Sasmit Rahman
Sasmit Rahman lives in Maple Grove, Minnesota.
Education
- Went to Wayzata High School.
Amy Coney Barrett protest
On Tuesday, October 16, 2023, a group of students and community members rallied on the steps of Northrop Hall at University of Minnesota. They were there to protest U.S. Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett at the annual donor-funded Law School public lecture.
The rally was covered by over a dozen local and national news outlets. Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) at UMN and the Minnesota Abortion Action Committee (MNAAC) jointly organized the rally, where at least 250 people mobilized in support of abortion access, affirmative action, and the rights of marginalized peoples.
Rally speaker Maggie Moynihan of MNAAC spoke about the contradictions the UMN presents when they invite a Supreme Court justice with a track record of harming women and students of color. “As a white-majority school, the University of Minnesota has an especially important duty to provide its marginalized students with a diverse and inclusive educational experience,” said Moynihan. “Amy Coney Barrett is a threat to all working-class and marginalized people in the United States and the university administrators have invited this threat to spread her hateful ideology to students on this campus. The message this decision sends is clear. The university does not value the safety of the women, people of color, immigrants, or queer people on this campus.”
Speaker Bryce Riesner of Students for a Democratic Society at the University of Minnesota reminded the UMN administration that when they invited Barrett to campus, they had invited “a representative of bigotry.” Speaking against the fallacy of “free speech,’”Riesner pointed out that the university has the power to draw the line at hate and intolerance. “I have so many conservative family and friends who have no hatred in their heart for anyone. [Barrett] does not represent them,” said Riesner.
In their rally speech, Sasmit Rahman recounted the experience of being removed from the lecture, stating that the removal was a cowardly act by Barrett, who apparently refused to acknowledge the protesters. “You’re so comfortable stripping us of our rights,” Rahman said of Barrett, “but too scared to face the consequences of your bigoted decisions! Shame on you Amy, you fucking coward!”
Over a dozen rally speakers represented progressive grassroots organizations across the Twin Cities. These organizations include the Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee, Young Democratic Socialists of America, Twin Cities Coalition for Justice 4 Jamar, Students for Climate Justice, Anti-War Committee, Freedom Road Socialist Organization, and local trade unions.[1]
"Fake abortion clinics off campus"
According to Mira Altobell-Resendez 45 University of Minnesota students and community members gathered November 11 202 outside the Prospect Park location of First Care Pregnancy Center to demand that crisis pregnancy centers be removed from campus and defunded by the state. A classroom projector was used to display slogans such as “Abortion is healthcare” and “Fake abortion clinic” on the front of the building as protesters chanted.
Sorcha Lona from Students for a Democratic Society at the University of Minnesota pointed out that “despite its name, its positioning as a care provider, and its location only a mile from campus, the intent is clear: to take advantage of vulnerable people in life-altering scenarios and to push them away from the safe and responsible decision to terminate a pregnancy.”
Montana Hirsch from the Minnesota Abortion Action Coalition highlighted how people’s movements make up the core of the fight for women’s and reproductive justice since Democratic Party leadership has proven to be useless in making progressive changes.
Other speakers included Sasmit Rahman from Students for a Democratic Society at the University of Minnesota, Sara from Students for Reproductive Freedom, CJ from Climate Justice Committee, and David Gilbert-Pederson from Minnesota Workers United.[2]
Abortion protest
According to Siobhan Moore 10,000 people gathered at 6 p.m. on June 24 2022 outside the Humphrey School of Public Affairs at the University of Minnesota to condemn the Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade in their decision on Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health. Signs filled the air above the demonstrators, with posters declaring “We won’t go back” and “We won’t back down.”
The program kicked off with chants, filling the West Bank neighborhood with shouts for reproductive justice and protections for women’s rights, as emcees Olivia Crull, of Students for a Democratic Society at the University of Minnesota (SDS) and Jae Yates of Twin Cities Coalition for Justice 4 Jamar (TCC4J) introduced the first speakers.
Celia Nimz, speaking for the Freedom Road Socialist Organization, condemned the Supreme Court’s ruling and the refusal of the government to codify abortion rights into law. Nimz clarified that mass struggle is required to win these rights back, and that “we need a revolution and socialism to protect your human rights and needs. We cannot vote our way to socialism; we must organize and fight and struggle!” She then invited people to keep up the fight and join the struggle for socialism by joining FRSO.
Sasmit Rahman, a member of SDS, also condemned the ruling, and as well inaction on the part of Joan Gabel, president of the University of Minnesota, and her administration on the issue of abortion rights.
Jaelynne Palmer, from TCC4J, explained the connection between the struggle for community control of the police and for women’s and reproductive rights, and made clear that the struggles have to go hand in hand.
Meredith Aby-Keirstead of the MN Anti-War Committee explained the struggle that those before Roe v. Wade had to go through and made clear that the people refuse to go back.
Other speakers included Sara Resemius of AFSCME 3800; LyLy Vang, a board member of Our Justice; Gabbi Pierce, president of TC Pride at Work, and Aisha Chughtai from the MN Immigrant Rights Action Committee.
The action was initiated by Students for a Democratic Society at the UMN, and endorsed by several organizations, including the Anti-War Committee, the Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee, Freedom Road Socialist Organization, Twin Cities Coalition for Justice 4 Jamar, Our Justice, AFSCME 3800, the Climate Justice Committee, Twin Cities Pride at Work, Women Against Military Madnes, MN Workers United, and Immigrant Worker Solidarity.[3]
Justice for Amir Locke
On February 16 2022 , Students for a Democratic Society at the University of Minnesota rallied and marched to demand justice for Amir Locke, a 22-year-old Black man murdered by the Minneapolis police in a relative’s apartment earlier this month.
80 people gathered outside the Student Union on Washington Avenue, chanting “What do we want? Justice!” and “Say his name! Amir Locke!”
Bella Harbison, speaking for SDS, said, “Police departments and political leaders across the country are not afraid of committing acts of violence against our Black and brown community members; they are afraid of being caught, and being held accountable for crimes against humanity.”
Jae Yates from the Freedom Road Socialist Organization/FightBack! made clear that “it is no coincidence that police and slaveowners have so much shared history; both seek to keep oppressed nations and members of the working class in place.” Yates continuing in saying that in order to fight for real accountability, “you should join the fight for community control of police in Minneapolis both on and off campus. We cannot rely on the same people that benefit from policing to defund, demilitarize, or abolish the police. We have to fight for the self-determinative power that Black people have fought for for 400 years.”
Loretta VanPelt, speaking for the Twin Cities Coalition for Justice 4 Jamar raised the peoples’ demands: community control, a permanent end to no knock warrants and the charging and arresting of Amir Locke’s killer, Officer Mark Hanneman, and all other officers involved in the murder.
Allison Leopold, a member of White Coats for Black Lives, a student group from the UM medical school, made clear that when police are threatening the lives of Black community members it is a health issue, and that we have a duty to fight back against racist police crimes.
Closing out the protest, Sasmit Rahman, another SDS member said, “We need you guys to sign [the referendum petition], we need more energy, because it is too easy right now for Joan Gabel and the regents to ignore us and to ignore our demands. We need people to share it with their friends, we need consistent action and consistent pressure on Joan Gabel and the regents!”[4]