As we have entered the New Year, a highly controversial, presidency, and a new realm of controversial laws that have been passed, there have been many students across the country making their voices heard and actions seen to express their discontent.
Activism is defined as; the policy or action of using vigorous campaigning to bring about political or social change. With this rise nationwide, someone needed to take time to explain what was happening.
This Valentine’s Day, from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. in the LSC Theater, two department of education professors; Paul Eaton and Ricardo Montelongo took time out of their day to elaborate about student activism. The pair spent the hour talking about student activism for the staff development program of Student Affairs, and the event is open to all staff and faculty.
Ricardo Montelongo had time to speak about this event.
“What we will be talking about is how we perceive activism, because it typically comes through the disruption form, with property damage and fire as we typically see.” Montelongo said.
Montelongo will use the hour as an opportunity to propose effective alternatives.
“We’re not going to say that isn’t activism, but rather that activism has other forms, how it can be shown through community organizing and movement, civic engagement; along with how we perceive and define activism,” Montelongo said.
Montelongo plans to discuss the many different forms that activism occurs.
“When I think of student activism I think of students doing a variety of things. It can be either visually, a student organization, organizing; you see students nowadays round up thousands of individuals just by posting something on Facebook,” Montelongo said.
Some student organizations on campus that focus on activism or the spread of awareness include Active Minds, Bearkat Progressives, and the SHSU Food Pantry.
To any student that finds themselves having something that they need to say, want to inspire a change, right an injustice, or wish to convey to an audience in a respectful and adult manner, then now is the time to start putting yourself out there.