For many students of LMU, Saturday, Feb. 2, was much more than a weekend filled with rest and relaxation. Thanks to Center for Service and Action’s (CSA) annual Advocacy Day Teach-In, it was instead a day marked by critical conversations and questions for some of LMU and Los Angeles’ most prominent figures in social justice, as well as a moving presentation from this year’s keynote speaker, Dr. Stefan Bradley.
Alyssa Perez from CSA reports that this year’s Advocacy Teach-In welcomed over 150 students. Attendees braved heavy rains to immerse themselves in a variety of workshops, learning how to better equip themselves in the ongoing fight for a more just world. From social media to prison reform, the lessons all focused themselves around this year’s theme of “At the Crossroads,” how to choose the right side when standing.
“Students don’t have to pick just one issue to be passionate about, because many social justice issues are interconnected with each other and these efforts should be coordinated together, to impact even greater change,” says Perez.
As the day came to a close, students heard a final word from Dr. Bradley, an LMU professor and chair of African American Studies, who challenged his listeners to be brave in their activism and stand with people who suffer most.
“There is a role for everyone in activism”
said Dr. Bradley during his speech. “What we need right now is accomplices, rather than allies.”
Samantha Kim, a senior and a member of the Ignatians Service Organization, notes how her involvement with Advocacy Day has been an essential part of her growth in college.
“I’ve been to Advocacy Day all four years, and this year I decided to work it because I like seeing how it has grown over time,” says Kim. “This year’s event drove home for me the importance of using your platform and talent to help where you can.”