of Spokane. There were members of the Singing Resistance, help with the sound system from Pride, Peace Keepers from PJALS, and students from Spokane and Spokane Valley High Schools, as well as area colleges. 

The students began at Franklin Park with speakers, poetry and songs, then marched peacefully to B.A. Clark Park to join “Say it Saturday,” a weekly demonstration of unity.

Organizers Ava Swigart, a senior, and Julianna Chi, a freshman, both at Lewis and Clark High School, led the day’s events with the Spokane Students for Human Decency, joining other area students to present their demands.

“We want ICE out of Spokane,” Swigart explained. “We want local businesses to become Fourth Amendment businesses and refuse to be staging grounds for ICE, as well as not allow ICE to use their building at all. And then we want no funding for ICE in upcoming congressional budget.”

Chi learned of the event through an Instagram post by Swigart and immediately knew it was a natural fit. She said she had been involved in advocacy since 2016, when she protested alongside her mother for LGBTQ+ rights. As a daughter of immigrants, the rally held personal significance, and she reached out to Swigart to help with planning.

Student organizers from Spokane Valley came to share in the message of Spokane Students for Human Decency to get ICE out.

Josephine Allen had organized a walk out at Central Valley High School, Cole Croshaw helped get friends to the event, while Ona Miller organized a walk out at Ridgeline High School.

Miller hoped Saturday’s event would draw attention to the voice of the students and get their message out to the community. Croshaw echoed this goal with the hope that the community would see them along North Division and know that the youth take the situation in the country seriously.

Addie Vasquez, a senior at Ferris High School, said she appreciated those who joined the rally, noting it helped to know others shared her anger and outrage. 

“This is something that’s really important to me and my family as I am the granddaughter of immigrants. My grandparents came to America when they were just a little older than I am now,” she said. “And that’s why this is so important to me. Because today there are families just like mine who came here with the hope of a better life, and they have been separated from their parents, siblings and children. Innocent people have been killed, and so many others have been abused and detained.” 

She encouraged everyone to use their voices and to stand up for what is right.

“It doesn’t matter if you’re a Democrat or Republican because this isn’t a political issue. This is a humanity issue. It’s about the ICE agents who are tearing families apart and not only going unpunished, but are being praised for what they’ve done,” she said, adding that everyone should, “put your anger into something useful” by getting involved with area resistance organizations.

For Chi this was a day of mixed emotions.

“I stand before you here with a heart that is heavy, but also burning, burning with anger and injustice, burning with love for people who deserve better. Burning with the belief that things do not have to stay this way. Because what we are living through right now is bigger than one issue. It’s bigger than one policy. It’s a system, a system where power is protected and people are not,” she said.

Several college students representing the Spokane NAACP Youth Council also came to rally.

“We, as young people, we, as Gen Z, we, as a community, where, whoever you are, need to speak up and make it known that this will not stand and that we are here and we are going to be the change that we need to see,” said Kyla Holt.

Among the many supporters of the students was the Rev. Adam Toby of Bethany Presbyterian Church.

“I’m here because Jesus said that children are the greatest in the kingdom of God, and I think that they’re the ones who ought to be leading us. And they are leading us, and I think it’s right to follow.”

Toby said his congregation has been learning about resistance throughout Lent, studying a new Singing Resistance song each week. Those songs will be incorporated into Bethany Presbyterian’s Good Friday pilgrimage with other downtown churches.

Many participants will return to B.A Clark Park on March 28, for the No Kings III protest beginning at 1 p.m.

FāVS News uses professional journalists and thoughtful commentary to explore faith, values and ethics. Support journalism like this by making a tax-deductible donation. FāVS is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.