It sounds simple. Exemplify the activism you’d like to see. But it’s easier to say than be, and we have far too many talking heads which is not what we need.
Right now, I’m busy. Very busy... Okay, not as busy as some, but I’m averaging about 3 hours of sleep per night - which is my limit.
I am running for the Associated Students position of Off Campus Representative with Student Voice, a progressive coalition of campus leaders. The reason I am running is simple - I want a student government which is more active than reactive. I don’t just want to recycle our waste, I want to reduce it. I don’t just want resolutions against hate crimes a few weeks after each incident, I want proactive measures to create safe spaces. I don’t want to have to receive petitions in the arbor every time an issue comes up, because if that happens it means we’re protesting and reacting rather than actively setting an agenda. The fact that I need to be a part of protests to get my voice out there means the system as it stands fails to represent me, and I want to change that.
Tomorrow night I’ll preform in Take Back the Mic - a Take Back the Night event of spoken word, music and story telling which aims to bring awareness about sexual violence and aid the community in being proactive in preventing it.
Thursday there are several events I’ll be working on. First I’ll be off to the No on Hate march which seeks to raise awareness of the recent hate crimes in our campus community, until we admit our school has a problems it’s rather hard to address them. Then I’m going to be supporting the arts by MCing an afternoon Open Mic in Davidson Library for national poetry month. And later that night I’ll be going to Take Back the Night’s March. Somewhere in there I’ll be going to class too...
Friday I will be participating in National Day of Silence. Day of Silence seeks to bring awareness to the problems of social discrimination in our schools, an issue which is so often silenced by homophobia. If you think that this isn’t an issue consider the fact that less than a week ago an 11 year old boy committed suicide in reaction to being bullied regularly and being accused of being gay. One in three LGBT youth have attempted suicide. In 30 states in our nation you can be fired for being gay. And in 46 states same-sex marriage isn’t recognized. The fight for marriage equality is important because legal inequity is intolerable - but we cannot forget the students of today are the citizens of tomorrow. And if we can’t provide safe spaces in schools, where can we offer safety? I wouldn’t know what to shout into a microphone if I were asked why this is a problem because there’s so many reasons and few are willing to listen. Even while in a progressive university, we’ve got hate crimes in our community, we too should be reflecting - we’re guilty too.
This Sunday I’ll be at UCLA for 1Fest to celebrate the fight for civil rights, marriage equality and the artistic community that is a part of the struggle. Live music, information booths, politicians and activists will all contribute so that we can actively come together as a community energized, motivated, and with a sense of direction on how to work towards civil rights. The fight for civil rights and equality should not just be seen in angry protests, but also through positive community events such as this. I’ll also be volunteering with some Stanford activists from the Emma Goldman Society for Queer Liberation to work on a Vow Not to Marry ring campaign where participants pledge not to marry until everyone can do so. (I’m already wearing my ring if you ever want to see it.)
And on Monday, I’ll be back on campus working with Student Voice trying to get progressive leaders into positions on campus where they can actively enable organizations.
Am I doing everything? No I’m not. I can’t. I’m still a full time student with hundreds of pages to read, I have papers to write, and projects to do. I still need to eat, sleep, and have enough downtime to recharge to keep myself active. But I do what I am able to. Apathy and inaction are the greatest threats to societal progress. It doesn’t matter how much you are able to do if you’re unwilling to act. It doesn’t matter what the best green technology is unless we’re using it. And I could not stand with a clear conscious before a mirror if I were to ignore the problems I see in favor of a pleasurable apathy. If you’re interested in learning or attending any of the events written about here please check out the following links or send a message to me!
Be actively present!
Urvi
STUDENT VOICE Silvergreens Fundraiser - Wednesday on Pardall
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=71083390771
Take Back the Mic - Wednesday night IV Eclectic on Pardall
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=55913806500
STUDENT VOICE Deja Vu Fundraiser - Thursday on Embarcadero del Mar
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=91395497523
No on Hate Rally - Thursday in the Arbor
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=151384660161
Open Mic Poetry Event - Thursday in the Library
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=61085528380
National Day of Silence - Friday EVERYWHERE
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=13588438490
STUDENT VOICE Berrilicious Open Mic Night - Friday night Embarcadero Del Norte
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=163309975017
1FEST - Sunday afternoon at UCLA
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=65066260818&ref=ts
Emma Goldman Society for Queer Liberation
http://www.stanford.edu/group/emma_goldman/cgi-bin/site/index.php
Wednesday 15 April 2009
Saturday 11 April 2009
ACTION: Do not drink Rockstar
I do not support hate.
And I also do not support those who will support hate.
The owners of the Rockstar energy drink promote values which I find detrimental to a civil society - they're openly bigoted (most clearly homophobic), against immigration, against workers rights and more...
When I drink something to give me energy, I want a positive boost. And Rockstar won't offer that. Please stop consuming Rockstar and urge your friends to not drink it as well. Ask any businesses you frequent to remove Rockstar from their shelves. Even if we can't change their minds - we can stop enabling them to spread detrimental messages.
And I also do not support those who will support hate.
The owners of the Rockstar energy drink promote values which I find detrimental to a civil society - they're openly bigoted (most clearly homophobic), against immigration, against workers rights and more...
When I drink something to give me energy, I want a positive boost. And Rockstar won't offer that. Please stop consuming Rockstar and urge your friends to not drink it as well. Ask any businesses you frequent to remove Rockstar from their shelves. Even if we can't change their minds - we can stop enabling them to spread detrimental messages.
Thursday 9 April 2009
Blatant Propaganda
I know many of you have already seen this video which the National Organization for Marriage is running across the nation - but I wanted to make sure it was made available for those who hadn't.
THIS is what we're up against. Despite the fact that today 46 of 50 states don't recognize same-sex marriages, when equal rights are granted in 2 (Iowa and Vermont) it triggered national attacks.
As a Film and Media student we see many theorists and film makers cynical about the medium based upon the propaganda of the times, but usually these discussions are contextualized in the past. If we allow these types of ads/attacks to go unchallenged, not only do we increase the resistance to equal rights, but we allow ourselves to tolerate the media illiteracy which allows fringe cases to be grossly exaggerated to reframe the issue.
I know this issue is an emotional one for many- but when ads seek to manipulate emotion rather than engage in discussion it hurts us all. I ask you today not only to show support if able to Courage Campaign's fund raising for activist training, but also if you're able sign up for one of them! (http://www.couragecampaign.org/action)
Furthermore if you see this ad on a TV station you watch, turn off the TV, and then SPEAK UP! E-mail the program director, head of advertising at the channel, publicity, and news hot line if those numbers/e-mails are available on the station website. If it is a show you must see - go watch it online because those ads are almost always for other movies, medications, or department stores - thus the money paying for your viewing won't be one that directly discriminates (Though depending on the ad- they might still be guilty, at least their main purpose is not discrimination). Adding a financial reason to drop an ad makes our debate enter the picture if enough people do something! Also if you'd like, let me know about any stations you see the ad on and I will update this post so others wishing to take action can follow your lead.
In solidarity for equality and media literacy!
Urv
THIS is what we're up against. Despite the fact that today 46 of 50 states don't recognize same-sex marriages, when equal rights are granted in 2 (Iowa and Vermont) it triggered national attacks.
As a Film and Media student we see many theorists and film makers cynical about the medium based upon the propaganda of the times, but usually these discussions are contextualized in the past. If we allow these types of ads/attacks to go unchallenged, not only do we increase the resistance to equal rights, but we allow ourselves to tolerate the media illiteracy which allows fringe cases to be grossly exaggerated to reframe the issue.
I know this issue is an emotional one for many- but when ads seek to manipulate emotion rather than engage in discussion it hurts us all. I ask you today not only to show support if able to Courage Campaign's fund raising for activist training, but also if you're able sign up for one of them! (http://www.couragecampaign.org/action)
Furthermore if you see this ad on a TV station you watch, turn off the TV, and then SPEAK UP! E-mail the program director, head of advertising at the channel, publicity, and news hot line if those numbers/e-mails are available on the station website. If it is a show you must see - go watch it online because those ads are almost always for other movies, medications, or department stores - thus the money paying for your viewing won't be one that directly discriminates (Though depending on the ad- they might still be guilty, at least their main purpose is not discrimination). Adding a financial reason to drop an ad makes our debate enter the picture if enough people do something! Also if you'd like, let me know about any stations you see the ad on and I will update this post so others wishing to take action can follow your lead.
In solidarity for equality and media literacy!
Urv
What Would Nature Do?
My friend over at Positive Sustainability, Nick Enge, poses this question and asks for a revolutionary shift in the way we consider our relationship to our planet. What Would Nature Do? By thinking of this answer and using designs and engineering based around the notion of biomimicry (imitating life) we can recreate some of the solutions the natural world has developed and increase our own sustainability in doing so.
This question has been asked many times in a religious context when people ask, “What would Jesus do?” and seek answers of the most moral solution to a conflict. However while the media surrounds us with debates about gay rights, abortion, racial injustice and more - we continue to quietly continue designing products without considering their consequence. I’m by no means saying the other issues aren’t important debates for a society to have - but the lack of dialog on the design we tolerate is allowing it to continue.
Every day people continue and think they’re improving while they are buying “ecofriendly” and “sustainable” products from halfway around the world, and these are likely packaged in paper/plastics that will be discarded the minute we unwrap the product which itself will likely only last a year or two. The entire model hurts the environment.
Today what I ate was not only bad for me but it was horrible for the environment. I’m not going to sugar coat it and say I’m free of blame - because I’m not. I’m a tired and busy college kid who didn’t have the time to cook because even sleep is a luxury these days. I bought a sandwich and pasta on campus which both came in packaging which was then discarded. The soda I drank was horrible for me in so many ways. The coffee I had to keep me awake in class was grown on the other side of the world. For dinner I was in a rush so I got fast food - a hot dog and fries. Not only did I succeed in clogging my arteries and getting far too little nutrition, but I failed to embrace the fact that I live in a fertile area with a huge array of locally grown produce.
I live in an apartment complex that brags about the co-mingled trash and recycling which allows for fewer trips to pick up waste, thus using less gas and having a reduced carbon impact. We also have two flush settings on toilets, low flow shower heads, and refrigerators that beep if open for more than 15 seconds to remind you to close them. But I’m also living in an ugly box that doesn’t take advantage of the natural light that is common in Santa Barbara. The only living thing other than myself (and my roommate) in my apartment is a house plant that was purchased at a local store. This entire living situation is somewhat pathetic. I live in a naturally beautiful setting with lovely flora if I walk a few minutes to the beach or bike towards the hills. And yet as my housing complex heaps on the accolades and self-congratulatory praise encouraging new students to apply here - we’re planting non-native plants. Looking at the water situation in our area it’s clear that our University’s long range plan will have an increase in the number of students far beyond what the local aquifer will be able to support, and we’re already in a drought state that’s had huge fire problems in recent years.
While Nick covers some of these themes in other writings on his site (which I urge you to all follow) I think that the idea of bio mimicry needs to not only be considered by designers and engineers who create products, but by those who will consume the goods. A shift in thinking must occur in the audience for a producer to succeed given that we live in a very self-reflexive society.
In politics many leaders follow the polls and popular opinion rather than paving the way. Experts only speak about their fields, limiting the ability to have true collaboration where larger changes are needed. Workers only respond to orders thus not allowing the practical hands on knowledge to shape the management above them. Managers buy into the systems that allow for their profits without considering the cost to future generations. While I’m sure many are planning to point out that this isn’t always the case, as a general rule of thumb, the status quo has a great deal of momentum behind it; And my point based upon that generalization is that when a change of direction is needed, it takes more than a good idea to lead to action.
Now if I had the answers and could just tell all of you how to change the world - it would be a great conclusion to this post, but sadly we’ve got a lot more work to do than that! We need to redesign how we live! We need to figure out how to get the basics of food, water and shelter in a sustainable way that won’t hurt our local ecosystems and leave us in overly sterilized industrial box environments which fail to reflect the natural beauty of our planet. And for that to happen we can’t just wait for good designs to come to us, we have to seek out those ideas. We must invest in them. We need to create a market for sustainable goods, a niche for sustainability in our ideas and planning, and when sitting down in meetings we need to look not only to the monetary value, but the social and environmental values and costs of our actions. This begins with you and me. I’m currently in the red, but if you have any ideas - feel free to begin a dialog here! I’m listening.
This question has been asked many times in a religious context when people ask, “What would Jesus do?” and seek answers of the most moral solution to a conflict. However while the media surrounds us with debates about gay rights, abortion, racial injustice and more - we continue to quietly continue designing products without considering their consequence. I’m by no means saying the other issues aren’t important debates for a society to have - but the lack of dialog on the design we tolerate is allowing it to continue.
Every day people continue and think they’re improving while they are buying “ecofriendly” and “sustainable” products from halfway around the world, and these are likely packaged in paper/plastics that will be discarded the minute we unwrap the product which itself will likely only last a year or two. The entire model hurts the environment.
Today what I ate was not only bad for me but it was horrible for the environment. I’m not going to sugar coat it and say I’m free of blame - because I’m not. I’m a tired and busy college kid who didn’t have the time to cook because even sleep is a luxury these days. I bought a sandwich and pasta on campus which both came in packaging which was then discarded. The soda I drank was horrible for me in so many ways. The coffee I had to keep me awake in class was grown on the other side of the world. For dinner I was in a rush so I got fast food - a hot dog and fries. Not only did I succeed in clogging my arteries and getting far too little nutrition, but I failed to embrace the fact that I live in a fertile area with a huge array of locally grown produce.
I live in an apartment complex that brags about the co-mingled trash and recycling which allows for fewer trips to pick up waste, thus using less gas and having a reduced carbon impact. We also have two flush settings on toilets, low flow shower heads, and refrigerators that beep if open for more than 15 seconds to remind you to close them. But I’m also living in an ugly box that doesn’t take advantage of the natural light that is common in Santa Barbara. The only living thing other than myself (and my roommate) in my apartment is a house plant that was purchased at a local store. This entire living situation is somewhat pathetic. I live in a naturally beautiful setting with lovely flora if I walk a few minutes to the beach or bike towards the hills. And yet as my housing complex heaps on the accolades and self-congratulatory praise encouraging new students to apply here - we’re planting non-native plants. Looking at the water situation in our area it’s clear that our University’s long range plan will have an increase in the number of students far beyond what the local aquifer will be able to support, and we’re already in a drought state that’s had huge fire problems in recent years.
While Nick covers some of these themes in other writings on his site (which I urge you to all follow) I think that the idea of bio mimicry needs to not only be considered by designers and engineers who create products, but by those who will consume the goods. A shift in thinking must occur in the audience for a producer to succeed given that we live in a very self-reflexive society.
In politics many leaders follow the polls and popular opinion rather than paving the way. Experts only speak about their fields, limiting the ability to have true collaboration where larger changes are needed. Workers only respond to orders thus not allowing the practical hands on knowledge to shape the management above them. Managers buy into the systems that allow for their profits without considering the cost to future generations. While I’m sure many are planning to point out that this isn’t always the case, as a general rule of thumb, the status quo has a great deal of momentum behind it; And my point based upon that generalization is that when a change of direction is needed, it takes more than a good idea to lead to action.
Now if I had the answers and could just tell all of you how to change the world - it would be a great conclusion to this post, but sadly we’ve got a lot more work to do than that! We need to redesign how we live! We need to figure out how to get the basics of food, water and shelter in a sustainable way that won’t hurt our local ecosystems and leave us in overly sterilized industrial box environments which fail to reflect the natural beauty of our planet. And for that to happen we can’t just wait for good designs to come to us, we have to seek out those ideas. We must invest in them. We need to create a market for sustainable goods, a niche for sustainability in our ideas and planning, and when sitting down in meetings we need to look not only to the monetary value, but the social and environmental values and costs of our actions. This begins with you and me. I’m currently in the red, but if you have any ideas - feel free to begin a dialog here! I’m listening.
Tuesday 7 April 2009
Celebrate!
In one week two states have legalized same-sex Marriage!
Yay for Iowa and Vermont!
This brings our total to 4.
46 to go.
Yay for Iowa and Vermont!
This brings our total to 4.
46 to go.
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