ANNIE WEBER | STAFF REPORTER

Last Friday students gathered in Starbucks and visually protested inequality by painting the words “NO H8” on their cheeks and hands. “The NOH8 Campaign is a charitable organization whose mission is to promote marriage, gender and human equality through education, advocacy, social media, and visual protest,” according to the mission statement on its website.

The event was held by the R.E.A.C.H. board. Olivia Dean, sophomore criminology and sociology double major, is a part of R.E.A.C.H. and said they try to host this as an annual event but anyone can get involved at any point by visiting the website www.noh8campaign.com.

Photos by Annie Weber

Noah Warfield, freshman engineering major, said he chose to participate because he sees issues of hate and disrespect still occurring today.

“I am also a black male who has had first hand experiences with these issues, so I felt as if it was only right to show my support for what they were doing,” Warfield said.

With the recent passing of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act in Indiana, this event gave students the ability to express their concerns with the law.

“It is allowing blatant discrimination toward groups of people such as those in the [lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender] community,” Warfield said.  “I could be wrong, but, to me, it is no different than the ‘No Blacks Allowed’ signs that were at store fronts 50 years ago.”