Incredibly disheartening to hear how the state and local agencies willingly allowed for the CUNY system to fall apart. Instead of prioritizing equitable education, they were content to see a system that uplifted Black, Brown, Asian and Indigenous students fail. It's no coincidence that in the 1970s, government officials were largely white and ignorant towards a system that was not entirely beneficial for their racial group. Evidently, we need stakeholders that are representative of the community in order to make informed decisions.

It's fascinating how we've built upon the organizing tactics of 1976. The student-led protests, lobbying City Council and coalition building are all strategies I've used involving current education advocacy issues. The cut to CUNY in the 70s, reminds me of our recent 200 million dollar cut form our NYC school budgets. Public education historically serves, poor, working class, immigrant communities of color- yet generationally, public education has always been under attack. Public schools are highly politicized because the bodies within are.