As students made their way through Parks Library on Dec. 10, they had to tiptoe around masses of silent protestors lying seemingly lifeless on the floor.

Around 200 multicultural and non-minority students united for one reason: to speak out for humanity. Students of all races attended, some who were joined by young children.

“I think it’s appropriate and needed to be done to bring attention to an issue that deserves it,” said Tom Hill, senior vice president of student affairs. “I can sympathize with these students because what we’re seeing today has happened [in the 1960’s]. It’s 2014, when do we see it stop?”

Around 10 multicultural student organizations, such as the Black Student Alliance, National Pan-Hellenic Council and the Iowa State chapter of NAACP organized a group “die in” at Parks Library in response to the recent controversies surrounding perceived excessive police force and racial profiling across the nation. 

Michael Brown, a black teenager, was fatally shot Aug. 9 in Ferguson, Mo. by white police officer Darren Wilson. On that day, Brown’s body was left for four-and-a-half hours on the streets of Ferguson. Days later, hundreds of citizens responded in violent protests in reaction to what they believe is excessive police force used by Wilson.

To memorialize the death of Brown and demonstrate their opinions, ISU multicultural students lay on the ground for four-and-a-half minutes in the Parks Library lobby. 

“We decided to do a die-in to peacefully signify the death of [Brown] in Ferguson,” said Lakeba Scott, sophomore in animal science and vice president of Iowa State’s NAACP chapter.

Lakeba said the demonstration took place to show that students in the African-American community want to keep the conversation alive. 

“We also handed out maps for a protest on Friday,” Scott said. “I want today’s goal to send a message that Iowa State’s campus supports this cause. I feel like these events have been a motivation for everyone across the nation to do something.”

While the demonstration lasted an hour, rotating groups of students came to lie down every 10 minutes.

“I came to stand up for what’s right and for values I think are important,” said Emily Johnson, an Ames resident who heard about the demonstration over social media.

“Fairness, equality and racial justice are the values we need to stand up for,” Johnson said. “While I suppose the injustice has been in police brutality and social injustice, but it’s silly we’re all not treated like human beings.”

Aside from the majority of demonstrators who are multicultural students, diverse members of the ISU community, like LGBT students, also participated to speak for human rights.

Ontorio Drayton, a representative from the National Pan-Hellenic Council, was integral in planning the silent protest at Parks Library.

“After the events in Ferguson, I called Briana Smith, [the NPHC president], to discuss how we can gather all of the representatives at Iowa State to talk about what we would do—as a unit—if a movement on campus were to occur,” Drayton said.

Drayton, a native from Savannah, Georgia, emphasized that students who have approached him to discuss their emotions following the events in the media all felt heartbroken, yet not surprised.

“Growing up, hearing of racial profiling or deaths from police arrests was nothing surprising or new,” Drayton said.  “Though I knew the outcome of the [grand jury decision] would not go the way many hoped for it to go, my heart was broken from the reactions of what happened that night.

On Nov. 24, St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Robert McCullouch presented a grand jury decision to not indict Officer Darren Wilson on any criminal charges. That night and in following days, Ferguson citizens violently reacted to the decision.

“While the days following the events in Ferguson were full of the media showing arrays of violence and outrage, I don’t agree with them. Groups around the nation were still gathering peacefully, yet the attention was not on them. “

Jared Ingram, junior in kinesiology and health, track and field athlete and St. Louis, Mo. native, led the Dec. 10 demonstration with a speech. Ingram addressed the crowd during the four-and-a-half minute die-ins, explaining his own experiences in the Ferguson area.

Ingram said that while he has not experienced as much harassment from police in Ferguson as his friends said they have, Ingram said being in that environment is still detrimental.

“I’ve heard of friends being pulled over—multiple times—for no reason. I believe it’s because they’re black. People [who] I go to class with tell me that racism isn’t the issue. Yet, clearly, two hours away stuff like this has happened. I mean, it’s sad, but no one is surprised by it. Things like this happen all the time,” Ingram said about a statue of the Ku Klux Klan that was misinterpreted at the University of Iowa.

Ingram added that his reason for joining the demonstration was chiefly to be involved in a peaceful movement, instead of more violent protests across the nation.

“If we don’t show any signs of peace and solidarity, then who will?” Ingram said.

At the end of the demonstration, the final group of students who gathered lay on the ground holding hands. Unlike the other die-ins, holding hands was meant to signify a message of solidarity.

“What the [NPHC] wants to do to promote peace together at Iowa State is to include all parts of the community—any race, gender, sexual orientation or even those who don’t agree with us. Our goal is to be a part of the conversation,” Drayton said.

On Dec. 12, the multiple multicultural student organizations will meet again outside of Parks Library at noon to demonstrate in a silent march across campus. The group will begin in the front lawn of Parks Library and circle around Central Campus, walking to Curtiss Hall, the Memorial Union and Beardshear hall.

The NAACP student chapter claims that anyone is welcome to participate, but protestors will don all black clothing as a symbol of solidarity.