Occupy SLU started in October 2014 with six days of peaceful occupation at Saint Louis University's campus clock tower that included daily teach-ins and community conversations, following the officer-involved shootings of two African American young men: Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, and VonDerrit Myers Jr., the son of a long-time member of the SLU community, VonDerrit Myers Sr., in the nearby Shaw neighborhood of St. Louis.
Occupy SLU ended with the adoption of the Clock Tower Accords, a 13-point agreement committing Saint Louis University to actively strengthen diversity, inclusion and equity on campus. In the spirit of the Gospels, the Accords also extend that commitment to the city and suburban neighbors, particularly to underserved families.
#OccupySLU Today
#OccupySLU emphasizes the racial and economic injustices of marginalized and brutalized human being and communities, which, in turn, brought awareness about people, especially Black human beings, who wouldn’t otherwise be recognized by others that are living under far different realities — the pain and social ills that were at the center of the protesters concerns.
Events at SLU related to #OccupySLU now raise awareness; remember the works of the fallen who have paved the way for our progress; assess the advancement and growth within the Clock Tower Accords; and highlight love, light, healing and justice.