As the alumnus of SF State reminisce about the 1968 strike that established the first Ethnic Studies Department, the LGBT community recalls how the strike brought about a movement of their own where they fought and continue to fight for social equality.

The panel, made up of seven people including four activists, a historian, a sociologist and a graduate student, was moderated by Associate Professor in Ethnic Studies and Sexuality Studies program Amy Sueyoshi.

Although this movement demanded equality for people of color homophobia was still very much alive and present in the late 60's, therefore women and queers found themselves fighting a different fight, they were fighting for acceptance.

“Like any sort of movement for social justice we should be looking back at history and finding lessons that we need to learn. So we’ve learned now from the movements of the late 60’s and early 70’s that it’s better to have a broad base politic. I think that people don’t know gay people. I think that if they associated with gay people or had friends that were gay they wouldn’t be denying them the right to be happy” said Sueyoshi.

Sociologist Andrew Jolivette believes that the only way to end oppression is for all oppressed people to unite and educate people about the LGBT community.

“Together today you and I, we can begin the process of forever changing the landscape of the queer community by embracing the fact that our power lies in the building of critical coalitions with other oppressed people. A struggle that recognizes our full humanity our right to exist our right to love how we want to love and to always, always remember to end one form of oppression brings us all the more closer to a world of liberation, freedom and self actualization,” Jolivette said.