“Every inequity, injustice, or disparity is one that has been legislated.”
During a visit to Emerson’s campus, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley ensured Emersonians feel heard.
Pressley has represented Massachusetts’ 7th congressional district (which Emerson falls into) since 2019. The talk, which took place on Monday, April 14, was facilitated by Communications Studies Assistant Professor Deion Watkins and hosted by Emerson’s Student Government Association. The Bordy was filled with students, faculty, production staff, and spectators.
The event, while centered around the theme of the role higher education will play in the next four years, featured discussions of many issues impacting the Emerson community. Conversations ranged from housing costs and the Trump administration’s crackdown on higher education institutions to pro-Palestine demonstrations and mental health.
“It’s really important, especially in a march toward authoritarianism, that we are educated,” Pressley said when asked about the role colleges and universities should play in the future of democracy. “Throughout history, our thought partners, our agitators, have been on the front lines on our campuses.”
While consistently citing one of her key ideas, “courage is contagious,” Pressley urged students and constituents to become civically engaged in earnest rather than cynicism.
“We only weigh in with grievance. Hold myself and others accountable, but it’s also important to affirm,” she said, “If an elected official is doing something that you agree with, affirm that thing, because that will fortify others to do the same.”
After a half-hour discussion with Watkins, Pressley took questions from students, where she frequently voiced her support for rent control, affordable housing development, and free speech.
“You’re not supposed to spend more than 30% of your income on housing, yet many people are spending upwards of 80%. Housing is everything,” she said. “It’s not about Democrat or Republican, it’s about people of conscience. We can all agree—at least on housing and healthcare—these are issues we should come to some agreement about.”
She also spoke about her support of Palestinian “dignity and humanity” when asked about the recent firings of two Emerson RAs due to their alleged participation in a pro-Palestine demonstration.
“There will be an ongoing communication about that. I don’t want to feel like I have a welcome back and protections that students don’t … Thank you for speaking truth to power,” she said.
Emerson Productions is expected to release a cut of the talk’s livestream to the Emerson community in the coming weeks, according to a member of the production staff.