Opportunities for Community Activism

COVID-19 has had a profound impact on our lives. I witnessed a paradigm shift in what is possible in teaching and learning. More than ever, students have had the opportunity to take the reins of their education and develop transferable skills by entering a zone many may feel "un-sociological”: community activism.

Today, there are many options. First, sociology students, more than ever, can develop comprehensive career skills by engaging in diverse areas outside the classroom. They can participate in community meetings where various stakeholders use a designated platform to discuss the digital divide. This type of commitment, which can be achieved virtually, brings a sense of community integration. As a case demonstration, let us say a student can attend two separate community meetings, one in an underserved community and another in a wealthy district so that students will be exposed to two different socioeconomic communities.

Secondly, students can seize the opportunity to become part of an activist movement in our city. Such an initiative would be rooted in the history of sociology with a focus on improving public interest and advancing social causes. During the pandemic, new activism intensified to raise awareness of Black Lives Matter and other social initiatives. Currently, there are several movements in the fight for justice, such as Black Women's Equal Pay Day and the People's Response Act, the latter supports migrant rights and refugees seeking asylum. These are just a few coalitions meeting virtually.

Amid the crisis, we learned there were many lessons to be learned. Intimate Partner Violence reports to the police have increased and, as the global health community continues to labor, the tenacious epidemic of violence against women continues. We also witnessed structural racism contributing to the disproportionate effect of Covid-19 on people of color. The loss of employment has further exacerbated the socio-economic situation of those already struggling. Social inequalities have become more visible.

We can choose to make a change. Attending coalition and activist meetings today can be done from the comfort of one’s sofa, even simply an hour a week. Students can experience a sense of social empowerment in ways previously constrained by time, geography, and access. By creating opportunities for students to become involved in community activism, we usher in a new generation of students that obtain firsthand sociological insights that enrich our understanding of the world, and each other.