The outcome of the 2016 presidential election has incited fear among many groups of individuals. As rallies and movements have started on the University of Massachusetts Amherst campus post-election, student-run activist groups have been trying harder than ever to speak up for the issues closest to them.
Over the last several weeks, Donald Trump has narrowed his picks for members of his cabinet. Stephen Bannon, chairman of hard-right news and opinion site Breitbart News, has been appointed as the President-elect’s white house strategist. General Scott Pruitt, a denier of climate change, was appointed to run the Environmental Protection Agency. Tom Price, an open Obamacare critic, was appointed as the Secretary of Health and Human Services. These men insight a sense of alarm for many students of color, climate change militants, and reaching scholars who just want to ensure a secure environment for all their peers disregarding race, religion or immigration status.
Yet with this increase of fear, many UMass students see that it is more important now than ever to stand with the issues they believe in. Here are just four UMass registered student organizations dedicated to bringing about political and social change through our current political climate, and demand a voice even in a time where it feels like this voice is increasingly threatened.
1. CEPA
The Center For Education Policy and Advocacy, CEPA, works as the larger branch for a lot of the activism that occurs on campus. CEPA operates as an agency under UMass’ Student Government Association that strives to strengthen student voice. CEPA holds a variety of campaigns that range in student issues. Yet, the agency strives to incorporate an environment that is inclusive and includes a diverse set of backgrounds. The agency is divvied into four core teams: access and affordability, campus culture, gender equity, and student labor action project. Each separate team focuses their efforts on different issues, from a campus to state-wide level. The access and affordability team advocates for more affordable college tuition. The campus culture team works to create a safe space for those underrepresented. Gender equity is part of the fight against domestic violence as well stand for the rights of women, transgender, and those who identify as queer. While the student labor action project, also known as SLAP, works on strengthening workers rights both on and off campus.
2. DIVEST
UMass Fossil Fuel Divestment Campaign, also known as DIVEST, is a student-run organization on campus committed to fighting for climate justice. The group demands that the UMass institution divests from the 200 publicly traded fossil fuel companies and reinvests in projects that do not allow for racism, classism, sexism, and other forms of oppression. The campaign came with a great feat last year being the first major public university to divest from direct fossil fuel holdings. Yet, their fight isn’t over. As of recent, the group was seen campaigning for Standing Rock and to work with the movement #NoDAPL.
“We have been continuing to protest banks that go against human rights,” said Bela Schultz, freshman BDIC major and member of DIVEST. “I think it’s also important that we are supporting other campaigns going on like sanctuary campus in the fight for immigration rights.”
3. CERC
The Coalition to End Rape Culture, also known as CERC, define themselves as an alliance of diverse groups and individuals who work to engage the large university campus around the issue of rape culture. Their mission is to inspire critical discourse around the issues of rape and sexual violence, educate the campus community, work to change social norms, support survivors of sexual violence, and combat the violence as it exists on campus. Post-election the group held healing spaces to “anyone who believes they can benefit from this space.”
4. SJP
The Students for Justice in Palestine, also known as SJP, is a UMass’ human rights and political justice group that stands in solidarity with Palestinian people and their right to self-determination, as affected by the illegal Israeli occupation. The group’s mission on campus is to provide a space for discussion, and to educate the student body about the realities of the Israeli occupation and apartheid system.
“We’ve been strong in showing up for the sanctuary movement on campus. Since the work we’re doing with justice in Palestine, we want to show up to show we support the rights of immigrants and refugees everywhere,” said Josh Strassman, junior history major and organizer with SJP.
The four student organizations continue to protest, advocate, and support one another as they move forward to fight for individual lives, and the bigger picture of the world post-election.
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