Movements are what happen when people see an issue and become the response. For Quentin Washington, that moment came last Friday when he turned on the news and saw a group of torch bearing, white supremacists spewing Nazi vitriol and marching through the campus of his alma mater at the University of Virginia.

While the rest of us watched in disgust at the events that unfolded in Charlottesville last weekend, for Quentin the images hit close to home. "That was my home for four years as a student of UVA," he said. "My initial, knee-jerk reaction was, 'the kids aren't safe.'" As the massive clan swarmed around a small group of student activists who were standing before a statue of Thomas Jefferson, Quentin watched with utter alarm. "I just thought, we have to do something. They’ve found their way on our grounds, our students are there and they are not protected."

                                  Photo: Reuters / ALEJANDRO ALVAREZ/NEWS2SHARE

Quentin, who now lives and works in New York, is still connected to UVA as a leader within the Black Alumni Association. He immediately began calling other alumni group leaders and through combined efforts, in a matter of hours, "Concerned Alumni" for #HoosAgainstHate was launched. "I’m still amazed at how quickly we organized," Quentin said. "We [alumni leaders] were in Charlottesville by that Saturday. On Sunday we rounded up some of the student leaders, drafted our statements and pushed them out." With boots on the ground, the group was able to organize a candlelight vigil with more than 350 people in attendance but the real work is just getting started.

As the media cycle moves beyond the demonstration of hate that unfolded in Charlottesville, the group of concerned alumni have put together a strategic plan. "Our goal is to do a few things," Quentin says. "The first priority is to protect our students, and then we have to support student leaders for the long run of protecting our university. We have to hold the university and the city accountable to do the same."  In order to create a foundation of enduring support, they have implemented the following initiatives:

UVA for Move-In Weekend

                                             Photo: news.virginia.edu

Imagine being a first-year student and a student of color, moving into your dorm at UVA on the heels of this event. That is the reality of incoming students this weekend. Exactly one week since the white supremacist rally that shook the city of Charlottesville, is UVA's Fall Move-In Weekend. Beginning this Friday, August 18, alumni will be present on campus to show support and solidarity to all students as they help parents and incoming students move in. "I want them [students] to be able to focus on this monumental life experience without worrying about dodging racists with torches," Quentin said.

#TakeDownHate

The group of concerned alumni has lead efforts to ensure the safety of incoming students, while standing in solidarity with the city of Charlottesville in their broader campaign to #TakeDownHate and remove Confederate monuments throughout the city. This social media awareness campaign invites individuals to share this graphic along with their personal stories in support of taking down the Confederate statues that incite violence, hatred and conflict.

#HoosAgainstHate

This social media awareness campaign serves to unify UVA students and give them a voice in the battle to make their community a safer and more inclusive place. The goal is to empower students and shift the narrative to reflect their real perspectives on the removal of Confederate monuments.

Moral Support

                                           Photo: Andrew Shurtleff/The Daily Press

Letters will be sent and phone calls made to incoming first year students to support, encourage and motivate them to progress forward with focus on their education, despite attempts by outside agitators to discourage and distract them.

This is just the first of many steps in what will be a long-lasting show of support and solidarity with students at UVA and beyond. "We are bringing awareness to other cities and other universities because this can also happen in your backyard," Quentin said. It's true. With similar rallies planned in cities throughout the U.S., the likelihood of seeing history repeat itself is not far-fetched. "That’s our next push. We will be working with different universities in different cities to help them take proactive measures." says Quentin. "We have to be ready to protect our students at all cost."

Agreed. Kudos to the UVA Black Alumni Association and this group of concerned alumni for stepping up at such an urgent time. 

#charlottesvilleUVa