I am deeply committed to social activism; the words of Desmond Tutu inform my actions every day: “If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor.” At Phillips Academy, I am active in Women’s Forum, BOSS Magazine, and GSA.These activities give me the opportunity to speak out on issues such as race, feminism, LGBTQ+ rights, and intersectionality, but as much I value discussion, I would like to move beyond mere conversation; I want to do something. I want my life and my work to make a difference in the world.
From Slacktivism to Activism is an interdisciplinary course that will be team-taught by members of the sociology, history, political science, philosophy, and psychology departments. Through readings, case studies, guest lectures, and class discussions, students will discover what transforms an initiative into a social movement and elevates an activist to a position of social leadership.In addition, students will develop a template to put positive action behind their heart-felt convictions and will use this template to develop a
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Class members will rank the presentations, the top 3-5 initiatives will be chosen, and students will be assigned according to their preferences. At the same time, students will initiate a Kickstarter campaign, inviting students, faculty, parents, and alumni to contribute. Student teams will work to develop a business plan and funding proposal for their initiative, working with professors, outside speakers, and alumni mentors to refine their ideas. In the last week of the block, student teams will present their proposals at a campus-wide symposium on social justice. An alumni panel will evaluate the proposals and award Kickstarter funds to the proposals they find most compelling. Members of the student body will be invited to sign on to the initiative they find most
The Progressive Era was the period of reform and social activism from 1895 to 1920, it was an attempt to get rid of all the ills that had penetrated American society during the Gilded age. The Progressives were people who tried to make the life of the average American better, they believed in the ability of humans to create a better world. Industrial capitalism, burgeoning cities, the influx of immigrants, and the depression of the 1890s were some of the sources of the reform impulse of the era. The Progressives were primarily middle class citizens such as doctors, lawyers, engineers, teachers, businessmen, etc. Many of them were part of the Republican and Democratic parties. They were greatly influenced by the Europeans.The Progressives believed
The ideology of nonviolence has come to play a major role in political struggles in the United States of America and, indeed, in nations around the world. Almost every organization seeking radical change in the USA has been targeted by organizers for the nonviolence movement. Organizations like Earth First!, which originally did not subscribe to the ideology of nonviolence, have since then adopted that ideology or at least its set of rules for protest and civil disobedience. Yet nonviolence activists have put little energy into bringing their creed to establishment, reactionary, or openly violent organizations.
Laws are implemented to enforce civil proceedings in society, thereby enabling individuals to operate and function within a morally stable population. But there is a delicate and uncertain balance between doing so and restricting personal freedoms--for though individuals should not be wholly free to conduct themselves as they please (for fear of anarchy), neither should they be confined to a level by which they are unable to direct their life’s course and pursue personal betterment. When citizens feel this to be the case, they have the right to peacefully display their grievances with enacted law for the advocation of positive change in the society. For if a society is truly free, the government
The Women’s Suffrage Movement was successful in that it achieved its original goal of earning voting rights for women. This movement officially began in the United States in 1848 at the first women’s rights convention in Seneca Falls, New York. They drafted 12 resolutions calling for voting rights for women and overall equal treatment of women. This historic conference created a primary goal of obtaining voting rights for women. The first national women’s rights convention was held two years later in 1850 in Worcester, Massachusetts. This convention held over 1,000 participants and started an annual national convention.
The suffrage movement first emerged at the turn of the century and Civil War when African American slaves were denied the right to vote, a benefit that a majority agreed was associated with citizenship, and therefore should be applicable to all freed slaves. This set the grounds for a suffrage movement that later evolved into a larger issue centered on antislavery reform. Joining together to fight for benefits that were being withheld from American citizens, the role of women came into play during this time as the most active abolitionists who came together to organize petitions, conventions, and raise funds to help further the movement. Women played a vital role in being heard through protests and local publications of their thoughts. Novels such as Uncle Tom’s Cabin and Clotel, along with articles in popular news publications, shed much light and attention on anti-slavery reform, while also sparking the inspiration for women’s rights (Britton, 2006).
While humans have for generations acknowledged the importance of children in the society, the government involvement in child affairs has been varied over the decades. In the US, the government did not play a major role in the promotion of the welfare of children and youth in the country by the end of the 19th century. This trend changed in the early years of the 20th century when the federal government started to demonstrate a major interest in child welfare. This took place in the progressive era which saw the immergence and active engagement of the child-savers movement. Owing to the efforts of such organizations, several policies and legislations were worked on by the US government from the start of the 20th century to promote child welfare in the society (McGowan, 2005). The marked shift by the government in social welfare was caused by some important economic and social issues that were taking place in the progressive era.
The social justice program especially is a unique opportunity for students at St Mary's College to use their positions of privilege to make a meaningful difference to the global community. Initiatives such as project compassion, Vinnies on Parade, Live Below the Line and Vinnies winter appeal are all opportunities for St Mary’s students to put into practice the ethos of justice and use their privilege to raise funds and awareness for those who are disadvantaged. This program is something that is very much at the heart of the culture of St Mary’s, and something that has moulded my own journey here. Every year from Year 8 to Year 11, I have been awarded the privilege to represent my class in a group of like-minded people- all working towards a common goal- to educate our peers on social justice issues, and raise funds for organisations that assist people facing them.
The American Constitution was created with the goal of forming a “more perfect union”1 and thereby undoubtedly a free society. The peaceful resistance to laws to draw attention to their moral faults, better known a civil disobedience, has contributed to the creation of a “free society” in two senses; a society free of injustice, and a society in which individuals are free to act upon civil liberties (our rights). Resistance to unjust law is the main pillar on which this nation was born, as the revolution was an act of disobedience. In their wisdom, our nation’s founders provided a base for the continuation of such protest through the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, as the First Amendment provides for the freedom of political speech and
Not only do we need to understand the ‘issue’ or ‘societal problem’ that many people face and are impacted by every day, but we need to meet and work alongside those whose daily realities are shaped by injustices, while not creating any divides or barriers in the process. Everyday people are affected by the issues that organizations fight for or against, and once we realize how people-centered things like advocacy, outreach and service are, I believe young people will realize their call to action and their potent...
The women’s suffrage movement was the struggle for the right of women to vote, run for office, and is part of the overall women’s rights movement. In the 19th century, women in several countries most recognizably the U.S. and england formed organizations to fight for suffrage. Beginning in the mid 19th century, several generations of woman suffrage supporters lectured, wrote, marched, lobbied, and participated in civil strike to achieve what many Americans considered a revolutionary change in the Constitution.
Throughout history, the main catalyst toward social progression were disobedience and rebellion. The first step in changing something you don't approve of is taking a step toward changing it, which in itself is a form of disobedience. If you don’t do anything about it, then the situation will never be resolved. Like David Thoreau once said, “Disobedience is the true foundation of liberty. The obedient must be slaves.”.
“Disobedience is the true foundation of liberty. The obedient must be slaves.” -Henry David Thoreau The productive disobedience that leaders like Gandhi, Dr. King and the women of the Suffrage Movement became part of the change that we know in the world today. Although laws may have been established and widely followed, these resistance pioneers saw a flaw in the system and fought for the needs of themselves and the future generations. Though many rights have been granted to minorities and oppressed citizens, there are many struggles that still exist for the masses.
One of the defining factors of a free society is one’s ability to oppose what is deemed wrong and fight for what one believes is in the benefit of the people. We cannot assume or conclude that the government, or any authoritative body, is always moral or just; thus, it is our duty, citizens of the nation, to maintain the balances of power, its distribution of equality and its considerations of morality. It is a necessity to monitor and ensure that justice is preserved throughout, and if it is not then peaceful resistance is the key to improving our free society. Humanity is in a constant struggle for achieving true equality and peace; however, this struggle may at times have to be directed towards the law and political entities. The
I may not be able to control what goes on in society, but I can make a difference by educating my students and preparing them with tools and knowledge so they can become active and participatory democratic citizens who can change the injustices of the world. It is imperative that I stay up to date with cultural and societal events and understand the entirety of an issue by seeing both sides to the story and getting the facts straight. I value a community of peoples who are supportive and respective of each other, who will build one another up and not tear each other down. Although this is an ideal situation, I know that this is not visible in all classrooms and takes a lot of hard work and commitment to achieve. Along with that, I feel that I must be fully in tune with myself, my identity, who I am.
Activism is not where you originate from or where you are located, it’s what you do. Activism allows us to make social changes; this can occur in many different ways. It allows us to make a change in the world through political, social, economic, and sometimes even through environmental changes. It’s usually lead by individuals but the majority of the time people gather collectively through social movements. An activist is the principal of a social movement. Activist arouses particular information that impacts individuals and allow them to gather, protest, and make social changes. There are many different types of activism first we have those who “demand solutions to contemporary problems through taking the oppositional stances to mainstream