ACTIVISM BALANCE

BY ALAINA MAY

You’ve entered a new community, a new school, a new life. Even if you’re not a freshman, there might be things unknown or different than what you’re used to. As young adults, we are all still growing accustomed to life in the real world, so who has time to attend protests or watch the news or go to city council meetings? To be completely honest: no one really does.

In order to be involved in activism or be considered an activist, it isn’t necessary to devote every moment of the day to it. If there are causes you would like to support in your community, it’s important to remember to focus on yourself first. Your grades, your financial state, and your sleep schedule should be prioritized.

Current Hendrix College junior and member of Reinvest in Conway, Frankie Franco, strongly believes in staying engaged in one’s community while making sure to not become overworked.

“We are socialized to feel like we constantly have to compare ourselves to people. Like we constantly need to be working and striving for more so that you’re constantly producing, but that’s not healthy.” Franco explained. “That doesn’t leave time and space to revive and rejuvenate yourself.”

As students of Hendrix often realize, this campus is an amazing place to become active and educated about pressing causes. Hendrix N.A.A.C.P, Sociology and Anthropology Club, Committee on Gender and Sexuality (COGS), Disability Awareness Club, and the Environmental Concerns Committee (ECC) are just a few of the many informational and activism-based organizations at Hendrix. Associate Professor of Anthropology and Department Chair, Dr. Anne Goldberg, agrees that these clubs help provide students with the unique ability to educate themselves on the numerous causes that activism strives to resolve.

“I think they can be really great spaces for finding allies, finding those people who can help you relax. It’s nice to be around people who can help you. I do think it can be easy to get spread thin and easy to get overwhelmed, but I’m really grateful for the work that they’ve done,” Goldberg said. “Student groups have more power than they’re aware of for making change. When students want something to happen, it can really happen.”

While it is important to get involved in these organizations and show your support, it is also important to let those affected by racism, disabilities, or gender inequality be the primary representatives for those causes.

Shaunell Henderson, senior and founder of the Hendrix chapter of the N.A.A.C.P also shared: “I would say don’t reinvent the wheel and don’t step on others. I think that the first step, if you are white, is to acknowledge and accept your privilege and accept that your voice cannot be the centralized voice to this conversation,” Henderson explained. “Knowing that there are other voices that do need to be prioritized and looking at ways to support those voices.”

The recent Conway school district bathroom ban against transgender students and removal of two books about young transgender people have sparked protests, rallies, sit-ins, and a walk out at Conway High School where people were arrested. As the vote to approve these bills was unanimous, it is unlikely that they will be repealed any time soon. However, actions can be taken by Faulkner County residents to sway the opinion of those who enforced these transphobic restrictions.

“We might not get the schoolboard to repeal those policies, but if I can get a few people in the community to be a little more accepting of trans people, that’s still huge. Again, it’s not systemic, but it is local, it is communal.” Franco said.

Activism can take many forms. What is equally important to attending protests and club meetings (and potentially less draining) is advocation by educating yourself, handing out fliers, and even discussing current issues to spread awareness. Maintaining an active and informed position in one’s community is crucial to anyone interested in pursuing activism.

“If you have a good community around you, you should be able to find rest,” Henderson said. “So, if you’re feeling physically tired or you can’t make the protests, see what you can do [by] posting on social media, sharing the fliers, getting other people there. That’s one of the ways you have to create balance because the work isn’t just going to get done if everyone decides to stop.”