What do you RISE for?

Mon, 23 Oct 2017 12:56:24 -0400
criticalsocialjustice, cultural, diversity, mosaiccenter, socialjustice, womenscenter

(Adapted from UMBC Women's Center Wordpress site.)

Over the past year, acts of resistance and resilience have electrified our country and world. Immediate images that flash through our minds include the water protectors at Standing Rock, the millions around the world who participated in the Women’s March, those who rushed to the airports to volunteer translation and legal assistance to immigrants and refugees in the immediate aftermath of the travel ban.

As these images of mass protests and large-scale actions capture our attention, we also recognize the power of everyday acts of resistance. Social justice movements have been infused with a renewed sense of urgency, and for an ever-growing number of people, there is the will to be counted, to find voice, and to rise up.

While many are new to the struggle, the struggle itself is not new. We’re reminded by those who have long been active in these movements that the fight for justice is neither in its first breaths nor last gasps.

For the fifth annual Critical Social Justice, we’ll explore opportunities for building individual and collective resistance and resilience. Events throughout the week will challenge us to think about how we can do better, do more, and persist in doing it. How do we rise to meet the challenges of this particular cultural moment to work toward a vision of inclusive excellence—whether it’s in the classroom, online, or in our communities?

In the spirit of #CSJRise, the Mosaic Center Staff will be posting blogs on myUMBC and Facebook pages throughout the week telling us, what they rise for. Please stay tuned and check them out!

If you have any questions, please email us at mosaic@umbc.edu!