Voices from the Frontlines of Advocacy in Houston

By Martin Troupe, Sr.

In an online briefing on Wednesday, student activists from the Houston area provided an inside look at the unprecedented campus protest movement that has swept across the nation in response to the conflict in Gaza. Spurred into action by what they call a “genocide” of Palestinians, students have taken to the streets in historic numbers, demanding universities cut ties with companies supporting Israeli military efforts.

The virtual event, hosted by Houston Ethnic Media – comprised of over 35 newspapers, radio, and TV stations – featured a panel of key student organizers who have helped catalyze the movement locally and nationwide. They delved into what sparked this profound mobilization after the rise in violence last October, exploring the emotional, political, and humanitarian factors driving young people to prioritize Gaza amid myriad other pressing issues like climate change and abortion rights.

“Young people care very deeply about this,” said Uyiosa Elegon, a longtime activist and co-founder of youth media platform Shift Press, during the briefing. “Not only do they have real access to the history of Palestinian oppression, but they’re outraged over massive US financial support to Israel in this conflict.”

For students like Reyna Valdez of the University of Houston’s Students for Justice in Palestine chapter, the current protests build on years of organizing for Palestinian rights across campuses. “This didn’t emerge overnight,” she explained. “It’s a movement years in the making that’s reached a breaking point.”

Wednesday’s conversation examined the lessons students have learned through their activism and the specific goals – from an immediate ceasefire to broader policy changes – they hope to achieve. With protests still escalating and no resolution in sight for Gaza, panelists also discussed strategies for sustaining momentum and continuing to advocate for their cause moving forward.

Reyna Valdez, University of Houston and Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP)

Reyna Valdez, a student at the University of Houston and member of Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), described the movement’s long-standing roots, noting that the current protests are the result of decades of organizing and activism in support of Palestinian rights across college campuses.

“SJP chapters have existed since the 90s, and what we’re seeing now is not a sudden interest in Palestine but rather a movement that’s been building for years and is now at a breaking point with the genocide in Gaza,” Valdez explained. “I really wanted to get involved in more radical organizing, and the only real space for that at the University of Houston was through the SJP chapter. So that’s why I decided to get involved.”

Ahad Adesanya, University of Houston

Ahad Adesanya, another student at the University of Houston, connected his activism with his broader awareness of global injustices.

“Seeing the protests for Palestine made me sit down and realize that I wanted to make a change on my end, or at least try to bring awareness. That’s generally my goal, to try to get as many people around me to be aware of what’s going on and to actually stand up and help out,” Adesanya said.

He also reflected on the broader implications of the movement. “I feel like there’s a lot of faith in our generation to bring about change and undo the wrongs set before us.”

Jade Madsoup, Photographer and University of Houston Student

Jade Madsoup, a photographer and student at the University of Houston who spent part of his childhood in Lebanon, expressed the moral urgency of the issue.

“People ask what would you do if you were alive during the Holocaust, and I think this conflict shows who would have actually done something about it. And this is what we would do,” Madsoup said. He also pointed out the interconnected nature of various liberation struggles, noting, “Talking about Palestine has made people also start talking about Sudan, the Congo, and other places facing severe oppression.”

Jade also shared how his personal experience growing up in the Middle East inspired his activism.

“The news in Lebanon affects you every day, so since I was a kid, I was watching what was happening in Syria, what was happening in the Arab world. It kept me educated on the subjects,” he explained. “Now, as an Arab person, as someone who’s been affected directly and indirectly by the conflicts, I can’t look away.”

The Role of Faith and Community

During the briefing, Elegon, a practicing Christian, shared how the protests made him question the absence of protests from leaders in his own church.

“I don’t see many pastors, especially Black pastors, consistently talking about Palestinians. We went through Christmas without people talking about Jesus as a Palestinian, even as his birthplace was being bombed. My association with the broader Christian community has been fractured because of that,” Elegon lamented.

But he also acknowledged the support from other religious communities and groups, saying, “I’ve been blessed to be with Jews and Muslims who practice their faith in a much more serious manner on this topic.”

Looking Ahead

While the panel made clear that achieving a ceasefire remains the top priority, students have their sights set on longer-term objectives as well. These include pushing universities to fully divest from companies supporting the Israeli military, as well as lobbying for changes to U.S. foreign policy regarding aid to Israel.

Student organizers also aim to further raise awareness about the crisis in Gaza and grow the protest movement across even more campuses. They stressed that building coalitions with other activist groups, staging coordinated national actions, and keeping up public pressure will be key to effecting lasting change.

“Until Palestinians can return home and live without fear of violence, we need to keep fighting,” Valdez stated. “This movement isn’t going away anytime soon.”

The event, hosted by the consortium of over 35 ethnic media outlets, shed light on the powerful student-led coalition that has rapidly coalesced around Gaza, offering critical perspective on a movement driving dialogue and action nationwide.

Photo courtesy of The Cougar