Tell USC: Let Asna Speak
UPDATE: April 25, 2024
USC has doubled down on its bad decisions, canceling the main graduation ceremonies and Asna Tabassum's speech (see below).
We've updated our action page to call on the USC administration and Trustees to stop silencing the anti-war, anti-genocide students on campus. And to stop calling the police to arrest students exercising their right to free speech.
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USC Silences Asna Tabassum, Class of 2024 Valedictorian
What should be a time of joy and pride for Asna Tabassum, USC Class of 2024 Valedictorian, is instead a time of being a target of Islamophobia and anti-Palestinian bigotry.
After a social media campaign of disinformation targeting Asna’s Muslim background and support for Palestinian human rights, USC school administrators responded with fear and cowardice by punishing Asna Tabassum rather than the perpetrators of the hate against her.
They’ve chosen to silence Asna by canceling her valedictorian speech.
Asna, a first-generation South Asian-American Muslim, is deeply committed to service, drawing inspiration from her grandparents' experiences. They were unable to access lifesaving medical technology due to displacement caused by communal violence. Like all who value human life and dignity, she stands firmly against genocide in Gaza and anywhere else.
We condemn this action by school administrators. It rewards hate and punishes the school's highest achiever.
We call on USC Trustees and administrators to reverse their decision and Let Asna Speak.