The effective kind of activism

Activism is huge when it comes to creating a change. There is all sorts of activism that we see being taken around the world since the beginning of time. We saw Ghandi go on a hunger strike, or Martin Luther King Jr. marching to the nations capital. Although there are many different kinds of activism it sometimes is hard to decipher what is the right kind of activism.
When we watched in class the protesters in Mizzou there was one kind of activism. We saw these students create a blockade so that the president was unable to pass them and therefore had to listen to what they had to say during the homecoming parade. This was a more physical activism that was held. This activism may be seen as effective to some because people were forced to listen to them and they were not moving. However, some other people like some of the parade goers may have thought this was not the way to go about it. We saw some Mizzou fans trying to get them to move out of the way so the president could go on with the parade. These fans may have seen this type of activism as disruption to their homecoming parade and didn't think it was effective.
At our school we saw a different kind of activism. To coincide with the African American students at Mizzou three African American students at Alabama shared their personal stories with how racism has effected them here. Although this is not a physical sense of activism it still was very effective because it went viral and many people were able to hear the personal in-justifications they have faced while being at Alabama.
In another video we watched it showed how undocumented immigrants went about showing their activism. After one girl's mother got taken from her and was to be sent out of the country she started having people sign a petition for her mother. This petitioning ultimately worked in her case and she was able to have the bus that her mother was on turn around and she was able to be with her mother again.
Although there are many kinds of activism it is hard to distinguish which the most effective kind of activism. Is it something physical so people are forced to hear and participate with? Or is it something that is an option that people can listen to so they can hear about personal stories of those who have felt some kind of oppression. Or is it something where having power in numbers and getting people to sign a petition?

How To Be Effective?

When it comes to matters of social injustices, being "civil" tends to be quite one-sided. Having a voice or speaking out about unjust acts are considered to be a problem knowing that the issue at hand needs to be properly addressed. For instance, the University of Alabama has a well-known history of covering up segregation and racial discrimination for years and still continues to make little to no improvements on solving the matters. Recently, we have encountered numerous problems with some of the predominately white sororities/fraternities displaying racism, people writing racial slurs, hanging nooses, and The Machine. Even though these situations were acknowledged, all that was really given was a apology letter from the school president which is fine, but I feel administrators could have done a whole lot more.

A video has also been released as of last week of 3 African American UA students who spoke out against the institutionalized racism on our campus; 1 out of the 3 students was our SGA President, Elliott Spillers shared his personal experiences dealing with racism here. I found this a highly effective and strategic way to bring about the awareness to the persistence of discrimination, especially when they exposed the hidden histories of particular buildings and their dark secrets. I am glad that they incorporated this within the documentary because there are a lot of people on this campus who do not know hardly any of the history of this campus besides football and the blocking of the doors.

Activism is all about effectiveness and effectiveness is all about leveraging one's talents or level of expertise. I feel these 3 did a great job of utilizing their testimonies and abilities to come up with the perfect solution to address racial inequalities. It grabbed the attention of many and it informed people of the injustices that African Americans or people of minority have to face on a day to day basis.



      

Activism and the Importance of Fugitivity

One question that constantly perturbs me with regards to student activism is the ability to form coalitions on some issues even if there are deep disagrements between different aspects of the coalition that is being formed. A clear case on campus was the recent protest that was held in response to a student being tasered on campus. I fundamentally believe that combatting police brutality is important. Standing up for community control of the police is important. What happened on Last saturday was tragic, avoidable and cruel. But I also believe that choosing to combat police brutality with the slogan ‪#‎fratlivesmatter is beyond ignorant of the way in which privilege is constructed in society. White fraternity boys are not systematically disenfranchised and subject to undue scrutiny by the police, black people are. White fraternity boys aren't assumed to be criminal, black people are.

I believe that any conversation about police brutality, in Tuscaloosa or nationally, has to understand that while brutality is an issue that affects us all, we are not all affected equally. But this put me at odds with activism that was being done last week in response to the police brutality. There were two independent protests that were being organized, one by independent and progressive students who I usually take to be “woke” and organizing the protests for the right reasons; the other protest was being organized by Alliance which is the public watchdog group founded this year by the Machine to have a more transparent and public presence, and organized the protest for all the wrong reasons, attempting to generate a media firestorm around the slogans #alllivesmatter and #fratlivesmatter. This seemed like a simple choice – choose the independent protest that included persons of color and wasn’t endorsed by an organization that perpetuates institutionalized racism on campus and around the state.  But this seemingly easy choice became a lot more complicated when both groups decided to merge their protests and hold one unified front against police brutality.

Should I have chosen to align myself with the larger movement, even though I know many of the protesters didn’t have the best interest of the persons most affected by police brutality in mind, or should I have chosen to abstain from the movement even through it represented the peak of student activism on the issue? I ended up choosing not to participate in that protest because I found myself unable to reconcile the idea that I would be a part of a protest where we would see postitive messages like #blacklivesmatter when they are diluted by standing side by side with messages like #alllivesmatter? I found that it was very important to me that the reasons given by protestors were ones that would make a population affected by the issue feel unsafe or not protected in that space, which seemed to me to be the whole point of the protest. Thankfully, there was an independent sit-in organized by students of color the next day that I felt much more comfortable with, that didn’t allow the machine to participate and firmly organized in response to the issues going on at Mizzou and Yale and focused not just on police brutality but on issues that affect black students and students of color more generally.

I find this to be a very difficult problem to solve however that usually doesn’t have such a clean and easy solution. I think that the reasons that motivate a movement are important because the reasons we care about something shape our response to that problem, which is why it totally misses the point to say #alllivesmatter in response to #blacklivesmatter because saying totally misunderstands how privilege is constructed in society. So this commitment to care about the reasons that we use to justify our actions, and not simply our ability to unite around some issues that end up affecting even privileged groups in society. By giving way on reasons that motivate a movement, truly important messages face being co-opted by a dominant norm in society and fail to actually challenge a norm in civil society. This seems like a high minded opinion, because at some point – any visibility is good, right? Actually the continual, ever present, and insidious ability for civil society to co-opt movements like the one discussed motivates a lot of afro-pessmist literature that makes the claim that “There is something organic to civil society that makes it essential to the destruction of the Black body. Blackness is a positionality of "absolute dereliction" (Fanon), abandonment, in the face of civil society, and therefore cannot establish itself, or be established, through hegemonic interventions. Blackness cannot become one of civil society's many junior partners: Black citizenship, or Black civic obligation, are oxymorons” (Wilderson)”.

Even if you, like I do, reject the fundamental notion of afro-pessimism, that blackness is ontological and unchanging, the viability of this position, even within academic spaces, helps to explain the continual problem of co-opt within acitivism and the importance of operating through politics of secrecy, fugitivity and disruption, not through the channels that sanitize and whiten a movement.

(Frank B., “The Prison Slave as Hegemony’s (Silent) Scandal”, Soc Justice 30 no2 2003, Accessed 8-4-12, MR)

Activism I believe plays a major role in making an influence on society. We've been taught as "good American" citizens that if something is the law, then that makes if right. we're taught this, not always taking into account those affected by that law; or even affected at all. Also if "that's just the way it is" then we're taught to live with things the way they are. The novel On Palestine, Chomsky and Pappé elaborate on the significance of knowing the past. The history of the Palestine and Israel conflict prior to the corruption, people tend to look at what is now and not how it started and the nooks and crannies of what is not talked about. In the film Five Broken Cameras, Emad was just an average man the recored his everyday life ad as a class we saw the power of activism and the influence it can make on other to want to make a change.

Another good example of knowing the past and the role activism plays within knowledge of the past. The University of Alabama, one of the most beautiful campuses is covered in human stains of bigotry, racism, and activism. The recent events happening across the nation  on college campuses, events that confront the issues that some dare not to speak of; such as racism on campus that still occurs and gets swept under the rug. Yet no one dares to speak up about it and if they do it goes ignored. Activism is not only standing up for a belief or injustice, but it also serves as a voice. Voice for those in fear of speaking up whether it's a viral video of individual experiences, like what UA students did; Or walking out of class in protest. Activism is such a powerful tool because speaking up is also an action. Actions speak louder than words, influences, and are very important in order to stand for something. As people of this nation we are given that right and make a change and I feel it is necessary to exercise it when in need of the change.

Student Activism and Adversity to Change

     Activism and advocacy on behalf of those who cannot, for whatever reasons, voice their experiences and speak for themselves on behalf of those experiences, has been a large part of my own identity during my time at The University of Alabama.  Living in state that is largely seen as regressive, oppressive, and out of touch with reality, while tempting to stand behind as a legitimate statement, would be doing a disservice to individuals like myself and my fellow faculty, staff, and students, whom all take part in voicing in various tones of resilience and resistance, "No, we will not be ignored." Alabama, and the South as a whole, is given this label as being backwards, reluctant, and otherwise, archaic in its social norms and ideologies. And yes, parts of that are true.  Though there is an inherent trend of activism and advocacy originating at the college campus level both at The University of Alabama (and throughout the country, more on this later). However, I'd like to emphasize our campus situation first and foremost.
     For me, as an individual, that fine line between the personal and the political is often a blurred and very gray area.  It is not a place that exists with a clear boundary demarcating between the two.  Rather, I go to school, as an out gay male, on a campus that was built on the backs of African American labor, which celebrates the victories and triumphs of the hegemonic masculinity complex, coupled with the "illustrious" (and I use that term very loosely) history of privileged individuals born of "old money" whom have never really been told "no" in their lives. On a nearly daily basis, I see my classmates fighting to be heard on issues of racism, sexism, heterosexism, homophobia, transphobia, issues of body-shaming, ableism, and the like. I go to a school where we celebrate football victories in front of buildings named by heterosexual white males for heterosexual white supremacists, racists, and eugenicists. I go to school on a campus where I am called derogatory words while walking through specific areas of campus, regardless of the time of day, simply because I carry my politics on my bag, on my person, and in my demeanor. I go to school on a campus that prides itself on being "The Capstone of Higher Education" but does not hold a single full-time diversity staff position nor a diversity center of any sorts.  I go to school on a campus where my fellow classmates are judged by issues of social construction such as race, gender, sexuality, and the like, versus being judged by the merits of their academic prowess, their intellectual dexterity, and their social magnitude, many of which center themselves on fighting on behalf of the very individuals that I began discussing.  Those who cannot speak for themselves.  The complexity of the issues at hand are intertwined with the complexity of the institutions that perpetuate those issues, whether they result in acts of oppression, erasure, feelings of invisibility, feelings of being ignored, unwanted, or simply inhuman. The complexity of the issues is not a bad thing. I will elaborate on this in a bit.
     In light of what has transpired in the last few weeks, coupled with the experiences that I have had at this university, it is abundantly clear that the power dynamics of what is "said to have happened" and what "actually happened" are alive and well at The University of Alabama. Our campus is divided between the narratives of those in power. The privileged, the prestigious, and the hegemonic.  And the silenced and marginalized narratives of those living on the edges of campus, in the borderlands, to borrow from our class discussion, in which we are seen as being on campus but not fully acknowledged as being a part of that campus environment.  As a classmate referenced recently, there is a tremendous amount of in-fighting that occurs on this campus among groups that pride themselves on being social justice advocates, activists, and fighters for truth, justice, and equality.  And yet, they manage to spend more time tearing down their fellow students for something that is only given significance because of the institutions that perpetuate these constructions and oppressive elements. The very institutions that individuals like myself and my fellow activists fight against.  The very fight that is often ignored because in order to do so, those in power would have to give up both some of that power, as well as accept responsibility for the actions that have resulted in a need for that very activism.  There seems to be this innate message that difference of experience automatically equates to a difference of significance, thus negating individuals whose subjectivity and experience differ from our own are somehow less than human and thus less worthy of our efforts or our attention.  As Kiese Laymon referenced in the Q&A section of his discussion at UA recently, if we are to effect change, we must put aside the differences within our respective groups, student organizations, departments, and otherwise, and come together, through the commonalities shared among us as members of The University of Alabama, to join our unique and different experiences and talents together for a common goal.  The complexity of that difference is what makes us human. Embracing that difference as an asset and a tool for empowerment is what will unite us.
     In the end, I want to be able to say that I went to school on a campus that was heavily and historically divided but I graduated from a school and a campus that was able to effect change and unite in the fight to give voice to the need for those changes, whether they be the installment of a Chief Diversity Officer, the establishment of a diversity or multicultural center, or even on a smaller scale, the campus-wide advertisement and circulation of diversity programming, events, or curriculum offerings, thus creating opportunities for learning, education, awareness, involvement, and engagement with not only the problems created by these institutions of oppression but also active engagement in the dialogues and discourse surrounding solutions to these issues.

A is for Activist and E is for Educate

Something that I think bridges all of our studies thus far and the idea of becoming, continuing, or improving our activism, is that we must first know that these things are happening, then why or the historical and present day contexts of those events, who is being effected, and what we can do to help. However, so often we never are given the chance to learn and can't even conceptualize the first step. If you don't know about how Free-Trade Agreements affect small agriculture in Mexico, you can't even begin to consider that to be part of your activist agenda. If you do not know that the Dominican Republic retroactively rescinded tens of thousands of peoples citizenship, you cannot begin to consider the global need for combating statelessness, or even what that concept is. Thus, first to advocate we must understand, and to get people angry and ready to act they need to understand their own histories and the experiences of others. I'd argue that no activism or movement can exist without a collective knowledge and understanding of past and current traumas that bind everyone to a common purpose and create solidarity.

Standing in the way of such activism is the lack of information. Particularly when thinking about immigrant activism, as a white middle-class woman, I have never had to consider that without documents I would not be able to access so many everyday and essential things. I mean the Tuscaloosa Library even requires photo ID, for Pete's sake. From the smallest to the largest things, undocumented immigrants are denied access to necessary goods and services, but if I don't seek to learn about these experiences I could easily underestimate the fear and difficulty that accompanies undocumented status.

We must all begin by education ourselves about our pasts and presents and those of others, all within a framework of intersectionality that seeks to build solidarity to achieve the most comprehensive liberation possible. As activists it is our job to never stop learning about what is happening to others in the world and considering how we contribute to those oppressions and what we can do to help.

With knowledge comes the anger that incites us to act. To build inclusive communities and work towards liberation.

UA Activism and Structures of Oppression

I have a vested interest in the activism that takes place on this campus. I think it's important, and as we all know there are structures of power in place that keep our student body segregated, white-washed, and dependent on the upper-class for leadership and administrative appointments.

A question was asked at the Kiese Laymon talk on Thursday. A young black woman wondered how, in the face of segregation, could this campus bring communities together across lines to enact change? Laymon gave a wonderful, and relevant, reply commenting on the need for communities (Black, White, Greek, Non-Greek) to fix their internal problems first and make sure they are a cohesive unit ready to make moves as one. However, I think a key part of what we're missing in that answer pertains directly to the activists on this campus. I have watched activist groups form and try to move forward time and time again over the past 4 years. I am a member of the Student Leadership Council and we pride ourselves in the activism we attempt at this university, combating dating/domestic violence, sexual assault, and social inequalities. But I think that within the activist community on this campus there is a desire for notoriety. There is a need for recognition and publicity for their leadership and members. There are TONS of campus orgs that are all doing the same things but moving in sporadic directions. Organizations like BLEND and SODEL formed, and while their goals are commendable, they are overlapping (as is there membership). I see groups doing similar things in the feminist realm, but instead of working together, they are working as individuals. I see a lot of white honors students leading the way in the name of their fellow black students and question whether this is a white savior complex that has even bothered to include the large black organizations on campus in their planning and implementation.

I guess what I'm trying to say is, on this campus there is competition among our activists. I am guilty of it. We fight these fights for so long, we are told to keep fighting, we are told our fight is worthless, and we are educated repeatedly on how dire many of our causes are- all these conflict and create schisms in our student body. We are young and seeking to achieve change and greatness. We see these problems and are emboldened to go forth and stand up. But we forget there are those who should stand in front. We forget there are those already standing. We forget that there are those we left behind. We have to move as one.

Watching the activism and change unfold at Mizzou has inspired students on UA's campus. However, the protest staged on Friday morning around the idea that UA has similar issues and that diversity needs to be addressed, was under advertised and disorganized. It's not that I don't think it should have happened- I commend those students. I understand there is a fire in every black student on this campus I will never know the heat of. I cannot comprehend what it feels like to be invisible. But if we combine our passion, perhaps we could enact real change instead of having to read emails from our President (that didn't even mention race) attempting to place a bandaid on old, historical, infrastructurally maintained wounds.

Our administration wants to save face. But the face of the administration is one steeped in economic and power hungry old money. Greek alumni control most of the happenings on this campus. Football creates a God complex around athletes and coaches, and forms a barrier between the student body and the beast that the football regime has become.

Transparency and communication is key. If UA activists want to achieve any sort of change at a momentum, we have to organize together. We have to reach across apathy and community lines. We have to set the agenda and present it to the public in a way that makes it understandable, but still relays how dire these issues are. Transparency is key. We cannot leave room for any critique that would undermine our goals. Power structures within the administration, faculty, and student body must be displayed for the nation to see.

Every year we make the news for racism in the Greek community. Wouldn't it be nice to read an article about how inclusive our activists are? How intersecting our agendas are? How everyone got to say what they finally were feeling, and that we couldn't be ignored anymore?