At 10:30 a.m. on Oct. 18, over 80 Lowell students walked out of registry, joining a rally at the flagpole. Following speeches by rally organizers, participating students marched down Eucalyptus Drive calling for a cease-fire in the ongoing conflicts in Gaza. Speakers also called for teachers to teach about the conflict and for the U.S. to stop funding Israeli war efforts.
The walkout, organized by Lowell’s Middle Eastern and North African Club (MENA), was just one of many occurring today across the district and the nation. “This walkout is not just a single act, but a statement that our cry for freedom will never be silenced,” said junior Helena Awwad, who is the MENA co-president.
The walkout consisted of speeches from the MENA club co-presidents, Awwad and sophomore Zayna Elkarra, whose family lives in Gaza. MENA club led a march down Eucalyptus Drive, where chants of “free, free Palestine” and “say no to genocide” filled the air. The walkout concluded with a moment of silence in Rolph Nicol Park, where the co-presidents made their final remarks. Organizers were clear to separate the actions of the Israeli government from Israeli and Jewish people. “We want to make it clear that when we are talking about Israel, we are not referring to Jewish people,” said Elkarra. “The two need to be separated.”
Among the participants was Jewish student Caleb Darsky. “What motivated me to join the walkout today was seeing the amount of suffering on both sides in Israel and Palestine,” the senior said. “I want to show solidarity because there’s a lot of miscommunication between Jews and Muslims, and Israelis and Palestinians. I hope that bringing my voice to this walkout can help bridge the gap.”
Organizers saw the walkout as a display of the power of student voices. “I absolutely believe that as youth in America, we cannot be silenced,” said Awwad. “This is the time where we have to use our voices to educate people.” Elkarra echoed Awwad’s remarks: “I want the world to wake up, to really see and understand what’s going on.”
