I walk in unison with the sprawling sea of people, an army of thousands equipped with bullhorns and bold signs, ready to take action. The atmosphere is electrified with a boisterous energy that seems to invigorate a passion within every person in the crowd. Unified by a common purpose, people from vastly different walks of life clap their hands and chant slogans in unison. 

This January, I attended an anti-ICE walkout at Dolores Park with my father. It was my first protest, and I felt nervous, but empowered. At first, my father and I danced and chanted along with the crowd. However, as the protest progressed, I no longer sensed his lively energy beside me. I turned to look at him, and his face was etched with a mix of emotions: sadness, anger, but most of all, frustration. His eyes met mine, and he said, “Man, I feel tired.” At that moment, I understood his disheartened state. 

My father was an activist in the 2000s who advocated for tenant rights and anti-war efforts against the Gulf War in Iraq. He participated in large-scale protests that shut down major Bay Area highways and collaborated on a variety of projects, most notably a multi-year campaign in Oakland, where he fought against the eviction of seniors. During the ICE protest, he expressed feelings of frustration with the current situation, describing how similar it felt to previous situations. He recalled certain chants with similar structures from protests during his activist days, but simply replaced with the word “ICE.” He thought to himself, “Have things really changed?”

In the words of Mark Twain, “History doesn’t repeat itself, but it often rhymes.” The fight for justice has always existed, and people will continue to organize to advocate for what they stand for, with each generation passing the torch onto future generations. Although visible changes have been made and current issues affecting society are somewhat different from those of decades past, the root causes persist. “Following the money” is usually still the touchstone of truth when it comes to world politics and what each nation and its leaders’ intentions are. There will always be a thirst for power and control, leading to the oppression of the masses. By pitting minority groups against each other, the elite can “divide and conquer.” In particular, anti-immigration policies and practices have existed for centuries. In the 1940s, my grandparents immigrated to America during the Chinese Exclusion Act by way of the “paper son/daughter” system. They would not have been able to immigrate to the United States during this time. It is essential not to think only for ourselves but for others, as today’s issues also impact everyone else in the long run. My father fights not for his own future, but for his children’s future, in the hope that the world they step into will be safer. I believe it is my duty to continue my father’s work in advocating against oppression in honor of my grandparents, who had to fight their way through these oppressive systems for their children. 

In the digital age, technological advancements have made the spread of information increasingly more accessible and efficient. The advent of livestreaming has brought news to people instantaneously. With platforms like YouTube, Twitch, and TikTok, among others, a variety of different perspectives are accessible. Although misinformation is pervasive, these platforms give people the opportunity to cross-examine different news pieces and investigate the truth of the claims being presented to them with the intent of forming their unique opinions. Fake news complicates the sense of what we are made to believe is real and heavily hinges on partisan politics. Now, more than ever, it is imperative that we use technology to our advantage. Just decades ago, the dissemination of news was limited to only a select few TV channels and newspapers, substantially restricting the viewpoints available to the masses. Technology is a tool that can be widely utilized to demonstrate solidarity for people around the world. Global broadcasting helps affected individuals see that there are people who care about the social issues they are facing and that they are not alone in their struggles. For example, the broadcasting of the ICE protest at Dolores Park showed solidarity for the protesters in Minneapolis who were also affected by ICE recently. There are now an abundance of ways to show solidarity without physical presence, such as relaying important information through social media to increase awareness.

Through social media, the younger generation is more motivated to get involved with activism. At the recent ICE protest, there were many students who attended. I believe that the younger generation must defend their civil rights and continue to be vocal about their beliefs. The lives of the future generation are in our hands. 

As my father says, “Silence is consent.”