Since the beginning of the semester, students and professors have organized a string of campus events centered on informing students about Palestine and world affairs. Now, students are expressing their interest in observing political issues in their community in the long term. Taylor Heine, with the help of Professor Octavio Barajas, has organized the start of the Social Justice Club. The club’s constitution and bylaws state their goal as being, “to establish a forum for dialogue, support, involvement and action related to spreading awareness about global and local injustices.”

Taylor and Professor Barajas have coordinated with other students and faculty in the past, holding teach-ins and documentary screenings open to both students and community members. The support expressed then is one they are hoping will be carried onto the start of the club’s operation.

The Social Justice Club, or SJC, had its first meeting on November 4, at 11:30 AM, in ESS room 101. Students from all walks of life were invited. Going forward, the club’s president, Taylor, calls on “[f]eminists fighting for equality, Native Americans fighting for reparations and land back, or climate activists, fighting to protect our Earth. Or simply people who are struggling to put food on the table […] Anyone who feels angry, anxious, or sad about the state of the world and wants to make a difference or at least try their best.”

On October 31st, Taylor reached out again before the club’s first meeting with a table on campus, inviting students to RSVP and to read a copy of the club’s constitution and bylaws. The SJC strives for complete transparency both in its goals and from its members as they build a forum for students who might not otherwise mix, but are united under a desire for action.