Students have taken to social media seeking an answer to the question: “Does the University of Iowa love me?”

The #DoesUIowaLoveMe movement, which began on Instagram and Twitter, urged UI students to share their stories at 8 p.m. Monday. Within two hours of the movement’s inception, dozens of tweets and photos highlighted concerns of discrimination and inequities on campus.

The movement comes after the UI began its #iloveUIOWA social-media campaign in celebration of the institution’s 172nd birthday.

In a statement released Tuesday from the DoesUIowaLoveMe Twitter account, the movement’s organizers said “a small group of students, faculty, and staff came together at the Latino Native American Cultural Center” on Feb. 21 after feeling unsupported at the UI.

“Our intention was to build a coalition with the mission of cultivating and promoting a platform that allows underrepresented students to speak their truth and share their experiences,” the statement said.

The group also thanked those who have shared stories for their courage, strength, and honesty.

“Your truths have spoken volumes and created a movement we could have only imagined,” the statement said. “Without your stories, our individual voices would have remained silenced — our voices have only been amplified because of your presence and power.”

One of the commonly discussed topics on the Twitter thread was the Feb. 21 Young Americans for Freedom demonstration on the T. Anne Cleary Walkway about border security. Many of the posts discussing the demonstration said the group’s rhetoric was hurtful to marginalized populations on campus.

In response to the hashtag, Vice Chair of Young Americans for Freedom Alex Cappel said his group’s intention was never to make students feel unsafe or attacked.

“Our members were very polite and respectful, and we had great conversations with students on both sides of the aisle about this delicate issue of border security,” he said. “This was not an attack on any race or people group.”

A joint statement from UI President Bruce Harreld and Vice President for Student Life Melissa Shivers thanked students for sharing their stories and experiences.

“We respect our students as they communicate their frustrations and experiences at the University of Iowa,” the statement said. “We are committed to hearing their concerns and improving our campus climate.”

Shivers told The Daily Iowan on Tuesday that before she determines what action will look like, she will continue to meet with students to learn more about their needs now that she has heard stories shared through this movement.

“… I’m completely going to be engaged in this conversation with our students — talking with students affected to determine what success and support look like, determining immediate steps but navigating cultural perspective as a campus,” she said. “It won’t just be, ‘We hear you,’ but it will be action that I hope is clear to our campus community.”

Marissa Payne contributed to the reporting of this story.

Editor’s note: In light of the stories students have shared, The Daily Iowan is in the process of engaging with students to learn from and share their stories. Coverage of this movement is ongoing. Please reach out to DI editor-in-chief Gage Miskimen at [email protected] to share your experiences.