This past week, the Cornell and Ithaca communities came together to take a stand for and honor the causes and conflicts they are most passionate about.
Cornell Graduate Students United — Wednesday, Oct. 2
Last Wednesday, approximately 180 Cornell Graduate Students United members and supporters gathered in front of Bailey Hall and Day Hall to protest the suspension of international graduate student Momodou Taal. (Ming DeMers/Sun Photography Editor)
CGSU argued the union should be able to bargain Taal’s suspension with the University under a Memorandum of Agreement reached last July. Taal taught a First-Year Writing Seminar class before his suspension, meaning his working conditions were impacted by the University’s disciplinary action. (Ming DeMers/Sun Photography Editor)
Public Safety Ambassadors — unsworn, unnarmed security guards hired by the University — stayed close by to the protest, wearing body cameras. (Ming DeMers/Sun Photography Editor)
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At 12:34 p.m., the rally moved from Bailey Hall across campus to the back of Day Hall — right under the president’s window. (Ming DeMers/Sun Photography Editor)
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Speeches and chants lasted for approximately 40 more minutes outside of Day Hall. (Ming DeMers/Sun Photography Editor)
“Every worker should be entitled to due process and just cause protections — you are not alone here,” said Alderperson Kayla Matos (D-First Ward), an advocate for just cause legislation. (Ming DeMers/Sun Photography Editor)
Black Students United — Friday, Oct. 4
Following remarks made by Vice President of University Relations Joel Malina about allowing a Ku Klux Klan representative on campus if invited by a faculty member or student group, Black Students United organized a protest outside of Willard Straight Hall. (Connor Lucente/Sun Staff Photographer)
Students held anti-KKK signs during the BSU rally. (Connor Lucente/Sun Staff Photographer)
Approximately 180 students protested, raising concerns about safety on campus and calling for Malina’s removal from office. (Ming DeMers/Sun Photography Editor)
“Fire Joel Malina!” and “Hey! Hey! Ho! Ho! Joel Malina has got to go,” protesters chanted as they marched up the plaza to Day Hall. (Stephan Menasche/Sun Staff Photographer)
At Day Hall, BSU taped a sheet with their demands to the entrance of the building. They urged the University to reverse Taal’s suspension and fire Malina. (Ming DeMers/Sun Photography Editor)
The protest continued outside Day Hall with another 30 minutes of chants and speeches. CUPD Officers and Public Safety Ambassadors remained close by. (Ming DeMers/Sun Photography Editor)
“The events of the last two days mean nothing could be the same,” one of the masked protest speakers said. “I see my community mobilized the way I never could have imagined. Now we can’t go back.” (Stephan Menasche/Sun Staff Photographer)
International Day of Action – Saturday, Oct. 5
Approximately 100 students and community members gathered for the International Day of Action at the Bernie Milton Pavilion in the Ithaca Commons on Saturday, Oct. 5. (Nathan Ellison/Sun Staff Photographer)
The event aimed to foster solidarity between multi-faith organizations and raise awareness about Palestinian liberation. (Karlie McGann/Sun Assistant Photography Editor)
Michael Margolin, a Jewish Educator in a local Synagogue and a member of JML and Reform Jews For Justice, addressed the crowd and reads from the Torah. (Karlie McGann/Sun Assistant Photography Editor)
Taal also spoke at the event. “This is America’s war on the Palestinian people with all the death and destruction,” Taal said. (Karlie McGann/Sun Assistant Photography Editor)
A representative from the Coalition for Mutual Liberation attended. They handed out free zines and poetry and sold pins for $3. (Karlie McGann/Sun Assistant Photography Editor)
Mona Sulzman walked around the crowd, introducing attendees to the Party for Socialism and Liberation and its work in the region. (Karlie McGann/Sun Assistant Photography Editor)
Margolin led event attendees of all faiths in Tashlikh, a Rosh Hashanah atonement ritual. A participant casts away a fear, as a part of the traditional ceremony. (Nathan Ellison/Sun Staff Photographer)
At the end of the event, attendees enjoyed apples and honey, a Rosh Hashanah tradition. (Karlie McGann/Sun Assistant Photography Editor)
Hillel Vigil – Monday, Oct. 7
Cornell Hillel led a vigil on Ho Plaza to mourn, remember and pray for Israeli hostages on Monday night, the one-year anniversary of the Oct. 7 Hamas-led attack on Israel. (Ming DeMers/Sun Photography Editor)
It was a somber mood among the approximately 500 Cornell students and Ithaca community members gathered. Some wore Israeli or American flags, and many held candles. (Ming DeMers/Sun Photography Editor)
The crowd stood silent as the names of the 101 hostages still in Gaza were read aloud. Some vigil-goers broke into tears as a TV played a video of Rachel Goldberg-Polin’s eulogy for her son Hersh, a hostage killed by Hamas. (Ming DeMers/Sun Photography Editor)
New York State Police, as well as Cornell Police and Cornell Public Safety Ambassadors, stood on the outskirts of the crowd. (Nathan Ellison/Sun Staff Photographer)
“We … pray for the safe return of every single one of the remaining hostages, to send comfort to those grieving loved ones and to send courage and strength to our brothers and sisters in the [Israel Defense Forces] defending the State of Israel,” said Cornell Chabad Co-President Abbey Charlamb ’25. (Ming DeMers/Sun Photography Editor)
A vigil hosted by Cornell’s chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine and Jewish Voice for Peace outside Bailey Hall a half hour before Hillel’s drew about 50 mourners. (Ming DeMers/Sun Photography Editor)
“I have the deepest respect for people in Hillel and Chabad who are holding their vigil, and I join them in their mourning,” said Sam Poole ’28, a speaker at the vigil. “It’s important to recognize that it’s not just the Jewish community that’s been harmed.” (Ming DeMers/Sun Photography Editor)
Sunbursts is the Photography Department’s weekly gallery varying in content from recent happenings. It is written in collaboration by the Photography Editor and Assistant Photography Editors. They can be reached at [email protected]