Protest Held Opposing The Elimination Of The Multicultural Affairs Office At MATC, 15 Organizations Demand Reinstatement Of 4 Student Services Specialists

Protest held at the Milwaukee Area Technical College to demand reinstatement of the Multicultural Affairs Office student services and to also reinstate 4 student services specialists who were unjustly terminated by MATC President Dr. Cruz.

By H. Nelson Goodson 

Hispanic News Network U.S.A.

October 29, 2025

Milwaukee, Wisconsin - On Tuesday, October 28, 2025, members representing 4 communities, Latino/Hispanic, African-American, Asian-American and Native-American gathered at the Milwaukee Area Technical College located at the 700 block of W. State Ave. to protest MATC President Dr. Anthony Cruz's decision to eliminate the Multicultural Affairs Office student services and the unjust firing of 4 student services specialists. 

The Multicultural communities want the MATC Board of Trustees and Dr. Cruz to reinstate the Multicultural Affairs Office and reinstate the 4 student services employees that were terminated in September 2025.

The MATC Board of Trustees held a meeting on Tuesday, while a protest was staged outside to draw attention that the technical college is unjustly eliminating Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) programs to appease Trump's illegal act to phase out diversity programs.

The members of the Coalition to Reclaim MATC are:

• Milwaukee Area Labor Council 

• Wisconsin Indian Education Association

• Milwaukee Teachers Education Association

• Voces de la Frontera

• Shee Yee Community of Milwaukee Inc 

• Labor Council for Latin American Advancement, Milwaukee Chapter 

• Progressive Baptist Church 

• Milwaukee Alliance Against Racist & Political Repression

• Hmong American Friendship Association

• Black Men Organizing

• MIRACLE Mental Health Network

• Pastors United 

• Souls to the Polls

• MICAH – Milwaukee Inner-City Congregations Allied for Hope 

• Students for Democratic Society - UW-Milwaukee 

3 members from the Coalition to Reclaim MATC spoke against the elimination of the Multicultural Affairs Office and the termination of 4 student services specialists at the MATC Board of Trustees meeting on Tuesday.

• Melanie Leyva representing Voces de la Frontera

• Pam Fendt representing Milwaukee Area Labor Council 

• William Xiong representing Shee Yee Community, Inc.

MATC Board public comments video at link: https://youtu.be/5Hq89U8ONw8

YouTube video of MATC protest at link: https://youtu.be/vCY0HqVCW8A

Article link (dated 10/27/2025): https://tinyurl.com/yc5vshb9