Nearly 100 students, faculty and community members could be heard singing “This Little Light of Mine” as they marched on down the campus street in the bitter-yet-sunny, cold afternoon. The peace march that took place yesterday, starting at the LaSells Stewart Center and ending at the Student Experience Center, was in honor of Martin Luther King Day.

This march represents a chance for the voiceless to give voice; a chance to have the courage to stand up and believe in what is right, according to Bouquet Harger, an OSU staff member present at the march.

“Those who have been historically and traditionally oppressed finally were able to voice their experiences and be heard by people because it’s important for us not only to be able to voice our experiences but for people to listen and pay attention,” said Harger. “So today is a great reminder to stand up to what you believe in, talk to people who are different than you and just stand in solidarity as a community.”

Nick Dollar, someone who was present at this march, felt that it was important to come out and support justice here at the community campus. For him, this is something that should be discussed year round.

“I just felt like it was important to come out and support justice here in the campus community.

I think it’s important to have a day set aside where we should talk about these things, even though we should talk about these things year round.” Dollar said.

With the recent election, the people are now more than ever in need of standing up for what they believe in. OSU staff member Claire Montgomery said that for her, she was marching because this election was a sign for her to make her stand.

“After eight years of complacency, I got a little bit of a wake-up call, and I’m just making a little bit more of an effort to be present.”

This was also true for the dean of the College of Science, Sastry Pantula, who felt his presence was needed not only to show solidarity and support for unity and peace but also for the students to feel welcomed within the march.

“It’s important, especially this year where we have seen the election and to make a strong statement that the university can enhance its strength so we all should be working together.” said Pantula.