On March 18th, a student organized, and student led, walk-out was carried out in spite of school hostility at De Anza College in Cupertino, California. The student walk-out was organized in protest of the 5 year anniversary of the illegal and ongoing occupation of Iraq. From 11:45 until 2:00pm students walked out of their classes and began a march that would later end with stirring and revolutionary speeches, spoken word, poetry, free-styles, and musical performances in the main quad of the school campus.
  
Weeks prior to the actual walk-out students within Students For Justice (SFJ) began to put their heads together and collaborate in order to protest the war on Iraq and the War on our communities here at home. At first and throughout most of the actual organizing very few students were involved. Those that contributed in the first weeks of organizing were largely those still working within SFJ.
  
Although student participation during the event was copious, they were small in numbers compared to last year's student walk-out on Mary 1st, this exposing the enormous flaw of isolation within the Anti-War Movement.
  
This is an Anti-War Movement which has done more than marginalize poor communities and the so called minorities who are truly the most affected by this war, both abroad and at home; we as cultural and ethnic minorities have been taken out completely of the leadership roles of the organizing, we have even been downright removed from the discussion itself (regardless of their constant insubstantial speeches regarding our communities).
  
The Latinos and Blacks that are constantly being targeted at school, at work, at home, and on their cell phones to join the military are being lied to and straight up hustled into enslaving themselves as the fighting class of this rich man's war. Even undocumented "immigrants" are being handed empty promises of citizenship if they enlist. These governmental officials make it seem as if it's ok for us to be the sacrificed "minorities" that fight on behalf of the interest of the imperialist. We who are constantly being tricked into putting ourselves on the frontlines of the war on Iraq are being left out completely of the Anti-War Movement.
  
The working class and our impoverished communities are the ones who are in the front lines of this war here at home yet we are left out by the leftist upper-middle class activists. These communities in need are everywhere and they are the ones that feel the burden when there are cuts on public services. These people are the ones that struggle to eat when their wages are squeezed. These people are the ones that truly struggle to get food on the table because their small amount of money is going into feeding the capitalist war and their military industrial-complex and not the peoples' direct needs.
  
So who are the key players in the current Anti-War Movement and who are the ones that are choosing the path that it should take? Well just take a look around at the next protest and you'll come to see organizations like Code Pink, the Raging Granny's, MoveOn.org (as if we all have access to the internet), and overall white upper class hippies.
  
Not that there is anything wrong with any of these peoples' efforts, but as a Mexicano, I ask myself, where are our future revolutionaries, where are our future Che's, Malcolm X's, and Sitting Bull's? In essence where are the people in the frontlines of this war; those young people that don't even make it into a two year college because they are funneled out of an education, where are the minorities that are criminalized while impoverished in their own communities, and lastly where are those students that either sympathize or come directly from these communities and through much hard-work and struggle have gotten to college? Why are they not a leading voice in the Anti-War movement? Why aren't they representing their impoverished people and communities since it is clear they are the most affected by this war?
  
And now that these leftist upper middle class people have failed to end the war what should be done? Well, it seems clear to me, in an efficient manner the immediate needs of the people on the frontlines must envelop the entire Anti-War Movement and only then will the masses rise up to stop the war on Iraq and our communities.
  
Which is why I saw a lot of potential and even got a sense of hope with our student walk-out at De Anza. Although our numbers weren't high, we were still able to accomplish something even better, get students to speak to fellow students about not only the War on Iraq (which is usually what is done by the popular left) but instead emphasize on the connection that this war has with the ongoing barbaric war on our communities.
  
Having a walk-out that was solely led by students and carried out on the mic by students can go much further than having teachers or other activists talk to us about the war. The impact a student can have on another student is immeasurable. Having students rise up during the open mic and grab hold of the crowd is inspiring for all. Having students come up to us and ask us how can they be more involved, is the greatest outcome one could hope for as an organizer.
  
Just like a student led walk-out on a school campus can motivate other students into organizing. Only an Anti-War Movement that is taken hold of by those on the frontlines of this war can end this illegal war on Iraq and on our communities.