Roughly 500 students attended the March for Survivors and Change at MSU Friday evening, a protest intended to stand in solidarity with survivors of ex-MSU and USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar's sexual abuse.
Initially, the protest was intended to demand for MSU President Lou Anna K. Simon's resignation, but after she resigned on Wednesday, the organizers decided to make the event about supporting sexual assault survivors and calling for change in the way sexual assault is addressed within the university.
The protesters met at The Rock at 6 p.m. on Friday to listen to several speakers, including ASMSU President Lorenzo Santavicca, gubernatorial candidate Gretchen Whitmer, ASMSU Vice President of Academic Affairs Ewurama Appiagyei-Dankah and Lindsey Lemke, a survivor of Nassar's abuse.
All of the speakers addressed the Nassar case and those who enabled him for 20 years.
"We (MSU students) are the heart of this institution," Appiagyei-Dankah said in her speech. "And it's time we act like it."
The protesters marched down Grand River Avenue chanting phrases like, "Me too, MSU" and "We shall listen to survivors."
Once the crowd made it to the Hannah Administration Building, Michael Kuhn, the events coordinator for the MSU College Democrats, spoke to the crowd and listed off the expectations that students have regarding the Board of Trustees and MSU's handling of sexual assault cases on campus.
Stay with The State News for an in-depth recap of the march.
Editor's note — This article was last updated Jan. 26 at 11:30 p.m. A previous version of the article listed Ewurama Appiagyei-Dankah's position as "ASMSU President of Academic Affairs," but was updated to "ASMSU Vice President of Academic Affairs."
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