Student Liberation Action Movement

CUNY multi-racial student organization

1995 - CUNY Coalition Against the Cuts became SLAM


Real fighting spirit

CUNY - historically working class school in NYC, 17 campuses, 200k students
1969 major strikes on CUNY campuses, City College in Harlem had longest and biggest strikes. Multi-racial, people of color led. CUNY was free until 1976, mostly working class white people, many immigrants. Open admissions policy won by strikers in the late 60s & 70s - anyone who graduated from a NYC high school w/GPA of 85% or above could go to CUNY. As soon as CUNY became majority people of color, tuition was instated.

1989-91, strikes and occupations stop tuition hikes. Punishment for occupation = expulsion.

1995, organizers turn to militant street demos. Win 25% reduction in tuition hikes, still bad though.

Go to student groups and clubs - listen and shit.

Food and entertainment are required to build a movement! Subculture is annoying.

Anarchists and Maoists working together OMG.

SLAM ran for an won SGA. Created a high school organizing program. Creative arts stuff.

Worked with FIERCE and lots of other groups.

Went to A16, RNC in Philly. Worked with STORM.

"Tests have replaced dogs and fire houses as the means of white supremacy."

When SLAM won, it did because of strikes and occupations.

"We wanted a school where we didn't want to pay tuition. Period."

We sometimes chose issues that we knew we couldn't win. Sometimes the battle, unifying people around an issue and taking a stand, is the win.

Personal connections key. Dealing with people where they're at.

CUNY Social Forum . . .

The bailout is destroying social programs. The crisis is being used as a shock to redistribute wealth upwards.

The CUNY movement has always been about community control of education. We would not let politicians speak at out rallies, saying, "Why don't you let us speak at your rallies?"

The combo: