Richie George, Hopper '27

As a Peer Liaison at the Afro-American Cultural Center, I witnessed first-hand how Yale abandoned its cultural centers after the Trump Administration’s funding cuts on universities with so-called DEI programs. Our center’s director warned us of preemptive budget cuts. We had to skimp on events we would offer to our first-years. We had to be mindful of how we marketed our programming to make sure Yale didn’t enter into legal trouble. Student workers at other centers saw their work hours cut, and now we must support our communities that face racial and class discrimination with less funding and more uncompensated burdens. Instead of investing in the lives of its minority students, Yale protects its bottom line. We need a fighter that will hold Yale accountable to its students and New Haven, to fight for a fully-funded city. That fighter for racial and economic justice is Norah Laughter.