Social Justice
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Avid Bookshop’s New Book Club Promotes Literature About Race and Labor
After the George Floyd protests, members of the University of Georgia’s United Campus Workers of Georgia, UCWUGA, realized there are not enough opportunities for open dialogue on racial issues in the Athens community. “We wanted to educate others and ourselves about racial justice,” said Jessica Roberts, a member of UCWUGA’s…
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Local Art Group, Library Bring ‘Diversity to the Arts’ with Virtual Series
The Oconee County Cultural Arts Foundation, OCAF, and Oconee County Library have partnered to spark a virtual conversation with seven local artists and bring awareness to the topic: Diversity in the Arts. After the social justice movements in 2020, La Ruchala Murphy, the executive director of OCAF, knew it was…
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Why I Act: Alex Monroy and Her Fight for Environmental Justice
Around the country, grassroots organizations push for radical environmental policies like the Green New Deal — an ambitious plan to eliminate and replace fossil fuels with renewable energy sources and green jobs. Alex Monroy, a fourth-year environmental health studies major at the University of Georgia and founder of the…
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‘Pronoun Check’ Took Over TikTok, But Reactions From Transgender, Nonbinary Communities Are Mixed
When popular, lighthearted TikTok dances and social media activism combine, the product is a trend like the “pronoun check” challenge. What’s a ‘Pronoun Check’? This trend, which has users dancing to a snippet of Daft Punk’s 2001 hit “Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger” and sharing their opinions on their preferred…
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Students Mark Black History Month With Documentary Premiere On UGA’s Desegregation
The 60th anniversary of the University of Georgia’s desegregation is occurring during a time that some — like UGA senior Molly English — describe as “eye opening.” Now, students are calling for more of the issues on UGA’s campus to be addressed. During the summer of 2020, Black Lives Matter…
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Interfaith Sanctuary Coalition Supports Athens Immigrant Community Facing Unique Hardships
Joel Siebentritt bowed his head in prayer along with 50 faith leaders in Georgia. The Zoom screen showed everything from priests wearing clerical collars to rabbis in casual clothing. The mid-November video call was the first-ever statewide effort against inhumane conditions within Georgia Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention centers. The…
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LGBTQ Youths Struggle With Mental Health Issues, Survey Finds
This article originally appeared in Georgia Health News. Riley Kirkpatrick realized he was transgender when he was a teenager. Kirkpatrick, born and raised as a female, says he was always very masculine and was often described as a “tomboy.” It was around the time of his realization — at age 14 —…
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UGA Students React to Election Results, Discuss Faith and Politics
In the wake of Election Day, three students at the University of Georgia shared their thoughts on politics and the recent election, and how their personal faiths impacted how they voted. \t Mahnoor Farooq: Junior psychology major, member of the UGA Muslim Student Association \t Zainub Ali: Sophomore…
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Georgia Political Candidates on Mental Health, Funding
In Georgia, the coronavirus pandemic has worsened mental health conditions across the state. This past June, the CDC surveyed 5,412 adults and found that over 40% reported struggling with mental health or substance abuse. Nearly 31% reported symptoms of anxiety or depression disorder, and 13.3% reported starting or increasing…
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Imam Brings Past Religious Leader Into Present Day Anti-Racism
As a Sunni imam, Omar Suleiman, who completed doctoral studies in Islamic Thought and Civilization, balances issues of faith, culture and social unrest. Following the death of George Floyd, he advocated for a reckoning with American police brutality and drone strikes abroad. By speaking at multiple webinars a week, Suleiman…