2017 brings with it the fifth iteration of Social Justice Week (SJW), which will take place from March 13 to March 17. This is my fourth year on the planning committee, and being a part of the committee has given me an opportunity to see the powerful effects of spreading awareness of social justice causes. The growth of the event is undeniable: in 2014, there were 11 distinct presenters, 16 presenters in 2015, and 29 presenters arranged by the planning committee in 2016. The rise in the number of speakers allows for an increase in the diversity among the topics covered, which makes the event more relevant to a greater population of students. Just as my own definition of social justice has broadened and matured, the week has grown to reflect the wide range of issues that can be encompassed by social justice.
Each year I am asked if the week has a theme: human rights, environmentalism, domestic or international issues, to name a few. The week could benefit from specificity, and perhaps with a keyword like environmentalism, it would become more accessible to some students. As I’ve created my own definition for social justice, though, it has become clear that most issues are far too interconnected to be categorized under one keyword. Most issues concerning the environment, such as the Dakota Access Pipeline, are also issues of human rights—those of Native Americans and their land—and bring about questions of the political equality surrounding eminent domain. If anything, the logistics alone of finding so many speakers on a single topic is difficult, even in a town as resource-rich as Ithaca.
Without a theme, the past four years of presentations may have come across as scattered. Many have spoken of international issues, which are undeniably important, but lacking in immediate relevance to students. We could talk about global citizenship, but in a school and education system whose curriculum seldom allows room for current events, students may not even have a basis for understanding issues that affect them daily. Are we up-to-date on the status of Ithaca as a sanctuary city? Do we know the plans for the development of the city and how this could affect affordability and cost of living?
This year, while SJW may not be flying under the banner of a distinct theme, community has been the idea and goal I have been working towards. I have asked myself constantly how we can create an event that brings students’ attentions to issues that either affect them directly or affect those around them. By bringing in more IHS clubs to present, the audience is more engaged listening to their peers. The past two years, panels by the Sexuality and Gender Alliance that speak to the experiences of many LGBTQ youth have drawn in crowds that pack York Lecture hall to the brim. We hope to have more presentations by staff members and are putting a priority on bringing in presenters who are able to speak to local concerns. Each presenter is additionally asked to emphasize the ways in which students can become active in the community.
The goal of SJW has always been to educate and promote awareness. SJW provides a platform to further strengthen and diversify the IHS community. Often, the opinions outside of the liberal majority in Ithaca are ignored. When selecting presenters for SJW, the idea is that the talks will provide a basis from which students can form their own opinions in hopes of starting conversations between people with differing points of view. Social justice week has given me a greater appreciation for the power of social justice, not only through protest, but also through the power it can have to bring a school like IHS together to start a dialogue surrounding our community.