ECONOMIC JUSTICE
There is no more pressing issue to most Americans than economic justice. Over the last few decades, we have seen the gap between the rich and the poor widen, caused by wage theft, skyrocketing housing prices, student debt, defunding of the public sector, and the increased privatization of healthcare, education, land, and water.
What you see below are examples of how the ACSJL labored to strengthen those on the frontline of the fight for economic justice, from supporting a homeless encampment in Kalamazoo to bringing General Motors workers fighting for better working conditions and health care in Bogota, Colombia, to campus. We also served as the launchpad of the Michigan fight for a minimum wage for restaurant workers.
In addition, the ACSJL, because of its endowment has been able to level the playing field in some key areas of the College. As you will see below, our attention to this area has increased the education and capacity of faculty, students, and community in this area.
BANNER IMAGE: CHICAGO TEACHERS UNION
“The mission of the center is to develop emerging leaders and sustain existing leaders in social justice and human rights. We differ from social service because we see things as systemic, and we want to fix the system,” she explains. “We want to address the ‘why.’ If we want students to work to eradicate poverty, then they need to understand poverty’s underlying causes.”
— Dr. Lisa Brock, Academic Director
ACSJL implemented sliding-scale stipends for summer interns across the entire Center for Career and Professional Development’s Field Experience Program. The result is an increase in the proportion of student interns demonstrating a high level of financial need.
Occupy Kalamazoo
The National Occupy Movement, begun in September 2011 in New York, spread to over 951 cities, across 82 countries, and to over 600 communities in the United States. Kalamazoo was one of them. Its primary goal was to bring attention to the growing gap between the rich and the majority of people in the world. Bob Fulkerson, a social justice leader from Nevada, was an early ACSJL visiting scholar; he led ACSJL connection to this local movement. Here he is pictured with ACSJL staff at the Kalamazoo demonstrations.
Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin support Michigan workers at the ACSJL.
Saru Jayaraman, co-founder, and co-director of Restaurant Opportunities Centers United (ROC United), an organization dedicated to improving wages and working conditions for our nation’s 12 million restaurant workers, brought actors and activists Lily Tomlin and Jane Fonda to the ACSJL to kick off their Michigan One Fair Wage Tour in September 2017. Jayaraman reached out to the ACSJL because she knew us. She had visited when ROC was a finalist during the 2013 Global Prize for Collaborative Social Justice Leadership. ROC was one of the winners of that prize.
Kalamazoo Homeless Encampment residents meet with Angela Davis at the ACSJL in September 2018.
They were demanding affordable housing for the city's poor. This meeting was arranged by Shannon Sykes Nehring, then a Kalamazoo City Commissioner.
Dr. Chris Gilliard spoke at the ACSJL on his research on digital redlining in February 2019.
He was brought to the ACSJL by Dr. Josh Moon, Educational Technology Specialist at Kalamazoo College.
“There is no exaggeration when I say that the ACSJL has transformed my conception of social justice. I had always had such intuitions and interests, but the programming, community, and funding provided through Arcus refined my theoretical understanding and expanded my social justice lens. I was able to hear from international leaders, attend events like the Digital Pedagogy Lab to enrich my teaching and make connections with my SW Michigan ‘neighbors’ of similar values through extensive programming. I also know that this volume of impact has occurred for countless others, especially students at Kalamazoo College.”
— Josh Moon, Ph.D. Educational Technology Specialist Kalamazoo College
What People Said About this Event:
“Dr. Gilliard makes his talks really accessible and easy to follow.”
“Dr. Gilliard is a star. I thoroughly enjoyed this take and loved learning more about access and privacy. “
“I learned about how privilege and technology go hand and hand.“
“I had knowledge of the terms and application. However, this talk has brought some revelation in the social aspect of these terms. “
The Association of Injured Workers and Ex-Workers of General Motors Colmotores
(ASOTRECOL) came to the ACSJL from Bogota, Colombia as finalists for the 2015 Global Prize for Transformative Social Justice Leadership.
Leaders of the association were joined by Detroit rank and file members of the United Auto Workers (UAW), along with workers from Portland, Oregon who are aware of their struggle for health care after working in poorly constructed auto plants.
Bill Fletcher: ACSJL Global Advisory Board Member
What is Class?
“Everyone has their own journey—assumptions shouldn't be made. I can't assume anything about anybody and that class is affected by much more than income. There are a lot more things that inform my class and my experience of that class than I thought. To be critical of my privilege and recognize what I have. Different pieces of ‘class’ and more history. That we are never alone, thinking critically about our own class/race, how it affects our interactions with the world. This is a very charged topic for me. The need to talk about class more and class in relationships. We should try to talk about class (and its relationship to race) more. What class I am. A new generation’s willingness to speak about class. Historical instances in the U.S. that intersect race and class. Class is not just about income, but also about wealth, connections, and race. Class involves more than income and financial assets. Class is intersectional and also separate from other oppressions.”
“You will be amazed about what you will learn about yourself with these exercises. Critically engage—especially if you're white—it's shameful and it's hard but you're missing some of the points if you aren't leaning into that shame and realizing all of the ways you've built your own class on the backs of others, either directly or indirectly. It will open your eyes in unexpected ways and give you friends in groups you might not otherwise identify with. It is a way to be confrontational and intersectional. Bring your friends, be open-minded, pay attention to the group. 10/10 would recommend—it is a safe space to be critical of your own upbringing. It's difficult but important work. A great class to start your thinking. You will have a good discussion and better awareness of class in America. This will make you think about your own relationship to class and race more than you think you can handle. I would say this session gave me a space to examine my class experience in the US. A great interactive way to get the conversation about class and race/class intersections going in a way that is not made threatening to people who are new to the conversation. Academic geared and beginning conversations. You will walk away with a better understanding of class, where you fit in, and empathy for others. It is a safe environment for identity development work. I would definitely recommend this workshop to anyone who wants to be introduced to class/racism who is already pretty privileged by class or race—for those most impacted by classism/racism, it may not be as eye-opening or educational. This is a really important, deeply reflective, and amazing community-building workshop.”
“The caucus at the end was extremely powerful; the small group was great, but my eyes were opened even more in the large group. I really got a lot out of the making history personal part because, as a white woman, it forced me to critically engage with the ways I've benefited from the oppression of others, even though that's hard. In the last activity where we filled out the posters related to our class experiences. Periodically checking in about how we're feeling and ways to cope. The exercise where we ID our classes before age 12 really solidified my experience and how I thought about my class. The wonderful facilitators, easing into activities, moving around. The ability for the facilitators to create an open and honest space where we can share our experiences. The ‘4 corners’ discussion helped me to tease out where I land and where I came up in class. Speaking with others who identify in the same/similar class and placing myself within history as a non-black POC. Group discussions allow you to open up and gain comfort. History reflections. Discussion at the end. I enjoyed the second half when those in attendance were able to have honest conversations. Really liked the ‘Making History Personal’ exercise—had never done that before but it really brought forth white privilege historically, which has brought us to this place of great inequality. The discussions actually occurring in a ‘controlled’ but safe environment. Clear definitions in the beginning. Group activities and discussion, not just being lectured to. The activity where we explored our class within our subgroups and across classes. There were great prompts to help guide our thinking and we could learn from each other. The sticky note activity—this was very educational as I learned about parts of history I hadn't before; it was also very useful to consider how certain parts of history benefitted or blocked me. The class caucusing, historical wall because both had such intersectional conversations.”
Rebekah Kik, regional fellow, is impacted by her fellowship.
“My fellowship allowed me the mentorship, resources, and time to pursue significant policy changes with the City of Kalamazoo. Having the ability to focus significant time on socially equitable policies in economic development and housing practices has been a critical step to the City’s continually evolving practices to create equal opportunities and shared prosperity for our community. The Arcus Center gave me the guidance and support necessary to bring the work to fruition, and the lasting connection to continue the journey of social justice both in my personal life and my profession.”
— Rebekah Kik, Director of Community Planning & Economic Development, City of Kalamazoo
Rebekah Kik, (furthest to the right ) with former Mayor of Kalamazoo (second from the left), uses her ACSJL Regional fellowship to make impact on economic development policy in Kalamazoo. 2017 MLive Media Group.
