Leah's inspiration to work for social change

About a week ago we returned from our week long excursion to Johannesburg and Kruger National Park. I loved it! All of it. We first went to Johannesburg where we were met with many of the issues that I had not directly confronted since orientation. The issues of race, class, government, and oppression that had made their way out of my everyday vocabulary quickly slipped back in. It is not that I had forgotten about these problems, it is simply that I had become accustomed to seeing them in everyday life. I had fallen into a pattern of accepting the presence of these problems without analyzing each facet of every one. Luckily, my analyses have been rejuvenated.

The Apartheid Museum made me think about activism. Immersed in academia, it is easy for me to slip into a helpless “what can we do?” mindset. Governments are so bureaucratic, every official is corrupt, and they designed the system so that we cannot change it, so what is the point of trying? However, analyzing and studying the history of the anti-apartheid struggle always changes my mind. Not only did these citizens have a government that was not responsive to them, but it was outright attacking them. Still, they overcame the system. This victory inspires me to go back to American and work. Yes, it will not be easy. Yes, so many Americans, especially University students, are apathetic. Yes, the government is huge, racist, sexist, classist, and unresponsive. The important point to recognize is that there have been worse situations. Black South Africans were in a worse situation. Still, they fought and won. There is still hope for change in America, in society, because there have been just victories. Movements with positive, fair, equalitarian, honorable missions have emerged victorious.

When I return to America, I am going to change society by starting with myself. I think that change can come if every single person makes sure that they are always acting in a calculated manner. Each person can control which institutions and corporations she supports. Each person can make sustainable lifestyle choices that will positively impact the environment. She can choose which establishments she pours her time, work, and effort into.

It is easy to forget how privileged we are in America. We have so many rights that we often overlook the importance of each. We can protest, assemble in groups larger than three people, and speak out against our government without having to be afraid of being shot (we will probably just get tazed…). We are privileged to have a better system in place with regard to freedom than many other countries. With that said, we are not perfect. That is where the need for change lies.

My point is simply this: if each person did what she/he/ze could to support peaceful and just organizations and institutions, the world would slowly become a better place.