Cal State Long Beach professors today began a two-day online #scholarstrike as part of a national movement that asks for a pause to classes and administrative duties to focus on anti-racism discussion via films, presentations and moderated discussions.

The strike was started by a Pennsylvania professor earlier this month after tweeting her interest in creating a strike similar to the NBA for educators and students.

The two-day class cancellation begins with the suggestion to watch the film 13th by Ava Duvernay, which examines the country’s history of racial inequality and how it drives the high rate of incarceration in America. The schedule also includes a document calling for the acknowledgement of the First Peoples whose land the campus occupies.

CSULB’s creation on the Tongva village of Puvungna continues to cause controversy as officials look to expand the campus.

At 3 p.m., participants are encouraged to “take action” by registering to vote, completing the 2020 Census, writing to their representatives, joining student group or marching to “end police violence” at Recreation Park. An apparent alignment with community groups calling for the City Council to adopt the People’s Budget when it votes on its city budget at its meeting this evening.

On Wednesday, Sept. 9, community activists from Black Lives Matter, Long Beach Immigrant Rights Coalition and Long Beach Residents Empowered are scheduled to speak at 10 a.m. on allies during the current movement.

At 2:30 p.m., professors from the Asian American, American Indian, Africana and Chicana/o/x and Latina/o/x studies departments will speak on AB 1460, the Cal State University system’s recently passed ethnic studies requirement.

The events are free and open to the public. For more information click here.

Stephanie Rivera is the community engagement editor. Reach her at [email protected] or on Twitter at @StephRivera88.