Nearly 200 students from diverse groups and backgrounds came together to express their unity in response to the racial occurrence that took place on UK’s campus last week.

Students and representatives from various organizations, including the Black Student Union, SUCCESS, Student Government, NAACP, the Student Activities Board, Kentuckians for the Commonwealth and many different sororities and fraternities, gathered Wednesday night for a march across campus and a candlelight vigil in the spot where an effigy of President-elect Barack Obama was hung from a tree on Oct. 29.

“It is important for us to come together because it shows that things that happen on campus don’t just affect black people,” said Alaina Hancox, a psychology junior. “When things like this happen, it unites all of us.”

Those marching gathered in the Free Speech Area near the Student Center and walked to the tree where the effigy was hung near the Mining and Mineral Resources Building and library walkway. UK police were present to block traffic as the group crossed Rose Street.

Marchers carried signs that spoke of their desire to put events like the one last week in the past and move toward solidarity. One sign read, “Greeks believe in Unity at UK.”’

During the vigil, participants lit candles as UK students spoke up about racial incidents that they had encountered, and volunteers read the lyrics to a song and poem.

The song, “Strange Fruit,” which was made famous by Billie Holiday, speaks of the lynchings of African Americans and was read first, followed by a poem “Behind the Color Blind,” written by Nordette Adams.

“You say you see no color, I say you’re full of it! I hope when you look at me, you see black a little bit, for when you say you see me how can that really be when part of who I am is my ethnicity?” the opening stanza of Adam’s poem read.

The location of the march’s end point was significant, said communications senior James Davidson, because students wanted to reclaim the place where a racial incident occurred in the spirit of unity.

“This vigil is important because it is in the spot where the effigy was hung,” said Davidson. “We want to take back this spot and replace the negative with positive.”

The event was made possible because of a collective effort from an entire coalition of organizations, Davidson said.

“We need to have a student-led response,” said Joe Gallenstein, a political science and history senior. “It is important to look at ourselves and our culture around us and realize that there is something wrong and we need to fix it.”

Members of university staff and faculty also took part in the march and vigil to show that the issues are not just those that affect students, but the entire campus.

“This is everyone’s issue, not just a student issue,” said Rhonda Strouse, director of student involvement. “We need to work together as partners.”

People attending the event hoped that this coming together could lead to changes and progress in the future.

“I hope people will start thinking about the issues and know that they can have an effect on what happens on campus and encourage diversity,” said Laura Evers, a political science freshman.