Take Action

Shauna Says:

For the blog, I decided to look online to see what I could do. I found a website- http://standingonthesideoflove.org/immigrants/ and read what their purpose/goals are. At this time, they are focusing on immigration reform. They also look to make changes for any groups of people that they believe are being dehumanized through acts of exclusion or oppression. I went to the “Take a Stand” section of the website and found that by typing in my zip code, I could write an email to members of Congress in order to ask them to make a change. They even gave me a template that I can choose to use or to adapt for the message. I liked the idea and decided to send a message to all of the members of Congress listed. This included Elizabeth Warren, Ed Markey, and John Tierney. I like this website since they make it easy to send a message to members of Congress. I like that you can change what you would like to say or send in what they have already written. By simply adding in your address information, you can make your voice heard. They also list telephone numbers which could be an even better way to contact Congress members and talk about the issues at hand. It allows people to take action and practice democratic values without having to fear consequences. This is a great website and I believe that it gives people the chance to stand up for what they believe in. In closing, I also found a link from this website to another website- notonemoredeportation.com. I signed the petition to help stop deportations and the separation of families. There are many simple ways to get involved. There is a definite need for immigration reform and anyone can help in making a change happen.

I would definitely teach students about social justice issues. Through learning about social justice, students learn about many other important aspects of everyday life. For example, they learn about respect for others. All teachers should provide time for students to talk about their cultural background. By doing so, the teacher can create a safe and comfortable classroom for all students in which all students respect one another. Students learn to listen and they learn about empathy through many social justice issues. They need to learn about ways that they can make changes for what they believe in, such as participating in social movements, because that is what our country is all about. Every person deserves to have their voice heard. If students learn at a young age that their voice can make a difference, they may continue to stand up for what they believe in throughout their lives. If no one were to speak up for their beliefs, even by simply voting, our democratic government would not be functioning since it would not be a representation of “the people”.