Bronco YDSA holds ‘I Am Jane Doe’ rally
By Bren Belmonte, October 27, 2026
Students made signs and marched in support of sexual assault survivors during an “I Am Jane Doe” rally hosted by the Cal Poly Pomona chapter of Young Democratic Socialists of America Oct. 20.
Participants rallied in solidarity with Jane Doe, a Cornell University student who was allegedly sexually assaulted by several members of the Chi Phi fraternity, according to a civil lawsuit brought to the media’s attention by The Cornell Daily Sun.
Using crayons, markers and white poster paper, students made signs to carry as they marched. Students who attended the rally also received zines featuring rally chants, guidance on recognizing inappropriate behavior and bystander intervention, criticism of universities’ handling of sexual assault cases and political expression.
Students marched between the lawn outside the W. Keith and Janet Kellogg University Art Gallery and the University Quad, chanting phrases from a physical YDSA zine, including “No justice no peace” and “Who are we? Jane Doe.”
Sahasra O., the Bronco YDSA political education chair who declined to share her last name due to concerns about future employment, led chants throughout the march and spoke about the Cornell case.
Sahasra led the march with a megaphone and stopped at the University Quad and University Park along the route to speak to participants about Jane Doe’s case. Sahasra said this rally serves to speak up for the sexual assault survivors and advocating for them, as it is YDSA’s duty.
“With recent events like the Cornell 7, I thought there is importance to an event like this where you speak out for victims,” computer science student Sean E. said, declining to state his last name for privacy reasons. “It can really be hard to speak out when something like that has happened, we are here to provide that voice.”
In preparation for the rally, students met in front of the W. Keith and Janet Kellogg University Art Gallery and created signs in bold colors such as black and red and pop-out letters. Electromechanical systems engineering technology student Isabel Cabral said he chose the colors of bright red for this poster to highlight the message there are many sexual assault survivor stories left untold. “This is a male-dominated world and people don’t believe victims enough,” Cabral said. “There is so much proof with this case specifically where you should believe. Why would anyone lie about something like that?”
Animal science students Gabriella Michel and Hannah Shamei collaborated on a sign, which read, “Justice For Every Jane Doe” using a purple and pink color scheme. “We need more justice for women in sexual assault cases,” Michel said. “You need to trust a woman’s word.”
Psychology student Tajanea Hayes’ sign read, “We have 7 Names We don’t need HERS!!!” Hayes said the writing echoes her belief in women’s rights as an activist. Once sign making concluded, attendees gathered to acknowledge each other’s finished work.
Participants marched past the Bronco Student Center and The Mexican American Student Association during the rally and chanted “Protect victims not rapists.” Computer and information sciences and support services student Amina Tariq said the rally’s purpose was to spread awareness of sexual assault, encouraging victims to speak out and seek help from organizations.
Physics student James Rendón marched with his fellow YDSA members. Rendón said he hoped to inspire at least one person to speak out for themselves or someone else. Rendón held up the sign “Women’s Rights Worker’s Rights Same Struggle Same Fight!!!!,” him, Hayes and other members followed Sahasra’s call-and-response chants as they marched.
Rally participants listened to Sahasra’s speech regarding the Jane Doe case and how university systems have failed sexual assault victims in the University Quad. “We can’t stay silent or with the status quo,” Sahasra said. “We have to disturb the comfortable to rise up and stand up to talk about the atrocities that are happening.”
As more students began to join the rally in the University Quad, Cabral (left) and Angel Gomez (right) showcased their signs, both said the rally felt reassuring that a community of individuals also supported their view on the Jane Doe case. “I want a message of solidarity that sexual assaulters should not be present in our campus,” Gomez said. “Sexual assault should not be normalized, and administration should be held accountable for the (assaulters’) actions.”
Students sat nearby the standing participants in the University Quad and listened to Sahasra’s speech retelling the events of the Jane Doe case, explaining the seven alleged offenders need to be prosecuted. Psychology student Eduardo Monge said it was his first time attending a rally and was rewarding to find people from different backgrounds uniting to spread awareness. Monge said students passing by the rally should acknowledge sexual assault victims and their experiences.
Leading the march, Sahasra and YDSA members entered the last leg of the rally route to University Park. As part of YDSA’s leadership, Sahasra said organizing the rally and speaking out in support of Jane Doe and other sexual assault survivors was a responsibility she felt she had.
Michel said he was looking for a sense of community and a forum to stand up for her beliefs. During the final moments of the rally at University Park, participants continued to chant “we believe Jane Doe. Rape culture must go.”