Student Activism: A Beginner's Guide

Whether it’s the Jena Six, the Iraq War, or the international AIDS epidemic, the issues challenging peace, justice, and dignity in our world are huge.  In the face of such enormous problems, college students may feel powerless to act, forgetting that their youth can be their greatest asset in battling injustice or helping to usher in social change. 

As Human Rights activist Dolores Huerta said to an audience at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG), Generation Y can be “the fix-it generation.”  In the process of studying for our Bachelor’s degrees, we can use our time on the college campus to effect real change in the world.

Dakia Davis, a senior at UNCG, said that college can be a prime time to engage in student activism.

“I think academia and activism most definitely go together! Sometimes we're presented with so many issues which then spark so many ideas that it gets hard to channel our efforts. But on the flip side, college gives us access to the resources we need to become better advocates for social change,” Davis said.

Davis, a double major in Social Work and Women and Gender Studies, is involved in the college chapter of the National Organization for Women (NOW) and worked with After Gateway Inc., a non-profit organization that services adults with developmental disabilities.  Like Davis, students can take advantage of opportunities that their university offers to serve in the community or champion a social cause.

Some schools have “service-learning” courses, or classes that incorporate a community service experience into the curriculum.  Other universities have Alternative Spring Break options that allow students to spend their spring, winter, or fall breaks serving communities in need.  Campus activities can also provide an avenue for activism.  Many colleges have chapters of STAND, the anti-genocide network which works to combat genocide world-wide or the NAACP, which promotes justice and equality for African-Americans.

According to Davis, activism can prepare students for the “real world.”

“The earlier we become involved in issues that matter to us, the better prepared we are for our post graduate lives. Chances are the same issues that affect while in college…will continue to affect us down the road,” she said. Davis noted issues like fair housing, healthcare, and the environment.

Davis’ advice for finding a cause to fight for?

“As simple as it sounds, I would say “go for what you know.” Choose something you are passionate about, find out what you can do to make change and take it from there.”

To learn how you can begin creating a solution to a problem in your community, take these steps from former diplomat John Graham’s book Stick Your Neck Out: A Street-Smart Guide to Creating Change in your Community and Beyond:

1. Find out what you’re good at – As Graham puts it, “if you assume as I do, that there is purpose to existence, then it’s hard to avoid the conclusion tha that personal attributes, whether innate or acquired, are there in order to be used.  So if you’re really good at…giving speeches, or balancing budgets, consider these as indicators of where your path of service may lie.”
2. Identify and research a problem that needs solving – Use the internet, the library, membership in community groups, and experts to become versed about the issue. Find out how and why it became a problem and discover the “icebergs,” or the large underlying issues that
3. Identify who the problem impacts and how you’ll be involved in solving it – Consider the stake holders in the issue, those who are both directly and indirectly impacted by the problems, those responsible for “making decisions regarding this problem,” and those “who can influence the decision makers.”   Next, choose your method for solving the issue. You can join an existing group that is working to solve the problem or you can design your own project to address the issue.
4. Create your project – by establishing “vision, goals, timelines, and a budget” for solving the problem.  Review your research, brainstorm project ideas with “friends and potential allies,” and consider the scale of your project. Next create an action plan for your project and begin mobilizing to a make your vision a success!

Editor's Note: To read more about this topic, check out the latest Politically Savvy column about the changing face of student activism on campus.

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