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Groups, students rally at Arizona Capitol for education funding, resources

A number of speakers voiced opposition to the state's education policy

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Sign advocating for higher education funding and resources from a rally participant at the Arizona Capitol on Monday, June 2, 2025, in Phoenix.


Advocacy groups across Arizona rallied at the state Capitol on Monday, demanding that legislators protect education funding and marginalized students.

Organized by the Arizona Students' Association, organizations gathered outside the Capitol building to advocate for education affordability, free speech rights, protections for LGBTQ+ students and access to campus resources.

"Today, we stand on the lawn of our state Capitol, not just as students, educators and advocates, but as a force for justice," Shayna Stevens, the operations manager for the Arizona Students' Association, said.

Julian Bernhardt, the communications director for the Arizona Students' Association, praised the collection of organizations that came to the rally.

"It shows who the real community is," Bernhardt said. "Even just to show up and hold a sign, it shows what community is." 

Marlee Valenzuela, a rising senior studying political science and the president of Planned Parenthood Generation Action at ASU, said they attended the rally to advocate against the inaccessibility of higher education, both due to high costs and the loss of resources for marginalized groups.

Ozzie Alvarez, a community organizer at Living United for Change in Arizona, said LUCHA was at the rally to support increased education funding.

"We want to ensure that our state legislators receive that clear and loud message that we need investments in what really matters for our communities, which includes higher education and public education," Alvarez said.

The groups were joined by Democratic Sen. Lauren Kuby of District 8 and Democratic Rep. Cesar Aguilar of District 26. Kuby's district includes the ASU Tempe campus, as well as Rio Salado and Mesa community colleges. Aguilar's district includes Grand Canyon University. 

Kuby said she previously worked at the University for over 25 years and is now a senior Global Futures Scientist. She is also currently a member of the United Campus Workers of Arizona union.

As she argued against current education policy, Kuby referenced the Arizona State Constitution, which states that, at institutions of higher education, "the instruction furnished shall be as nearly free as possible."

"Legislative extremists are bankrupting public education," Kuby said.

Aguilar said he was disappointed to see cuts to the Pell Grant program from the federal government and urged the audience to speak in defense of the financial aid to federal representatives.

Hypatia Meraviglia, a graduate student studying geology and a member of UCW Arizona, said their Pell Grant was crucial.

"Pell was the only way that I could afford an education when my family rejected me when I came out," Meraviglia said. "Pell is queer safety."

Meraviglia also spoke on the need for an LGBTQ+ student center.

"We are here to apply pressure to ASU to apply resources to the queer center that students have been asking for forever," Meraviglia said.

READ MORE: Rainbow Coalition's decade-long journey to build a space for LGBTQ+ students

Meraviglia referenced the University's response to an altercation between a queer professor and members of Turning Point USA as an example of the perils facing LGBTQ+ students.

"I would love to see campuses where I don't walk around afraid, where I can wear ... a pride pin and not be worrying about it," Meraviglia said.

Meraviglia also called for stronger shared governance for students and workers to have more of a say in University and Arizona Board of Regents decisions.

During the rally, Hayden Nguyen, a junior studying business policy and management and the co-chair of Students for Justice in Palestine at ASU, said legislation like House Bill 2880, which banned encampments on campuses, and House Bill 2867, which restricts the instruction of antisemitism in public schools, are attacks on free speech.

READ MORE: New Arizona law bans encampments on campuses

Kuby voted against House Bill 2867 and called it "very dangerous."

"I don't like the rising threat of antisemitism being used to chill free speech, because when you chill one person's free speech you're chilling everyone's free speech," Kuby said.

Nguyen said the recent bills intentionally target students.

"We're seeing those students already brought down by our budgets get beaten into the dirt," Nguyen said.

Stevens said her college experience at Northern Arizona University was difficult as a first-generation student who took out loans and worked multiple jobs. Still, she was optimistic about the potential for education.

"Education is the greatest equalizer," Stevens said. "It is one of the few things that has the power to break cycles of poverty, not just for individuals but for entire communities."

Edited by George Headley, Leah Mesquita and Katrina Michalak. 


Reach the reporter at coyer1@asu.edu and follow @carstenoyer on X. 

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Carsten OyerPolitics Editor

Carsten Oyer is a sophomore studying journalism and mass communication, as well as public service and public policy. This is his second semester with The State Press, having previously worked as a politics reporter.


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