The Outrage is Justified: Pomona Valley Youth Walkouts, Community Protests, and the White House
- Fabián Pavón
- Mar 31
- 3 min read
By Fabián Pavón, Gente Scholar-in-Residence, and Vanesa Guadalupe Morales
When the rules are unfair, the rules must be broken! During the months of January and February, youth all around the country broke the rules and walked out of their schools in support of immigrant communities. The Pomona Valley is no exception. On February 6, hundreds of students from Diamond Ranch, Garey, and Fremont academy walked out of their schools. The Pomona student walkouts and the “Un-presidents’ Day” protests are appropriate responses to the current Trump administration.
The rules are unfair. On January 20th, 2025 Trump pardoned more than 1,500 capitol rioters. Many of these individuals are convicted felons and have ties to white supremacist organizations. On January 6, 2021, this mob of people stormed the capitol building and assaulted police officers to unlawfully overturn the 2020 election. What did it say about the rule of law when the Trump administration incited a riot? What does it suggest when, on MLK Day, the Trump administration pardoned that same group of violent criminals while simultaneously deporting and accusing immigrants of being violent murderers and rapists? How does this double standard affect the youth? The Trump administration’s actions tell us that the rules are unfair, so the youth will respond accordingly. They will break the rules.
The Pomona Valley has always stood up for their community and immigrant rights. On November 8, 1994, California voters approved the anti-immigrant Proposition 187. During this time, Border Patrol agents targeted Latino parents at schools, raided workplaces, and arrested Pomona mayor, Eddie Cortez. In response, Cathy Glidden, president of MEChA at Ganesha, led a walkout along with Pomona and Garey high schools. Hundreds of students marched to Pomona City Hall. PUSD responded by suspending students.
In 2006, Pomona was one of 140 cities across the nation protesting the anti-immigrant (HR4437) bill and calling for immigration reform. At this time, local law enforcement used DUI checkpoints to target unlicensed undocumented drivers. Pomona Habla, challenged the checkpoints. Members were later targeted when a drunken off-duty officer crashed a Pomona Habla meeting and threatened attendees.
On June 16, 2015, Donald Trump announced his bid for President. He has since dehumanized immigrants as rapists and drug dealers. The Pomona community quickly organized the ICE out of Pomona campaign and mobilized to make Pomona a “sanctuary city.” Ten years later, here we are again during Trump’s second presidency. Students, parents, and community members are anxious. Some anxieties were calmed after Mayor Tim Sandoval called off a scheduled DUI checkpoint set for the 31st of January 2025. But with Trump’s looming ICE raids - Pomona responded.
Students are tired of living in fear, so they broke the rules. On February 6, students from Diamond Ranch, Fremont, and Garey met up at Target to protest the retail store’s rollback of DEI and the Trump administration’s immigration raids. 400 students rallied and waved flags representing El Salvador, Mexico, and the U.S. They marched to Garey and Fremont academy before arriving at Pomona city hall. The protests did not end there.
On February 16, organizations hosted pro-immigrant marches throughout the IE. During what they called, “Un-presidents’ Day,” community members met at Pomona city hall on Main and Mission. Flags waved, BMX cyclists did wheelies, Aztec Dancers danced to the rhythm of drums, and protesters chanted: “THIS is what community looks like!”
The rules are unfair. The current Trump administration is eliminating the protections of the US constitution. The ICE detention of Mahmoud Khalil is only the latest attack against the constitutionally protected right to freedom of speech. Trump’s consistent defiance of the constitution and federal court orders are on-going examples of unfair rules and injustice.
When the rules are unfair, the rules will be broken! Unfortunately, the schools don’t teach youth how to challenge unfairness and injustice. Schools reproduce injustice. The only people who can teach us how to challenge injustice are youth of color, at-promise youth, formerly incarcerated individuals, single mothers, immigrant fathers, working-class people, and all of those who dwell at the margins of society.
THIS is OUR community! THIS is what we look like!
Fabián Pavón was born and raised in Pomona, Ca. He is a Scholar-in-Residence with Gente Organizada and is a 3rd year PhD student in Chicana/o Studies at UC Santa Barbara. Vanesa Guadalupe Morales is an 8th grade student at Fremont Academy and a community youth leader in Pomona.