Apathetic and cynical; that’s how the Y Generation has been described. But as the bartender yells out “last call,” the youth cry out in protest, “NO! NO! We won’t go!
The face of activism has drastically changed. The flagrantly verbal protests of the 1960s and '70s have for the most part disappeared. But has youth activism all together vanished?
The truth is the majority of youth activism is occuring within the confines of colleges and universities, just in different forms. |
Today there is no single issue to protest; activism has become more dispersed with a broader range of causes. College students have been portrayed as spoiled, rich kids; their privileged social statues devoid of empathy. The truth is the majority of youth activism is occurring within the confines of colleges and universities, just in different forms.
The St. Michael’s Student Global AIDS Campaign (SGAC) in collaboration with other campus activism groups presented a series entitled, “AIDS & the Denial of Human Rights,” from Dec. 1-11. The series included panel discussions, a lecture by Tanzanian journalist Evans Rubara, and a rally at Sen. Patrick Leahy’s office.
“Knowledge is power,” sophomore SGAC member Alexisis Regan says. “You learn so much and you’re like, ‘how could I ever walk away?’”
This power is again demonstrated at St. Michael’s and other colleges every March 5 when activities sponsored by students and teachers commemorate, educate, and protest the Iraq War. Activities include speeches, writing letters to senators, die-ins, and a candlelight vigil.
Students have also taken up the environment as an issue. Green Up at St. Michael’s has pushed for a more environmentally friendly campus, with recycling receptacles, composting, and alternative means of transportation.
“The reason I’m involved is because I’m really realizing the power students at St. Mikes have,” says Derek Souza, member of the Green Up Club, Trade Justice, and SLAM.
Middlebury’s Step it Up organization participated in a five- day march in 2007, resulting in Sen. Bernie Sanders reintroducing legislation in Congress to reduce carbon emissions 80 percent by 2050. Students there are also working to have the college produce all of its own energy locally by 2012.
Students are certainly involved, but how many students?
“It is hard to get people to organize,” Souza says. “If you go to different club meetings, you’ll tend to see the same people.”
Certain areas of student activism have risen in the past several years, according to surveys conducted by the Cooperative Institutional Research Program (CIRP). While there has been a reported decrease in the number of students who claim to have participated in political demonstrations during their final year in high school, there has been an increase in the number of hours students have spent volunteering.
In 1989 and 1999, St. Michael’s reported the highest percentage of students not even averaging one hour/week of volunteer work during their final year in high school. In 2007, the percentages fell in the range of one to two hours per week.
Many high schools, however, are mandating volunteer work. Would students not become involved otherwise? The answer isn’t certain, but a majority of colleges don’t require volunteer work. But what happens when the Y Generation graduates from college? Does activism end?
“The people that are really dedicated to the work…I can’t see how you could turn your back on it,” Souza says. “Once the door is open it’s hard to shut it again and turn your back on everything.”
Regan agrees.
“I don’t think there’s any way you could walk away from it, honestly,” she says. “Even if it’s not AIDS activism, there’s so many things and until [the suffering and underrepresented] are liberated, I’m not.”
Even if students discontinue being members of groups, personal choices are still a form of activism. Recycling, buying fair trade, refusing to buy products produced by child labor, and even being a vegetarian can transform society.
With the Internet, activism has taken on a new face such as blogging and social networking groups. Admittedly, activism groups on Facebook accomplish little if any material change, but they can increase awareness. But is awareness enough?
“Awareness is never enough,” Souza says. “I don’t think it motivates people enough. It’s necessary, but as an activism group you need more goals than just awareness.”
The Y Generation may be cynical, and they may not always demonstrate their potential, but activism will not die with the Baby Boomers. Groups may be smaller, and protests less frequent, but the motivation for change is alive.
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