I would say that activism is about changing society for the better by causing political, social, economic, or environmental reform through the activities of individuals or groups of individuals. In the reading it mentions, “Clearly, activism has always relied on the voices, visions, and energy of individuals to inspire and drive social change. We have seen that many of the movements that shaped the world we live in today were begun by people acting alone. Often hardly old enough to vote, they prepared to take a stand for what they believed in”. (Pg11). The stand that people take can either be small or big. In this case, an example of big-scale activism would be the Black Lives Matter or Me too, or Arab Spring. These were issues people thought to make a change, that people took a stand for what they believed. A lot of these cases of activism organized peaceful protests. If the protest was violent things would turn out really bad. There are many forms of activism like environmental activism, citizen activism, internet activism, student activism, economic activism, and many more. “One of the unique qualities young people can bring to activism is an ability to be heard. Fresh voices have a distinct ability to break through discourse, and spin and entrended agendas. They can reach the heart of issues and make people engage with old conversations in new ways”(pg18). All is what it is when it comes to activism.

The film I watch is called Girl connected. It’s a film that looks at five exemplary teenage girls from emerging world countries that become inspired by their challenges to help throw off misogynistic social pressures and stereotypes. As I watched the film the girls in the film would describe poverty, privation, and hunger. The use of condoms and responsibility for protected sex is discussed in this film. In Bangladesh, girls travel to villages to help spread awareness among girls themselves that they don’t have to marry early, even if their parents force it. It was suggested that girls as young as 12 are forced to marry in countries where families are too poor to take care of their children.

Some ways I have engaged in activism when I was spreading awareness to others about an issue in today’s society. To hope people can learn more and for those who have known Ideas to let them be aware of what is going on and that we must take action. I engaged in activism when I went marching in the streets with friends and just a group of people that I didn’t know but together we marched on the day when people marched for Black Lives Matter. When the word of Black Lives Matter, there was a lot of evidence on the internet like on all social media platforms like twitter, facebook, Instagram, and many other platforms showed how black people were being handled by police, there was something about it that was just not right.

After reading “How To Think Like An Activist” by Wendy Syfret and watching a film, I can define activism as acting towards initiation of change and inspiring others to do the same. These actions don’t have to be overly obvious or loud: talking about an issue with someone you know is already activism, in my opinion. Very often talking is what later on would inspire more direct action and help gather more people that would work with you on the same cause. Syfret writes: “No one person can change the world. But every one of us can shape it.” This quote very much reflect what activism is.

The film I chose to watch was “Vessel” which concerned abortion rights. It documents a group of people who’s initial goal was to provide safe medical abortions to people from countries where it is prohibited by means of finding loopholes in international laws. They created an organization “Women on Waves” led by Dr. Rebecca Gomperts and sailed a ship, on which they boarded women from different countries and performed abortions on it, while being in the area of international waters, where laws of the prohibiting countries are not in effect anymore. It started like this, but went beyond the ship, as the group realized how big of a problem it is to get an abortion for so many people in the world. As a result, they started other projects that were no less creative than the ship. For instance, they spread a guide on doing safe self-managed abortions for women who had no other option, and created a support hotline for women who were doing it. Although the activism in the film is not directed at the cause of an issue, meaning eliminating abortion laws, it is still very powerful, as they help people affected by law directly.

I believe I have engaged in activism a couple of times when I didn’t even recognize it. In middle school and high school, I participated in performances and concerts that dealt with ecology and environmental issues. Later on, I started bringing up the topic of sustainability in my family and with friends. When there was a chance, I also tried to “educate” them on topics of gender and sexuality, and still doing so. After doing the reading, however, I realized that there are many more ways to make a contribution, especially with our access to technology. Because of social media, it is much easier nowadays to spread a message, and there are more creative ways to do so. It can be as simple as blogging on a platform such as Twitter. If used properly, they can be a powerful tool for an activist.

After watching the video and reading the article I define the term activism is a way people fight for the change of their rights economically, socially, and politically. Activism is the start of a movement to fight or change the rights for a group of people that feel they might betrayed different from others. I watched the Netflix documentary “Crip Camp, A Disability Revolution” which was the start of an activism film that shed light on people with disabilities. The film recreates the lives of people in Camp Jened, a disability camp that fought for their right to be seen and heard. It shows a major historical event that came to bring light to the Disabilities Act. This film goes into detail of Judith Heumann, a camp counselor, she led the disability act movement. Judith was an incredibly strong that she confronted government officials when they try to give little support with “separate but equal” when they made accessible bathrooms, she made it know it was not enough. Judith’s hard work held pave the way for fight of 1990 of the Disabilities Act. These past year have come with a rise of different movements such as Abortion Laws, Black Rights Movements and Movements to Stop ICE. I have engaged in witnessing activism back in the summer when I walked to Planned Parenthood in Astor Place. When walking into the building you could hear the people outside early in the morning, screaming “murderer, “baby killers”, and “you’re going to hell”. This was a form of activism that I don’t agree but in today’s society it has seem too have worked due to the laws the government is trying put out with saying states can change the laws of abortion rights. Another time I engaged in activism was when I walked in the Black Lives Matter walked, it was such a great feeling of knowing I was fighting for something that was right. Activism is the fight of knowing what you believe is right.

After reading and watching the film I define activism to be an individual or a group of people who fight and promote for what they believe in while trying to create change whether it is socially, politically, economically, or environmentally. Activism promotes reform for the greater good and the benefit of people throughout society as a whole. The documentary I watched named “Knock Down The House” is about four female candidates that enter the 2018 race for Congress. The film focuses on four powerful women who aim to not only create change but pave a way for future generations of women to, if not follow their lead, also create positive change throughout the world that can benefit everybody. One specific female candidate the documentary focused on was Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez who is an American politician and activist. Throughout the documentary, AOC is shown throughout her fight to win the 2018 race for Congress, the film focuses on not only who she is as a person but what she stands for, fights for, and wants to create change for. The activism I see throughout the film from AOC is her fight for Medicare for all, public safety, and more elevation in public schools and more advanced public education. A way I have engaged in activism is by protesting with other people my age throughout Manhattan for the Black Lives Matter protests, another way I have engaged in activism specifically around gender justice when a woman was being harassed outside of a bar because of the way she was dressed by another woman. Instead of also talking down to the woman who was “provocatively” dressed I stood up for her and expressed how women shouldn’t bash other women let alone judge them based on the fact of what they wear outside. Lastly, another way I have engaged in activism is by sticking up for a girl while I was waiting to go into my class, some random boys were joking and trying to clown her over the fact that she was a tomboy and dressed more like a boy then a girl. This really rubbed me the wrong way because I rarely ever dress like a “girl” as I love to shop in the men’s/boys section and wear baggy clothes and Jordan’s. I proceeded to use my voice and speak up for her because I feel as though she felt outnumbered and couldn’t speak up for herself. Some ways I feel as though I can engage in activism around gender justice is by joining and being a part of groups that support standing up for gender justice and being a part of protests that fight for men or women. 

Activism an action or campaign to effect social change. The film I watched was “CRIP Camp: A Disability Revolution,” the film displays activism amongst teens with disabilities who come together and join a disability rights movement to advocate for legislation changes. Crip camp unfolds from a perspective of lived experiences, and the failures to recognize teens with disabilities as sexual beings. I also saw individuals telling their stories and advocating for themselves and not allowing anyone to make them feel less than.

I don’t think that I have ever engaged in activism, maybe I have and didn’t realize it. I have been an advocate for adults with intellectual disabilities because I recognized that most of them could not advocate for themselves, but they stick together and help each other out. I can introduce gender justice as an orientation, that deepens our understanding of the issues at hand and start a meaningful conversation. Seeking out opportunities to highlight the full range of gender identities and sexualities as a central rather than ancillary focus. Furthermore, examine hidden assumptions in our guidelines and consider how language can either reinforce gender stereotypes or create opportunities for free expression. Support grassroot infrastructure to build a movement while advancing fair media or focus on strategies to hold media accountable for its own reliance on gender-based stereotypes and glamorized images of gender awareness.

After reading the article and watching the film, I feel that activism is best defined as the continuous act of fighting for equity and equality for all. The film I watched was titled “CRIP CAMP: A DISABILITY REVOLUTION”, and I’m really glad this is the film I chose. I feel like I didn’t learn very much about how the American Disability Act and Section 504 were actually brought about. It’s so important and there was so much activism at play to make it a reality. The film revolves around a groundbreaking summer camp for teens with disabilities and the group of alumni that joins the radical disability rights movement that leads to historic legislation changes. It goes into detail about all of the activism led primarily by Judy Huemann, and even mentions more activism before the events of this documentary. In 1970, Educator and Disability Activist Judith Huemann was denied a teaching license by the New York City Board of Education. The reason was that they claimed that her wheelchair was a fire hazard. This led her to sue the Board of Education, which jumpstarted her activism. In 1977, Judy led demonstrators to take over the Health and Education Welfare (HEW) office in San Francisco, California. They protested HEW’s secretary Califano, as he was refusing to accept regulations for Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, which would make the discrimination of people with disabilities at the hands of federal agencies, public universities, and other public institutions illegal. It was the longest take-over occupation of a federal office by protestors in the history of the United States and lasted 25 days. This paved the way for the 1990 passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act. The film even brings up Brown vs. Board of Education, which took place in 1954.

I feel that there are many meaningful ways to engage in activism with gender justice. You can advocate for new legislation against discrimination based on gender, protest against gender injustice, make donations to groups that support people of marginalized genders, start social media campaigns, and support those running for office who understand gender issues and gender inequality. You can even bring these attitudes into your personal life by bringing these topics into the home and educating those around you.

After reading and watching the film I would define activism as being part of a movement that you strongly support and strive to make a change and difference. The film I watched was United in Anger: A History of ACT UP, it was a film in which it followed the AIDS activist movement. The film has many members of the ACT UP speaking on what it was like during the movement and the unfair treatment people with aids were receiving. The documentary itself was highly informative, it highlighted the extreme levels that activists would go through to voice out their change. The first activism I seen was the demonstration they had outside the FDA building; they had successfully shut down the FDA for a day. They are demands were for the FDA to provide more drugs quickly and fairly, the FDA was ignoring all the deaths that had to do with the aids epidemic and ACT Up refused to be quiet. The activism that ACT UP demonstrated in St. Patrick’s Cathedral to some was eye-opening because not only were ACT Up there because they disagreed with John Joseph O’Connor the cardinal opinion of against safe sex, but there was also people who even though were not part of the aids movement but was part of the women right movement for the church opinion on abortions fighting the same battle of those who are in power that do not care for those that have no power. Ashamed to say I do not think I have engaged in activism as much as I would like, I have concerns and interest in some movements but do not know where or even how does it work now and days. Some people post on twitter and other places about their opinion because that is how you support a movement now and days, but I am not tech savvy and do not have twitter or somewhere online to join a community. I do in fact engage when gender justice comes up, as of right now I just share my opinion to that closes to me. In the near future I think realistically I can engage in activism around gender justice by educating myself more on where I can show up and meet new people that can introduce me to more people that are interested in the same movement. By doing this I can open myself up to more people and learn from others what I do not know and be open to different opinions. Overall, this week’s activist has encouraged me to investigate movements that I am interested in and learn about them more.  

  After reading the book passages and viewing the film my definition of Activism is a movement of people pushing for change where change is needed. The film I watched was “Knocking down the House” the film was about four working class women running for congress seats against the then current powerful and known seat holders. Their names were Alexandria Oscasio- Cortez, Amy Viela, Cori Bush, and Paula Jean. Although three of the women fell short of winning their races Cortez ended up beating 10-term seat holder Joe Crowley in 2018 taking his seat in congress. All four women displayed activism by engaging and connecting with the public and spreading their message and intentions clearly. It is through such activism Cortez managed to beat Crowley she had far less recourses than Crowley specifically funding. However, by having grassroots behind her and getting her message out through footwork in the community, internet and news platforms Cortez had a clear and direct message that she spread throughout her district and beyond to secure her win. In the reading this week “How To Think Like An Activist” By Wendy Syfret she explains the power of a clear message saying, “The goal here is to come up with a clear and direct message that reflects what you stand for, what you want, and how others can take part” (41). I chose this quote because it resonated with the movie and Cortez’s victory. She pushed for a change and even though Crowley had all the funds and big names to back him he didn’t have the working people. His message was never clear!!  I have practiced activism in my work environment with the children I work with. Every year in pre-k the kids are taught about activism and even make signs and march everyone chooses one thing they want to advocate for we write it out and walk around the block. Outside of that I encountered a woman on a train who was terribly cursing an older man out for accidently hitting her foot with his bike I stepped in and spoke up for him he reminded me too much of my grandparents to just sit there and say nothing.

Activism was the grand topic of this week. After reading How to think like an Activist by Wendy Syfert, we learned how activism has existed for many years. The French revolution was a bloodier type of protest but on the other hand Gandhi start what is now known as peaceful protest. Protest has been the only way people in history have seen change and implementing new laws so people can feel like there is an inclusion of opinions when making sed laws and rules. Activism has changed in a way that they (the government) no longer see it as peaceful or revolutionary but more like pests who do not shut up. Kids in America are still protesting for guns laws and protection in schools, they are considered rebellious or out of line. I loved the quote from Emma Gonzalez, who is the teenager from the Parkland Florida school shooting, who then became a gun control advocate, she says “Adults like us when we have strong test scores, but they hate us when we have strong opinions.” This goes to show you that yes, we have seen some change in the past but now at the present time it is not enough to pass a bill to protect children from gun violence.  

This now takes me to my next part of the discussion which is what film I picked to watch this week and that is Knock Down the House on Netflix, I loved this documentary so much because it has to do with ordinary people who just want to be the change and see the change and be a part of the change. It is about the underdogs who people never thought would win a seat in the senate. This within itself I would consider a revolution. Having old white men that were born in the 1900’s does not sit well with me. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez is someone I admire so much she really did the damn thing! Another woman who is another revolutionist is Paula Jean Swearengin, she decided to run for senate because she got fed up and mad as hell because her neighbors were all getting cancer because of the water contaminated water. She felt so passionate about her state and the suffering of her people that she decided to stand up and fight for what was right. It was the start of the domino effect, It started with AOC and trickled down to the other states. Hopefully, our senate continues the right path of change and supporting activism. 

After reading this week’s material about activism, I can say that it is a movement where each person in a community or group is willing to obtain a change to any injustice or insecurity that they are having. In the article “How To Think Like An Activist”, we can see how they explain each of the points of being able to be or recognize an activist. They speak to us as in history many of the movements such as “the salt march”, “the revolutions” or even taking some action for a change, is a great indication and a great example of what it is to be an activist. Something that I have noticed in any activist movement is that it always starts with someone who takes the lead in order to create change. That is why it is important to be able to realize the injustice that is happening and take a step forward to show our faces and demonstrate each of our values. Since, in the reading they also tell us about indifference, this more than anything is the fact that many times by the same “defense system” we move away from injustice instead of taking a step and defending or taking action about it. it. They tell us about how even ignoring a fact that you know is being unfair towards a community or person, makes us participate by the same indifference. As well as, it tells us that being able to make the change take effect takes longer than one really thinks, since even women like “Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton” who were the pioneers of the movement to bring women’s rights. They were treated with indifference and even as a joke, in their time only for all the values ​​that had been instilled. That over time, even a little difference could be seen in what concerns women’s rights, it was not something overnight for this to take effect.

in the film “Girl Connected” we can see how any woman from any country, are united in the movement of supporting each other, I could say that they were more aware of a feminist movement, but what I saw more was the fact of how all these women try to inform and help anyone with different goals. For example, the one in Peru was focusing more on the fact of being able to let the people gathered know how important it is to be able to prevent and find out how to protect themselves when having sexual relations. In India, there was more talk about physical defense, since we can see how they teach us about the importance of taking a little into account the fact that every woman should have some knowledge in defending herself. In Jordan, we can see how they are in the movement of being able to reuse and recycle, how with simple things we can create something totally new, either as decorations for your home or even to use in your life, I would say, it is more about how we can take advantage of everything we get along the way. In Kenya, we can see more the issue of families as they also focus on the power of women, they talk about how many women have difficulties in being able to raise their voice and make each of their rights known, as well as talk about the many family entities that are present in Kenya and how many of them do not have sufficient support. In Bangladesh, we can see more the issue of marriages, as girls are forced to marry just to be able to provide more monetary value to the family or even just because it is a tradition that has been done for every year. As we see different themes, these are interconnected by the simple fact that we focus on the vision and work of women, each of these themes were presented by women and as each one of them has an impact on the lives of all the women around. As well as, we can connect with each of these problems because they affect us in general to any woman from any country. They indirectly come together to create a change in the values ​​that were created long before, in order to make a difference to the lives of the next women or even to their own.