In protest against recent immigration enforcement actions nationwide, students from HHS, FHS and Sunnyvale Middle School walked out of fifth period together on Feb. 4, walkout organizer, senior Imaan Syed said. Numbering close to one thousand people at its height, the demonstration was coordinated by an Instagram account (@southbaystudents4justice) formed by Syed and other HHS students, she said.

“We put the information out there on Instagram, and many people shared it, so we got this amazing turnout,” Syed said. “My friend Brian Sanchez, who is also a senior, created [the first post], and I said, ‘Wait, we should make this bigger. I have some connections in the city,’ so I reached out to see what else we could do.” 

After hearing about the success of other school walkouts, Sanchez said he posted the first online promotion on Feb. 2. 

“My family members are immigrants. I know a lot of people who are immigrants, especially from the school,” Sanchez said. “Seeing what was happening on the news and the internet, I wanted to do something for us students from Sunnyvale. I wanted to make a difference and help others make a difference.”

While Syed and other students organized the protest, Syed said school administration and Sunnyvale city officials provided meaningful guidance and supported student well-being.

“City councilmember Linda Sell helped me so much throughout this entire process,” Syed said. “We discussed how to get people to show up and how to de-escalate situations, and she put me in contact with people who ran No Kings Day parades across the Bay Area.”

As a Pakistani immigrant herself, Syed said she personally resonated with the public outcry against ICE. To protest these issues peacefully and effectively, Syed said students expressed their First Amendment rights throughout the walkout. 

To get the protest messages across, in addition to Sanchez and Syed, numerous other students helped lead the walkout by shouting chants to maintain morale, senior Vanessa Munoz, one such volunteer, said. 

“A lot of people can’t use their voices. A lot of immigrants and families are scared to go out,” Munoz said. “Since we have the privilege of going to school in America and being in California, where it’s very democratic, we have the freedom to do this. We’re using our voices for those who can’t.”

Due to the organized arrangement of the walkout group, senior Scarlett Ozturk, an attending protester, said the demonstrators’ civilized conduct was symbolic and meaningful.

“A lot about what’s going on with ICE is that they have been acting out of order. To counter that behavior with our protest solidifies that we don’t need to break the law to advocate for other people and our beliefs,” Ozturk said. “It’s important for students to have a chance to protest these things in a safe space because protests outside of organized spaces can be dangerous.”

As students united together, senior Ryan Park, another attending protester, said that support from passing drivers and onlookers showed how successful the demonstration turned out.

“For virtually every car that passed, I saw cameras out recording,” Park said. “The fact that so many people passing by in the moment were caring and taking videos to spread the news was a big part for me.” 

Growing up involved in activism, Ozturk said she ultimately felt proud of the solidarity students expressed with their voices.

“It’s not just an immigration issue. It’s a humanity issue, and you don’t need a personal connection. It’s just the right thing to do,” Ozturk said. “What ICE is doing and the lack of care from our government is outrageous, but there’s something therapeutic about a protest. It makes you realize that you’re not the only one feeling the way you feel and that other people are just as motivated to make a change.” 

Reflecting on the walkout, Syed said she hopes future student-led protests will carry on the legacy of respectful behavior and collaboration that this one exemplified.

“It was super meaningful for it to be organized by students and for the students. So many of our peers are affected, so it’s important for us to use our voices because if we don’t, then who will?” Syed said. “I hope stuff like this continues because we built off the momentum of [previous] walkouts. I hope people continue staying safe and using their voices.”