Resistance is an ever-evolving concept, practice and movement that is built on rebelling against the status quo. Marginalized communities have always been pushed to the farthest end in regards to support, inclusion and equity. From past and current climates, activism has been one of the ways for others to get involved and dive into complex societal issues. These problems are encouraged by oppression, white supremacy, patriarchal control, capitalism and policing. This practice is intended to be persistent and continuous yet not pursued in a linear way. When we speak of activism, one of the most undervalued representations and acknowledgments are the investments from students.
Student activism has been a practice by members of the student body, who are responsible for the many changes we are seeing against traditional societal molds in areas including racial justice, environmental justice, menstrual equity, LGBTQIA+ rights and anti-corruption campaigns. Historic and present examples include young Black people involved with the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee during the modern Civil Rights Movement (SNCC), anti-Vietnam War demonstrations in the late 1960s and 1970s (i.e. Kent State) and nationwide marches against gun violence coincided with white supremacy. Many tend to forget that student activists face denial from systemic powers and institutions (universities, schools and governmental bodies) with other societal factors. These facets seek to restrict their pursuit of dismantling oppressive barriers. Student activists are not to be spoken over or spoken for. Their voices are not monolithic, nor are the issues they seek to address. Their perspectives are valid as they should be centered in change, policy, action and societal reconstruction. As an aspiring activist, I have been honored to encounter powerful, determined and consistent young leaders who constantly invest their lives into expansive advocacy, justice and equity. For this article, I interviewed student activists at George Mason University and asked them to share their truths and perspectives.
These are their stories.
What are your names, pronouns, year and major?
Alaina: Hello! My name is Alaina Ruffin, I use she/her/hers pronouns, I’m a sophomore and I’m an English major with a concentration in Writing and Rhetoric, as well as pursuing a double minor in Legal Studies & History.
Molly: Hi! My name is Molly Reed (she/her/hers). I am a third year majoring in Government and International Politics with a concentration on American Institutions and a minor in Legal Studies.
Zuri: Hi! I’m Zuri Hodnett (she/her/hers) a sophomore with a major in Government and International Politics with a minor in Spanish.
Freddy: Hello! My name is Freddy Lopez (he/him/El) and I am a junior majoring in Sociology with a concentration in Inequality and Social Change.
Logan: they/them, sophomore, Government.
Shafuq: Hey! I’m Shafuq Naseem (she/her), I’m a sophomore and I’m a Government and International Politics major.
Aloana: Hey! My name is Aloana Hall (she/her). I am a sophomore and a Government major with a concentration in Law, Philosophy, and Governance.
Why is activism important to you?
Alaina: As a young Black woman in America, my existence — both as a human being and as a citizen of this country — should not equate to a death sentence. My stepping out of my house, my being pulled over, my talking, my walking, my sleeping, my standing should not mean that a target is placed on my chest and my forehead for me to be hunted. This is ultimately what inspires me to make change: I am not the only Black woman, Black person, feeling this way and this simply should not be. I want to ensure that every Black American has the target removed from their foreheads and is able to feel safe as an individual and as a citizen. I want no one else, Black or not, to feel as though their existence is solely to be hunted for sport. I want no one else to live in fear or danger and I want no one else to not have access to the resources they need in order to thrive. Activism is important to me because we all deserve to just be and we all deserve to flourish while doing so. We are human. We should not be below anyone else, let alone hunted for it.
Aloana: I tell this story a bit too much, but it really defines who I am. I became interested in activism after I moved to another side of my city in 8th grade. I grew up for most of childhood in a lower-income, predominantly Black area of my city. I never thought anything of the environment because that was all I knew. Then, I moved to a predominately white, middle/upper-middle class area because my mother wanted me to be in a better school system. The differences I noticed in the education system, quality of life, policing, and infrastructure sparked my interest in equal opportunity and equity. And the subtle racism and microaggressions that I experienced from some of the kids I went to school with sparked my interest in antiracism and social justice. Activism is important to me because I was given the opportunity and the economic privilege by my parents to advance my circumstances. And now I have the academic privilege to attend a university and get a college education. I could not think of anything else to do but use the forms of privilege that I do have to help give others their own voices and help address the systems of inequality that exist as a barrier for people.
Freddy: Coming from an underfunded high school where the majority of students were people of color, I witnessed the ways in which social stratification is structurally rooted in our society to keep some from accessing resources while making it easier for others (mostly for those that are white, heterosexual and male). When I came to college, this was all intensified in higher ed and I quickly came to realize that an academic setting was not made for people like me (a queer, Latine, first-generation immigrant). This is how I began to be involved in activism. I saw it as one of the only few ways in which people like me could, through community organizing and solidarity, find power and stand up to the status quo. To me, activism is the way that I can fight for others but also fight for myself. I am fighting for my and my people’s existence. I am claiming a space and holding onto it so I can make my voice heard, regardless of whether others want me to or not.
Molly: Growing up, I began to see the effects of our lack of gun policies in my community. The trauma of school shooting drills and too many close calls made me reflect on the need for proper gun violence prevention in our country. The 2016 election intensified my drive to organize. It made me feel so helpless that our generation didn’t have a say in the policies that were ultimately affecting us. We weren’t allowed to vote, let alone run for any office. Activism seemed like the only avenue where I could make my voice heard. Coming to college only further ignited my sense of purpose in activism, providing me with a sense of urgency and a better understanding of what it truly meant to be an activist.
What organizations are you a part of on and outside of campus?
Molly: I am a co-lead for March For Our Lives GMU. I hope that we can create an avenue where students can be educated and learn to organize for gun violence prevention in America. My biggest focus is to make sure we are centering the communities that are impacted the most by gun violence, which is Black, Indigenous, communities of color. I am the treasurer of IGNITE GMU, which strives to empower womxn and encourage them to run for office and become leaders in their community. I am also the founder and co-President of the Schar Pre-Law Group, which is an organization that hopes to provide information to students about the pre-law process. My biggest goal with the pre-law group is to create an inclusive space where everyone has access to vital resources. Law, and in turn, law school admissions, is still very elitist and relies on you being able to spend hundreds if not thousands of dollars just to apply. We offer resources and opportunities for free with no fees or requirements in hopes that it will allow law school to become accessible to a larger group of people.
Zuri: I am the event coordinator for the NAACP on campus. I also recently joined a group called “Tidewater Tenants Rights” in my community that helps spread awareness about evictions rate in at-risk areas. The organization also helps families fight the evictions in court and gives resources to help in the process.
Alaina: On campus, I’m the current Social Justice Chair for GMU’s NAACP chapter and my hopes as such would be to spread awareness on social issues that particularly affect the Black community, as well as hold conversations on difficult issues that tend to go unaddressed within the Black community and in society as a whole. This year especially, due to the pandemic and my being unable to be on the front lines of volunteerism due to being at-risk, I hope to have more of a focus on virtual activism through hosting online panel discussions on different social topics (similar to the Fall 2019 Same Race, Different Culture NAACP event), helping lead and maintain the NAACP anti-racism book club, partnering with other campus organizations for social justice-centered events (so on and so forth). I’m also the current Rituals Chair for Lambda Sigma Honor Society, a sophomore honor society focused on leadership, activism and service; through this organization, I hope to work on various projects that benefit the greater surrounding communities of Mason (for example, picking up trash in local neighborhoods, blood drives, etc.). Off campus, though, I try to get involved wherever I can. Donating to my local library, helping out at my old elementary school, participating in events at local community centers, the likes.
Freddy: I am the Internal Vice-President of UndocuMason, an organization which aims to create a more inclusive environment for undocumented immigrants through education and advocacy. Outside of Mason, I am a Programs and Projects Consultant at the Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance (APALA), AFL-CIO. Through UndocuMason, I hope to help better the ways in which Mason (both Administration & the student body) chooses to acknowledge and aid undocumented students. There needs to be more funds allocated for undocu students, as they have no access to any form of federal (and most of the time state) aid such as FAFSA. Furthermore, many scholarships require a form of legal status which undocumented students do not have. I also strive to educate people more on the unique needs of undocumented students. This is why I became an Undocually Trainer to help others find ways in which they can support undocu students on and off campus (P.S. keep an eye out for our upcoming training on October 23rd & November 20th). Through APALA I hope to just learn the different ways in which I can develop my organizing and strategizing skills. APALA places a great amount of importance on fighting for collective liberation through cross-solidarity which have opened my eyes into how we need to, in a way, change the ways in which we fight for ourselves and others. Ultimately, I hope to go to law school and use my J.D. to continue to fight for immigrant rights and to one day become a legal resource for a youth-led organization.
Shafuq: I’m the President of The Patriot Period Project, an organization that raises awareness around period poverty and period stigma. We are really geared towards service but I am looking forward to expanding the opportunities our organization has to advocacy and policy work as well. Because I am very passionate about ensuring equity in reproductive health and education, this issue is incredibly important to me. It’s also something that not a lot of people talk about at times. So I hope, at least at GMU, we can get more organizations involved with our mission and continue to uplift the many voices of our organization and university.
Related: How to be an Active Activist
Why is being an activist important in this current climate?
Alaina: In today’s climate especially, we have seen and felt the effects of improper leadership, narcissism and cowardice. We have seen and felt the results of turning away from pressing issues. We have seen and felt the consequences of when we leave behind our most vulnerable communities to fend for themselves. No person, no human being, deserves to suffer, particularly not over things that are solvable or fixable.
Zuri: The government that claims to serve everyone equally has deceived us for far too long and it is time that we put a stop to this, we have indeed come a long way but not much has changed. I think it time that we take our future into our own hands, our ancestors and generations before us have paved the way for us to take advantage of this opportunity and we cannot let their hard work go to waste. This is our society that we have to grow up in so we must take the initiative to change it for the better by any means necessary.
Freddy: I think everyone is starting to realize that capitalism depends on racism, sexism and exploitation in order to survive. What is happening it’s not really something new but rather has been further brought to light as a result of a pandemic which has led people to literally fight for their lives. I think that right now we need to not only organize but also come to terms with how we ourselves have been complicit in the system that feeds on the destruction of working-class solidarity. It is time that even activists recognize that it has always been our Black brothers and sisters leading the fight for literally most social justice issues. All movements need activists that understand the importance of intersectionality and cross-solidarity, it is by recognizing the ways in which even activism has been plagued by white supremacy that we can fix issues across different fights. What we need right now is unity and a clear agenda where we fight for collective liberation, as the system knows that this is a way we can win.
Logan: I think activism is particularly important in our current circumstances because activism is at its core about survival for marginalized groups. To me right now, activism can be taking COVID precautions to protect the members of our communities who are Black and Brown, disabled and work high-risk jobs. Activism can be donating to someone who is experiencing a housing emergency. So many people are facing increasingly awful circumstances right now and I don’t foresee things getting easier anytime in the near future. I think that we need to work on strengthening our networks and sharing resources and information as widely as possible so that we can be more prepared for whatever comes next.
Molly: I think it’s more important than ever to be an activist. Our institutions have proven to be an ineffective means of social justice change. The quote by the brilliant trailblazer, Shirley Chisholm, comes to mind “[i]f they don’t give you a seat at the table, bring a folding chair.” We must continue to fight for what’s right, even if doors keep getting slammed in our faces. There’s too much at stake to stop now.
Shafuq: In the society we live in, activism is crucial to promote systemic change. We cannot turn away and ignore the injustices that persist in this country. Additionally, with the pandemic, issues such as mental health and domestic violence have been exacerbated (two issues that I am very passionate about). So with that in mind, one way that I see activism is ensuring that accurate and accessible resources are being spread to those who need them. As mentioned by others, keeping intersectionality in mind as you practice activism is extremely necessary.
Related: Climate Activists of Color to Have on Your Radar
What are some of the social justice issues you care about?
Molly: I am very passionate about gun violence prevention in America and the intersecting issues like police brutality, mass incarceration, domestic violence, LGBTQ+ rights and political polarization. One thing I’ve learned from being in the activist space is that in one way or another, all of the social justice issues are in some way connected. At the end of the day, you’re fighting for all of them.
Zuri: For some years I researched rights of undocumented people in America and continue to show interest and support for this group of people as America is a country full of immigrants and no one is “illegal” on stolen land. I am also passionate about the racial injustices that impact African-Americans daily from mass incarceration, police brutality and many more that are coming to light. LGBTQ+ rights as well are something I stand up for as everyone deserves rights no matter the race, gender or sexuality. You cannot be selective in fighting for human rights.
Alaina: For me, I’m most passionate about racial justice & civil rights for Black Americans, though I’m very passionate on LGBTQ rights and criminal justice as well. I first became involved with the Black Lives Matter movement when I was 14, after the death of Sandra Bland in 2015; since then, I’ve been outspoken in defending Black civil rights & racial justice and fighting against police brutality to the best of my ability. Additionally, I care deeply about Black feminism and the treatment of Black womxn in all realms of society: I proudly consider myself a womanist, and I will forever fight against the inequalities that Black womxn face.
What changes would you like to see from Mason?
Molly: From an administrative perspective, I think there’s a lot of everyday problems that aren’t big enough for the administration to care about but they affect students’ everyday experience at Mason. We need to create a more sustainable campus, implement better recycling and composting programs. We need to have a candid conversation about the student experience with Mason PD and the Title IX office and we need to have accessible, long-term counselors on campus. We need to look at dining and make it more welcoming and inclusive for residents. Most importantly, we need to actually create a diverse campus. We love to broadcast that we are such a diverse school but there still aren’t adequate spaces for diversity to thrive.
Zuri: Based off of stories from survivors Mason does not care enough to properly address sexual assault allegations and take the proper action. This is unacceptable and creates an unsafe atmosphere at Mason. I also would like to see the Anti-Racism Task Force actually be an active org on campus.
Aloana: I would love to see administration-wide accountability. I was not aware of all of the problems at Mason before I arrived. However, now I am disgusted and angered by the donations and influence from the Koch Foundation, the whole Mercatus Center and their political leverage, and the persistent inability of Title XI to hold sexual assaulters accountable. There are student groups that are working hard to address these issues like UnKoch GMU and Mason for Survivors, and I hope they accomplish their goals to make Mason a better place.
Alaina: With the establishment of the new Anti-Racism Task Force under President Washington’s administration, I would like to see it actually be put to use through creating an inclusive environment for marginalized students. There is a massive difference between diversity and inclusivity: yes, George Mason University is a diverse school with its rich population of different communities, though there are spaces on campus where it is made blatantly clear that said communities are unwelcome. If Mason is going to pride itself on its diversity, it must first ensure that inclusivity is alive and well on its campus and in its related spheres. I’d like to see the new Task Force actually show up and put inclusivity to use. Furthermore, as Molly and Zuri both mentioned, the university response to sexual assault allegations has been egregious — even saying that feels like an understatement, admittedly — and the lack of adequate response from the university has beyond done more harm than good.
What are some of your biggest goals as an activist?
Alaina: Quite frankly, I hope to do this — this activism, this volunteerism, this work — for the rest of my life. Activism is not at all a “one and done” thing: it’s a long, hard, wholehearted commitment to fighting for the greater good. I hope to inspire other activists, especially other young ones, to keep fighting the good fight and keep social activism & volunteerism a big component of their life. We’ve all heard the famous quote that “our lives begin to end the day we become silent about the things that matter” — I don’t think I really have to explain the meaning of this quote to anyone so I’ll just say that I firmly believe this is true. We cannot afford to have our activism be performative or temporary. As an activist, one of my biggest aspirations is to encourage others to keep fighting. It’s hard, yes, more than hard, but this is important and worthwhile work.
Zuri: A goal for me would be to inspire someone who may not have spoken up before. The more people I can inspire and influence for the better the more I know I’m fulfilling my duty as an activist.
Freddy: A goal for me is to pave the ways for others that come after me. As I am mostly involved within the Immigrant Rights Movement, I have to keep in mind that it is young immigrants that continue to lead the charge. My goal is to grow and learn how to unite my community to organize and strategize so that I can then mentor others. I got here because I had multiple mentors that empowered me so that I could have the confidence to be who I am today, I hope to do the same for others. At the same time, I also want to create a community that finds solace in each other. I think it’s important to change the mindset that activism always looks like fighting and trying to create change. There’s a quote that I saw on twitter which I loved and am constantly telling myself and others to remember; “If organizing is how we show love, resting is how we show commitment” from @nathanvtan on Twitter.
Molly: The biggest thing I want from my activism is to be able to help someone. Whether that’s to help someone receive resources needed to succeed or help pass a piece of legislation; I want to help build a better future for our community. I am currently in a lobbying collective where I have the opportunity to lobby members of Congress on important gun violence prevention bills and initiatives. I would love to see those passed. I would love to work in my home state of Texas to create Extreme Risk Protection Orders (ERPO’s) and create a narrative about gun safety. I hope to earn a law degree and become an advocate for an overhaul of our legal system and abolish the school-to-prison pipeline. I aspire to help make people’s voices heard, to create a government and legal system that we can be proud of. I want to be a part of the greater movement to create meaningful change in our country and beyond.
Since coming to Mason, an aspect that has always been clear is the distinct and dire passion from student activists to create change across the university and social frameworks. Their work, leadership and advocacy are grounded on the idea of deconstructing society’s past inflictions that have poured into current climates. The erasure created from enabling factors of oppression seeks to suppress the efforts of student activists in order to fully support its destructive locomotion which infringes on the rights of marginalized communities. The truth is, while student activists and young leaders are the future, the fight should not just rely on them. Decade after decade, young people are told that they will be the ones to “change the world” yet the responsibility is not universal, especially considering that many of the problems prevalent in the United States and abroad are not to do with them. When we speak of social justice and activism, let it be known everyone has an obligation to avoid solely placing accountability on young people. This idea is harmful, selfish and negligent of all-encompassing responsibilities. Students dedicate their lives and perspectives amidst systems and institutions which have been built to diminish their efforts, send them into debt and foster unsafe environments which directly contradict the “values” in which institutions claim to stand for.
Here are organizations, clubs, and activists at George Mason who played roles in aspiring my advocacy journey.
Black Student Alliance: an all-encompassing organization based on supporting Black students as they navigate their years at George Mason University.
Mariposas Mentoring Program: a mentoring program based on helping students make their transition while in college; promoting Hispanic and Latinx celebration.
Mason Muslim Student Affairs Council: campus organization based on supporting students in the Muslim community.
GMU NAACP: College chapter of the NAACP on Mason’s campus. Built on seeking political, educational, social and economic equality for all people of color.
GMU Hispanic Student Association: on-campus organization centered on uplifting Hispanic and Latinx students through all-encompassing events, educational activities and panels.
GMU NAIA: on-campus organization based on supporting Indigenous people in the Mason community.
Anna Antonio-Villa: President of the Abrahamic Union (an organization based on celebrating religious equality intersected with bringing awareness to societal issues).
E. Nichols: President of GMU’s Pride Alliance.
R. Boyd: A part of the Sunrise movement and Chi Omega.
M. Hern: Student Government, Ignite GMU and President of GMU’s chapter of March For Our Lives.
C. Correa: Committee Chair of Student Government’s Diversity and Multicultural Department.
M. Antasia: Event Programmer for Black Student Alliance, PeaceJam and GMU’s Speech Team.
Bella D’Alacio: Federal Policy Associate for March For Our Lives, FL Relational Organizer for United We Dream, President of Ignite GMU.
Allie Kaye: Jewish President of the Abrahamic Union; Mason Hillel.
GMU Pride Alliance: on-campus organization based on LGBTQIA+ rights and advocacy.
Mason Hillel: on-campus organization based on supporting Jewish students.
UnDocuMason: campus organization based on support and advocacy for Undocumented students on Mason’s campus
I am currently taking a Women and Gender Studies course (Black Social Movements: Violence and Activism) at George Mason University under the instruction of Dr. Yevette Richards-Jordan, an acclaimed professor and leader within the Women and Gender Studies department and sectors of the Mason educational experience. She offered advice to aspiring young leaders yearning to get involved in activism: “Jump in and use your voice. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes. No one has all the answers but learn from one another and be generous with one another. Learn from history. Try to save time that way and learn how others have dealt with adversity and the systemic intersectional ways that oppression is manifested through our institutions and society. Take what is helpful and affirming.”
When we talk about “putting in work,” such is a phrase rooted in everyone taking part and deconstructing harmful societal frameworks. We owe many of the current deconstructions to students of the past and present, who analyze how important it is to give what you can, while emphasizing the importance of intersectionality and universal justice. We must dispel the idea that young activists are “kids” or “too emotional” because their passion and tenacity are what the powerful fear the most. Our voices are impactful, our determination is apparent and our ability to persist is endless. The question is never the matter of “when” as we are always willing to learn, to be present and to actively engage in the long fight which awaits. To student activists here and everywhere: Thank you for sacrifice, your leadership and your pristine devotion towards building societies and scenes which are reflective of the world we live in. Our voices and contributions are monumental. Never forget the power you possess, your passionate intelligence and your ability to be the light during inconceivable darkness. In our “good trouble,” change and accountability are inevitable.
Sempre avanti (always forward).