Why am I an activist, what did I get involved in | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Life Stages

Why I Am Passionate About Being A Young Activist

Just talking about being an activist, why I do it, all of that good stuff.

248
Why I Am Passionate About Being A Young Activist

In eighth grade, I had to complete a social studies project in order to graduate. Our topic was the Civil Rights Movement (that was something I was always very interested in and wanted to just learn more about) and my topic was specifically the three presidents: Dwight D. Eisenhower, John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson.

From then on, I knew I wanted to get involved and speak my mind. High school began and I was this girl who had so much to say about what was going on in the world but had no idea how to say it or put it out there. I was so scared to speak up and say whatever I felt was right. I ended up joining a club called Class of Consciousness, joined an organization called The Brotherhood/ Sister Sol. (I'll speak about these things that have impacted me later in the future.) Being an activist is a lot, it is more than just talking about the work, you literally have to sit there and do the work.

I participated in my very first march on January 2017 which was The Women's March. I was one of the people who was walking with a bullhorn starting chants. One of them included one of my favorites, "Ain't no power like the power of the people cause the power of the people don't STOP! SAY WHAT?" And I was moved from that one march. I knew that for the years to come in my life, I wanted to continue to participate in marches, to fight for what I believe in. To allow myself to feel the way I feel about things. Two months later I participated in the Education March, and during this march I saw so many parents from the elementary school in my high school building. It was so crazy to see what was going on and not being told at my high school what was happening and finding out of school.

I attended the Free Minds Free People Conference in Baltimore, Maryland last summer. It was such a dope experience to be able to meet people the same age as me, older, younger doing the same work. Meeting people who believe in the same things. It was such an amazing experience. I have done other things but just can't seem to remember much of it right now. A couple of months ago I participated in a webinar about Civic Preparation for Teachers College of Columbia University. Which was another dope experience for me, because I never saw myself doing something quite like that. Like I said before it is more than just talking about the work, YOU are apart of the work, YOU are doing the work.

Being activist there is so much you carry on your shoulders, there's so much constantly being thrown at you. Something happens every single day and sometimes you cannot handle it. (I cannot handle certain videos on the media, it literally gives me anxiety and makes me cry really hard.) For me, one of the craziest things ever is that the elders in my family have absolutely no clue about the work I do. Not even my mom, and I have been doing this work for quite sometime now. I will tell her eventually but for now, I'll allow her to wonder what is it that I do. I always get asked why do I do what I do? And it is hard to answer because that is something I really want to sit there and answer properly but the truth is, everything is just so fucked up in this country and A LOT of people fail to see that or have NO idea of what is going on.

I believe in change, I believe our generation can change things for the better and it will happen. Justice will be served. I believe that things can and will get better. And being an activist, is just a step closer to that. If I had to choose something that ticks me of about being an activist is people ALWAYS expect YOU to know the answer to anything being asked about movements, marches, all of it. You also have to learn how to take care yourself, heal, and better yourself before going out in the world and wanting to help and heal the world. Healing yourself mentally and physically is just as important as healing the world. Take the time you need. Being an activist is literally a lifestyle. Blessed to say I have participated and have taken part in so many marches, movements and conferences. Young Activist, out.



"Activism is the rent I pay for living on this planet." - Alice Walker

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
mouse with a cookie

One of my biggest pet peeves is when someone does not try to help their self before asking others. How can someone else be expected to help you if you do not first do that yourself? I'm all about helping those that need it when the time comes, however whenever someone does not even attempt to help him or herself first then that becomes a huge problem. As we all have learned, people tend to take advantage of us in one way or another. I am sure we all read this short story when we were younger and it follows that same principle:

Keep Reading...Show less
39 Traits You Know You Have If You're A Libra
Flickr

If you were born between September 23rd - October 22nd, then you are a Libra. Let's be real, Libras are the best because you are the perfect balance of all things in life. Some may find this boring, but they don't know anything about what it means to be all things at once. As Libras, we hold much on our shoulders that no one can understand. These are traits you know to be true if you are a Libra:

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

12 Types Of Drunk Girls You'll See In Every Friend Group

"Getting drunk with your best friends is an experience in and of itself. It takes us on wild and ridiculous adventures with the people we trust with our lives."

472
friends
Cloud Front

Getting drunk with your best friends is an experience in and of itself. It takes us on wild and ridiculous adventures with the people we trust with our lives. Each one of you plays a vital role in making sure the night goes (relatively) smoothly.

Keep Reading...Show less
Kardashians
Cosmopolitan.com

Finals week is so rude! So, there's no one better to explain it than the Kardashians themselves!

1. When you look at your finals schedule and become immediately overwhelmed:

2. When your professor says that the final is only going to be short answer questions:

3. When you text your parents to tell them that you're going to have a mental breakdown and drop out of college and they're just like:

4. When you're trying to study with friends, but then you realize that you haven't gotten anything done:

5. Then you just end up going on your phone.

6. When you're two weeks away from finals and your professor tells you that you should probably start studying now:

7. When you sit down to take your final and the first question hits you like:

8. When you start the practice problems and you're just like:

9. When you're in your final and find a question that you actually know the answer to:

10. When that one annoying kid in your class says that the final was super easy and they aced it:

11. When you come back from your 7:30 a.m. final and crash:

12. When your professor tries to teach you new material a week before the final:

13. When you decide to eat away the pain that is finals week by ordering massive amounts of food:

14. Filling out course evaluations for that one difficult professor like:

15. When it's right before your first final and you're just like:

16. When your professor tells that you the final is cumulative:

17. When the kid next to you keeps looking over at your test:

18. Looking back on the outfits that you wore during finals week like:

19. When it's been two hours and you've only gotten through five notecards:

20. When you finally make it to the end of the week:

Lifestyle

10 Signs You Work In A Restaurant

There's always chaos in the restaurant business.

1431
10 Signs You Work In A Restaurant
Brisanis

Working in the restaurant industry is possibly the most fundamentally challenging occupation I have ever experienced when it comes to hospitality and customer service. When you go to a five-star restaurant you expect the time of your life, a two hour getaway, a walk through another time period (rustic Italy, France, Spain, etc), or simply a honeymoon undergo. What you don't see are the behind the scenes scut work: carrying trays, polishing glassware and silverware, kitchen chaos, the list is endless. Now, I'm not saying being a host, server, or bartender is the worst thing in the whole wide world, there are definitely worse things. But the fact of the matter is that it isn't always sunshine and rainbows. In the two years that I have spent in restaurant and customer service, I have spoken my share of expletives, yelled at kitchen staff, and dealt with not-so-happy guests. It isn't easy to keep a bright and shiny smile on your face when all you want to do is choke every person who walks near you. Anyone who has spent even two weeks working in a restaurant understands the rigor and stress that comes with it. Restaurant culture is a tiny world in and of itself that operates on its own principles and creates its own society. It even has its own language. The sayings "runner", "corner", and "on a bus" wouldn't make sense to anyone otherwise. My mother and I both work in a restaurant and the best advice I can give someone going out to eat is to treat us like people. Yes...believe it or not we are people, people. Say "please" and "thank you", or stack your cleared plates before a busser gets to the table. Trust me, the gesture goes a lot farther than you may think.

So, if you work in a restaurant, you can relate with the following points. If not, check out how the brain of a restaurant service (or any customer service) worker actually works. See if you can identify any crazy weird habits your friends have a tendency to partake in.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments