TMSU organizes silent protest for earthquake victims in front of SLC

By Krishika Jethani

The Toronto Metropolitan Stu dents’ Union (TMSU) held a silent protest outside the Sheldon and Tracy Levy Student Learning Cen tre (SLC) on March 7.

The “Your Silence is Loud” pro test lasted 29 minutes to mark the number of days since the 7.8 magni tude earthquake occurred on Feb. 6, in Türkiye and Syria.

Despite the cold and windy weather, protestors held up signs that read “Your silence is loud” and “Help restore hope.”

The event was assembled “to con demn the authorities’ silence and lack of support for the victims,” according to an email sent to Eyeopener by TMSU Faculty of Arts director Aya Bakir.

“[We] demand accountability from those in power who have not taken action to provide aid and assistance to those affected by the earthquake,” said Bakir. “The affected communities’ lives and well-being cannot be ignored.”

Bakir, who is also a member of the TMSU’s equity committee, said she was feeling “hopeless” and wanted to dedicate her time assist ing those in need.

She said she was upset by the lack of response from the school, especially for students who found it “tough” to communicate with their professors about their ab sence in classes.

“I’m one of the lucky ones be cause my professors were very un derstanding…but for a university that prides itself on promoting di versity, they really failed to provide any support and action to care for its students,” said Bakir.

Previously, The Eye reported that students felt uncomfortable with the fun stories posted on the school’s Instagram account on the day of the ward Kerr Hall. As they made a loop through the quad, students kept their signs high to catch the attention of others.

Second-year sociology student Simone Cellario also participated in the protest. They felt the silence was very “powerful” and “self-explanatory.”

Bakir said she is satisfied she was able to put together the protest and bring light to the issue.

“It’s worth something that somehow I was able to transform my pain and all the sorrows that I’ve been feeling from the past month into ac- by the earthquake, in what was a community effort.

She said some volunteers delivered these donations to the Mississauga Drives, organized by the Turkish Consulate, with warehouse drop-off points in Mississauga and North York. TMSU staff members

“Especially in such a diverse city where it’s full of international students, immigrant families and first generations, having a member of the university that would help logistically or by supporting you to create these kinds of initiatives would be very helpful,” they explained.