The Football program at Occidental College has been a platform for students of all socioeconomic backgrounds, to come together and enjoy one of the most popular sports in the world. Withholding 8 of the 11 Black male athletes and 12 of the 20 Latino male athletes, the team has team has proven to be a pivotal key in creating a multicultural sphere in a predominantly White institution. Along with this, it is the structures at Occidental that allow for students from low economic backgrounds, to benefit from a highly competitive educational space and create a successful future for themselves. Throughout the past couple of years, the recently rebuilt team of Tigers has looked to change the cultural narrative imposed on the team's culture by prior teams, after almost having the program cancelled in 2017. On October 13 2020, the college's officials very unexpectedly conveyed that they had no intention of continuing the School's 100+ year historic traditions, including that of The Drum(The oldest football rivalry west of the Mississippi) and The Shoes. The School relayed in their email that they did this due to financial instability, and the program's inability to rebuild a century's long program in 3 years. However, the football program has proved to be the largest fundraising entity in athletics, raising $1.5 million dollars to improve the program, as well raising the same amount as the rest of the athletic department during Oxy's day of giving. Clearly, With the program gaining a great amount of support throughout the past 3 years, it has become a great confusion as to why they would strip these 18-21 year olds of their opportunity to further play the game they love. In Oxy doing this, they are displaying a blatant disregard for the communities of kids that deserve an opportunity at a higher education, and a chance at developing themselves further as young men. In signing this petition, YOU have a chance at amplifying the voices of Athletes like me who work hard everyday for their sport and wouldn't know where they would be without the Football Program at Occidental College.