Social Justice Summit: Stand. Speak. Act.

Sponsored by Students ACT, the 4th annual Social Justice Summit is a resource fair promoting social activism. This year's keynote speakers are poets and activists Suheir Hammad and Staceyann Chin.

Social Justice Summit

Community Event Promotes Change, Action

Cal State Fullerton senior Chris Taylor soon will embark on a career to tackle issues such as peace, conflict and human rights.

To help him realize his goals, he is one of the student leaders planning this year's Social Justice Summit April 19 at the university's Titan Student Union.

Talks by two poets who also are political activists, empowering workshops, a vegan lunch and a resource fair highlight the fourth annual student-organized event, which is free and open to the public, as well as students, faculty and staff members.

"This event is an unbelievable opportunity to learn about pressing social justice issues locally, nationally and globally, to meet other people who want to learn about ways to change the world and to get the tools to become actively involved," Taylor said. "I've personally gained a newfound understanding of social issues and have made friendships with other students who are also committed to taking action."

"Stand. Speak. Act" is the theme of the 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. event hosted by the Volunteer & Service Center's Students Advocating Civic Poet and Activist Suheir HammadTransformation (Students ACT). The group promotes grassroots involvement in the areas of social and/or political change, and volunteerism through education, empowerment and action, said Taylor, a Students ACT project director.

Keynote speakers are poets and activists Suheir Hammad and Staceyann Chin. Hammad, the opening speaker at 9 a.m., was born in Amman, Jordan, to Palestinian refugee parents. Her family immigrated to Brooklyn when she was a child. Chin, a Jamaican national who has been an "out poet and political activist" since 1998, will be the closing speaker at 3 p.m.

Poet and Activist Staceyann Chin"Both of our speakers this year touch on the interconnectedness of varied forms of oppression - and challenge all to fight for social change," said Amy Mattern, Volunteer & Service Center coordinator.

The resource fair features campus and community organizations, giving attendees opportunities to get involved in social action. The event is dedicated to providing a "green" experience by using recycled and biodegradable materials, sweatshop-free apparel and organic and vegan food.

"We wanted to have a 'green' summit to encourage participants to make everyday choices based on environmentally conscious and socially responsible decisions," Mattern said.

A student planning committee, whose members represent a variety of majors, campus organizations and a diverse set of perspectives and opinions, is organizing the event.

"They work together to coordinate this event and to make it a success," Mattern said. "Aside from coordinating the event, they also have to spend a great deal of time seeking sponsorships, donations and other forms of fundraising to put this event on."

The event's purpose is to provide a forum for people to exchange ideas about improving the state of local communities, to provoke dialogue about the obstacles to creating effective change, and to provide effective tools for social action and tangible grassroots solutions.

Attendees will learn about human rights issues, environmental concerns, inequality and oppression, said Taylor, a speech communication major who plans to travel to Zambia in August to begin fulfilling a yearlong commitment to work for a year on social justice issues.

"The Social Justice Summit is important because there are problems in this world and we need to learn about ways that we can be part of change. By providing this forum where students, faculty and community members can learn and be inspired to act, the event offers a unique experience for people regardless of their background in social justice and activism," he said.

"Our hope is that it will inspire grassroots activism in communities here and throughout world."

For more information and to register, visit www.fullerton.edu/socialjusticesummit or call 657-278-7623. Volunteers also are being recruited to help at the event. Registration is requested online and will be available on the day of the event from 8 to 9 a.m.

Media Contacts:
Amy Mattern, Volunteer & Service Center, 657-278-7623 or amattern@fullerton.edu
Debra Cano Ramos, Public Affairs, 657-278-4027 or dcanoramos@fullerton.edu


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