Clare Katko
Template:TOCnestleft Clare Katko is a Northern California activist.
BLM support
October 2020 students from Diablo Valley College sent a list of demands for the Contra Costa Community College District on August 24, calling for change related to equity and the Black Lives Matter movement.
The list demands the complete disarmament of 4CD campus police, a free student health center, the development and support of an Ethnic Studies program, fully paid office hours for all adjunct faculty and the removal of paid parking permits.
The demands have been specifically organized by Diablo Valley College Young Democratic Socialists of America.
Club founder Ali Noorzad, a history and political science major, said the death of Minnesota man George Floyd was a sparking point for change.
“My entire life, I’ve been living through constant upheaval and police brutality – and nothing’s changed,” Noorzad said.
“CCC and Los Medanos College have higher crime rates…so just in relation there are going to be more police (on campus) than at DVC,” Clare Katko, a political science major and DVC YDSA member said. “We wanted to make it a district-wide campaign to include all students.”
DVC YDSA believes the current spending on police services is expensive and overinflated. In fact, 4CD’s 2019-2020 budget states that over $3 million have been spent on police services in the 2018-2019 academic year.
DVC YDSA is pushing to establish a health services center for each campus in 4CD. According to DVC YDSA, these health centers should cover, but not be limited to, physical medical services including the treatment of colds, viruses and minor injuries.
DVC YDSA also demands mental health services like counseling, interventions, long-term care and psychotherapy. Educational health services are also included in their demands, which would provide information and resources on healthier lifestyles, substance abuse prevention and other behavioral challenges.[1]