take action for grads being forced out
in 15 days, jeremiah will be forced to leave the country.
Last week we started a petition for three grads of color being forced out of their programs at Brown University: Jeremiah Zablon, Karina Santamaria, and Clew. Each one of them has contributed their labor to Brown’s educational and research mission, and each of them deserves to stay. If you haven’t yet, read more about their cases and sign our petition here.
Yesterday, Brown told Jeremiah that he’ll have to leave the United States in 15 days. He’s worked for Brown the entire time he’s been here, but because the University has severely underpaid him and all tuition-paying masters student-workers, he can’t afford tuition - and now he’ll be forced to leave.
5 steps you can take right now to help us raise the fight for our colleagues:
1) Share or re-share our petition
We got off to a strong start, but we need to grow our signatures prove that this is a fight people care about. We know from past experience that the University cares about its reputation, more apparently than it does about graduate employees.
We need your help to make this story unmissable. Please share, or re-share, our petition on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and anywhere else you can. On your post, let people know why you support this campaign! And tag @GradLaborOrg so that we can share it as well.
2) Call the Brown Graduate School
We need to let them know we’re serious about Clew, Karina and Jeremiah staying. Call Dean of the Graduate School Tal Lewis at 1-401-863-3571 and let him know why you support our three grads. Here’s a sample message you can use:
I’m calling in support of Clew, Karina Santamaria and Jeremiah Zablon. These three grads of color have worked hard contributing their labor to the University, and are being unfairly forced out. I urge the Graduate School to support these grads, all of whose cases could be easily resolved with reasonable support.
3) Email the Graduate School, the Brown/Trinity Program and the School of Public Health
You can address emails to the following administrators:
Tal Lewis, Interim Dean of the Graduate School thomas_lewis@brown.edu
Angela Brazil, Director of the Brown/Trinity MFA Program angela_brazil@brown.edu
Megan Ranney, Academic Dean, School of Public Health megan_ranney@brown.edu
If you’re not sure what to write, here’s sample text:
I’m writing in support of Clew, Karina Santamaria and Jeremiah Zablon. These three grads of color have worked hard contributing their labor to the University, and are being unfairly forced out. I urge you to support these grads, all of whose cases could be easily resolved with reasonable support.
Brown must immediately pay Jeremiah and all tuition-paying graduate workers fairly, and work out a plan with Jeremiah for him to be able to stay in school this Fall.
Brown must grant Clew’s request for family leave to care for their sister going through chemotherapy.
Brown must provide Karina with the three months she needs to complete her dissertation and her PhD.
4. donate to jeremiah’s gofundme
While we’re fighting for Brown to pay Jeremiah what he’s owed for his work, Jeremiah has started a GoFundMe donations page to try to raise funds so that he can stay in school and stay in the country. Please consider donating to and sharing his fundraiser!
Jeremiah shouldn’t have to start a GoFundMe to be treated fairly by Brown, and ordinary people shouldn’t have to cover the labor costs of an Ivy League University with a $7 billion endowment, but we’re doing whatever it takes to help Jeremiah stay.
5. be ready for further action
This fight is just getting started, but it’s up to all of us to take action together if we want to win. We need your help: if you’re affiliated with Brown University and you want to join our fight for our colleagues, please contact organizing@glounion.org. And stay tuned for in-person action on campus.
