Ruby Trotter, a junior majoring in Chemistry and Spanish here at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock, attended a BLM protest in Fort Smith back in May shortly after the protests across the country began.

“The protest lasted for 8 hours, but I was only there for about 30 minutes,” Trotter said.

Trotter says about 100 people were lining both sides of the street down Rogers Avenue in front of the Chick-Fil-A. She also said there were many different types of people at the protest.

“The protest consisted of students, adults, and other community members,” she said. “I was incredibly touched to see people of all races out there in support. I actually cried on the way in because I saw a lot of White people passionately protesting for our rights. It was so nice.”

Trotter says that the protest she attended was nothing but peaceful.

“It was mostly just protesters lining Rogers Ave, holding signs, and chanting,” she said. “There were even protest coordinators handing out water and snacks for the protesters. It was a super positive environment.”

However, according to Trotter, not everyone was entirely positive.

“There were some people who would drive by and throw up their middle fingers,” she said. “They would also yell at us.”

Trotter says there was an incident that occurred after she left the protest. She says that there was a man who attempted to be violent against protesters and that he had a weapon on him. However, law enforcement quickly deescalated the situation and arrested the man.

Trotter was taken aback from the amount of support other races were showing the Black community.

“The thing that stood out to me the most was how white people and other races were standing proudly with us,” she said. “I had seen some touching videos like that on social media but it was incredible to see in person. Just knowing that we are not alone in this struggle was so refreshing. I often feel like everything we are doing is in vain, especially with this recent Breonna Taylor ruling. But thinking back to that gives me a little hope.”

Breonna Taylor was a 26-year-old black woman who was shot in her apartment in Louisville, Kentucky on March 13. The officers were at Taylor’s home for an alleged drug raid. Allegedly, Taylor and her boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, were involved with drugs. The police officers involved busted into Taylor’s apartment on a no-knock warrant. Walker fired shots when he realized someone had busted into the apartment. The police officers fired back, killing Breonna Taylor in her own home. One of the three officers was fired. None of them have been charged and convicted to this day.

Gage Pipkin, a Junior majoring in Theatre Arts, said he attended two BLM protests.

“I attended two BLM protests in Jonesboro,” he said. “One took place on the road in front of the police department. The other protest took place downtown.”

Pipkin says the protest in front of the police department lasted for quite a while.

“The protest that took place near the police department was almost an all-day event,” he said. “However, I only stayed for a few hours because I had to go to work later that day.”

Pipkin says that the protest downtown lasted a few hours, so he was able to stay the whole time. He also says there were quite a lot of people at both protests.

“At the first protest, there were mainly adults,” he said “There were police officers there too. I do remember some kids being present. At the second protest, there was a mixture of adults and students.”

Pipkin emphasized that both protests were peaceful, however, there was an incident at one of the protests.

“During our walk to where we started, a vehicle ran into the crowd and a man with a gun appeared,” said Pipkin. “No shots were fired, but people did start running.”

Pipkin stated that people ran towards the man’s van and the police soon followed. Pipkin mentioned that he wasn’t sure of the outcome of that incident.

Despite that incident, Pipkin relished on how united the protests and the protestors were.

“We marched around downtown and ended the march with a moment of silence that lasted for eight minutes and 15 seconds,” he said.

Eight minutes and 15 seconds was how long Officer Derek Chauvin, the Minneapolis police officer who is currently being charged for the death of George Floyd, had his knee on Floyd’s neck.

“It honestly was magical at how everyone treated each other at this protest,” Pipkin said.

Pipkin also mentioned that the police officers mainly acted as bystanders at both protests.

“They were there to help block off the roads,” he said. “They wanted to listen. At the start of the first protest, the police and community members set up a time to talk about the issues they face. It felt very proactive from my perspective.”

Pipkin said that what stood out to him the most about the protests was the fact that people still believe that protestors have a part in creating violence.

“For example, the man who had pulled a gun on the protestors,” he said. “It was known that he tried to hit protestors with his van. Then he pulled out his firearm. Protestors proceeded to take matters into their own hands to stop the man.”

He mentioned that many of his fellow peers claimed that the protestors started the violence.

“It’s crazy what people want to believe to fit their hidden agendas,” he said.

Pipkin stated that Black Lives Matter is a call to action to address a major flaw in our justice system and to create equality among the people.

“It is a call that minorities’ lives matter just as much as the majority,” he said. “BLM is choosing life.”

Pipkin said that he went to the protests because he knows what it’s like to not be granted equal rights as others.

“As a member of the LGBTQIA+ community, I would not have the rights that I have today if it was not for the queer POC (People of Color),” he said.

Pipkin is mainly referring to Marsha P. Johnson, a transgender Black woman who is known to have started the Stonewall Riots, a major turning point in the gay rights movement.

“I needed to show my respect, solidarity and love,” he said.

Pipkin mentioned that his best friend is a Black woman and that she has had a major influence in his life.

“If I don’t stand with her, then what value would our friendship have?” he said.

Pipkin did say that his support for the movement has affected some of his personal relationships.

“My family and friends all know where I stand,” he said. “I have had deep conversations with them. At the end of the day, they either understood my point of view or they agreed to disagree with me. If those close to me did not feel the need to speak up or support the movement, I pointed it out and would ask why they have chosen silence.”

Statistics show that 93% on the BLM protests have been peaceful. There have been times where protests became violent, but the majority of them were peaceful.

According to the official Black Lives Matter website, BLM is a global movement and organization whose mission is to “eradicate white supremacy and build local power to intervene in violence inflicted on Black communities by the state and vigilantes. By combating and countering acts of violence, creating space for Black imagination and innovation, and centering Black joy, we are winning immediate improvements in our lives.”

The movement was adopted after the acquittal of Trayvon Martin’s killer, George Zimmerman, in 2013. Martin was only 17 years old when he was murdered in the street in central Florida. Martin was walking home on a February evening in 2012. He had a bag of skittles and an Arizona Peace Tea in his hands. A fatal encounter occurred between Martin and Zimmerman; Zimmerman was a neighborhood watchman at the time. He claimed that Martin looked “suspicious.” Against the dispatcher’s orders, Zimmerman followed Martin. The scuffle between the two led Martin to run down the neighborhood screaming for help. His screams could be heard through the phone when one of the neighbors called 911. Zimmerman fired rounds at Martin, ultimately ending the young boy’s life. From this incident, BLM was born.

BLM and its supporters have been protesting for Black lives for seven years now. People have been protesting for Black lives for decades. More and more people are recording unjust incidents against black people on their phones and sharing them on social media. The Rodney King beating by four LAPD officers in 1991 was caught on tape. Eric Garner’s death was also caught on tape. Around late April of this year, the video of Ahmaud Arbery being gunned down while on a run by three white men was released on several media and social media platforms; He was killed in February.

All of these black mens’ death sparked uproar within the United States. However, George Floyd’s murder on May 25, 2020, was the straw that broke the camel’s back. George Floyd was allegedly arrested for paying with a counterfeit $20 bill at a store. A video surfaced on social media of a Chauvin kneeling on Floyd’s neck for approximately eight minutes and fifteen seconds. During the recording, you can hear Floyd pleading for his mother and telling the officers, “I can’t breathe.” Floyd died from mechanical asphyxia. All four of the officers involved in the arrest were fired. But that wasn’t enough as citizens of all different racial and socioeconomic backgrounds demanded that justice be served for the unarmed killing of George Floyd. This is where the worldwide protests in favor of justice for George Floyd, and justice for all black lives, began.

WRITER’S THOUGHTS:

As a Black woman, I wholeheartedly support Black Lives Matter. It’s not a trend that lasts for a few months; It’s a lifelong commitment to justice. A lot of people who bash BLM fail to realize that it’s an equal opportunity organization and movement. Yes, we’re screaming “BLM!” in the streets and advocating for the justice of black people who have been killed because of police brutality. The message isn’t that black lives are more valuable than any other races’ lives. The message is that black lives matter just as much as everyone else’s lives. But since our justice system has continuously failed to acknowledge that for years, we will continue to march and protest until our demands to equal rights be considered and direct action is taken. All lives can’t matter until black ones do.

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Republican Candidate Donald Trump

The republican party selected current president Donald J. Trump and Mike Pence. Though recent controversies such as audio leaks of telephone conversations and tax reports leaking through the media, President Trump is looking for a repeat as he gears up for the upcoming debates. Trump believes he鈥檚 the only candidate right for the United States and he鈥檚 done a lot of great work for the American people. Trump is standing on the policies of defending the police, ending reliance on China, and creating jobs for the American people. He鈥檚 also taking the stance of defending the second amendment and the US citizens rights to bear arms. He believes that he is the safest choice, however other candidates believe otherwise.

Democratic Candidate Joe Biden

Vying for presidency, democratic candidate and former vice president Joe Biden and his chosen vice president Kamala Harris are moving to upset Trump in the upcoming presidential race. Biden and Harris have started their administration on the thoughts of providing what he believes is more adequate leadership during the times of covid, ending gun violence in America, and reforming the systems on climate change and the police force. Biden believes that under the Trump administration America has become divided and needs to come together in order to battle the problems of systemic racism and ending the increase of violence. Biden intends on becoming president and bringing America back together; however, both the republican and democratic candidates have to worry about their other opponents as well.

Libertarean and Green Parties Candidates 

Other than the main two presidential candidates we also have the Libertarian Candidate Jo Jorgensen with her running mate Spike Cohen and the Green party candidate Howie Hawkins and his running mate Angela Walker. Jo Jorgensen believes that the Republicans and Democrats have done nothing but leave us with debt, involvement in foreign wars, and a broken retirement system. Jorgenson wants to reduce the cost of  healthcare by 75% by allowing real price competition. The Jorgenson administration also wants to remove government barriers to replace coal and oil power plants and make the US into a giant Switzerland that is armed and neutral.

Hawkins and his administration wants to create the Green New Deal, which they believe will bring 100% clean energy by 2030. They also believe in legalizing marijuana and end the war on drugs. Hawkins also wants to create a sustainable agriculture system where each region could be self-reliant with the use of farm belts.

As the climax of the presidential election draws near and undecided voters paying attention to the presidential debates, candidates are working diligently to gain voters. Undecided voters can find out more information about each candidate and their views and ideas on their respective websites for their candidacy. 

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Have you registered to vote yet? If not, don’t wait any longer. The deadline to register to vote in Arkansas is Oct. 5. This date is quickly approaching for anyone who wants to vote in the Nov. Presidential election. If you fill out a quick voter registration form, you can easily drop it off at your County Clerk’s office. You have to fill out your form in the county your official address is in, so on-campus students may have to mail in their ballots and registration.

Not sure if you’re registered? Check that at Vote.com!

If you are registered to vote but need to update your address, go to your local county clerk’s website and find their Voter Registration Address & Name Change Form. You鈥檒l be able to register quickly through that.

糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock students should make sure that our voices are heard this November, so make sure you register before Oct. 5 and vote in November!

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Declining Enrollment

糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock鈥檚 enrollment troubles aren鈥檛 unique. For years, colleges across the country have faced steadily declining rates of enrollment. According to the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center, college enrollment in the United States dropped 11 percent from 2011 to 2019. In 2010, 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock counted over 13,000 students. Six years later, in 2016, enrollment tallied at just over 11,500 students. The latest enrollment calculation, completed for Fall 2019, counted about 9,500 students.

While lost enrollment revenue has been a common experience in recent years, budgetary enrollment projections for the current fiscal year pushed the school鈥檚 financial issues to the extreme.

鈥淲e projected an enrollment decline of 1 percent,鈥� 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock Chancellor Christina Drale said. 鈥淎nd it was 9 percent.鈥�

That 9 percent decline resulted in about $5 million worth of revenue loss. Drale said the original projected decline was the result of philosophical differences.

鈥淚 think there were people who recognized that was not a realistic projection,鈥� Drale said. 鈥淏ut there were others who were very optimistic and truly believed we would be able to turn enrollment around and limit it to a more modest decline.鈥�

While the university isn鈥檛 expecting another 9 percent drop in enrollment for next year, they are prepared for more declines.

鈥淲e are predicting we will not regain any of the 9 percent we lost this year,鈥� Drale said. 鈥淎nd in fact, [we think we] will lose potentially another 6 percent.鈥�

That 6 percent accounts for a further $4 million in potential revenue losses.

For this year, however, the school still has another $6 million to make up for outside of their operating budget.

$11 million budget deficit

Institutions like 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock have a part of their budget called net position which deals with depreciation, bonds, and other accounting matters.

Over time, the university failed to account for depreciation in their budget.

鈥淲e weren鈥檛 setting aside enough funds to match that depreciation level,鈥� Drale said. 鈥淲e came into this fiscal year $5.6 million in the negative on our net position.鈥�

For the 2020 Fiscal Year, the university faces an almost $11 million budget shortfall.

University Audit

A report which alarmed many on campus arrived in an Arkansas Democrat-Gazette article last November. The report detailed an audit of the school鈥檚 2019 Fiscal Year which discovered the school鈥檚 actual budget was significantly lower than what they provided to 糖心Vlog传媒 System officials.

For years, the school had been over-inflating their yearly budget by rolling over accounts designated for multiple years. In one case, revenue was overcalculated by $20.5 million.

Despite some hiccups, Drale said the school has learned from their mistakes.

鈥淲e鈥檝e stopped that practice and we鈥檝e corrected that,鈥� Drale said. 鈥淲e did roll over the grants for this fiscal year and we had to go back and correct that. So, we think we鈥檝e got all of that worked out. There were some not-best practices going on for a while.鈥�

University Response

In spite of all the financial challenges, the school just finished the second in three rounds of budget cuts to account for 2020鈥檚 deficit. But the most significant cuts are on the horizon. For more on the university鈥檚 response to their financial crisis and the potential impact on students and faculty, read the follow-up to this story in next month鈥檚 edition of the 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock Forum.

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