In answer to the students’ questions, he said he was honored to be on the call with them. “You act with class and class consciousness.” He was thrilled about the arrested Columbia students demanding that the arrested CCNY students be treated with the same respect as they were. “You responded as human beings! You’re on the right path of history.”

Answering Reed’s question about the rôle of music in the struggle, Mumia said: “Every movement needs music to move people. […] Find what turns you on.” He said it felt wonderful speaking to the students. It took him back to the 1960s and the Vietnam War — which “was also a war of settler-colonialism.” He added, “It’s clearer now with Gaza, that is an open air prison.”

Mumia ended by saying that the watchword was “Unity!”: “You are rocking this country. […] People are studying this movement all over the world, because it’s a moment of freedom within repression!” He quipped, “If Huey [Newton] and Eldridge [Cleaver] had had your media, we would’ve won!” But then he added, “Don’t rely on corporate media. You have your own. So people outside of the circle of students should hear it. I commend you.”

The prison recording ended the call, and when it did, the students called out triumphantly, “We did it!”