Why Walk Out?

We can't pretend this was a normal election. The election of Donald J. Trump represents a direct challenge to our democratic values, the human rights of our citizens, and the safety of our communities. This is not hysteria, alarmism, or partisan panic. The President-elect has proposed:

• A nationwide database of Muslims in America;
• Banning all Muslims from immigrating to the United States;
• Ordering U.S. troops to commit war crimes;
• The creation of a “deportation force” charged with carrying out mass deportation orders;
• “Opening up” libel laws in order to constrain freedom of the press;
• Jailing his election opponent.

Since the election, it has become even clearer that Donald Trump is unfit for the Presidency. He has chosen as his chief political adviser an overt racist, and his choice for National Security Adviser is a bigot who has called Islam a "cancer". And then there's the fact that Trump may be using the Presidency for personal profit.

Walking out is our way of resisting normalization. In these extraordinary times, we can't go about our ordinary lives. When we walk out, we tell the UVA community and the world that we're willing to take action to resist extremism and violence wherever it is.

Will you walk out with us? Sign here.

What is Mass Prep?

Mass Prep is a campus-wide teach-in organized by concerned members of the UVA community. Students, faculty, and staff have pledged not to work, teach, or attend class on Friday, January 20, 2017 to protest the inauguration of Donald Trump as President of the United States. In lieu of our normal schedules of classes and work, we will be participating in a mass teach-in aimed at engaging members of the UVA community in the democratic process. Our name, Mass Prep, refers to the urgent need to prepare ourselves and our fellow citizens for life under a Trump presidency. 

The teach-in will consist of an array of workshops and panels led by UVA students, faculty, and staff, covering a variety of topics and issues. Session topics will include: 
 - Immigration 
 - Reproductive rights 
 - Racial justice 
 - Civil liberties and religious freedom 
 - Economic inequality 
 - Freedom of the press 
 - LGBTQ rights 
 - Sexual assault 

Our goals: 
1. To make clear our opposition to the Donald Trump administration and its policies 
2. To prepare ourselves and our community for political life in the Trump era 
3. To form new strategic coalitions dedicated to social justice 
4. To mobilize activists and citizens for future political action 
5. To educate ourselves and each other on topics, experiences, and identities that are under threat in the Trump era

Sign the pledge here