For those who are passionate about social change and activism, there are a variety of ways to connect with and speak with other like minded individuals. At CWU, an annual event entitled the “Day of Action” takes place in mid May, and provides a platform for these same passionate people to share stories, and learn more about social change. 

CWU held their annual Day of Action event on May 11. This event is hosted by a variety of different CWU departments, namely the Diversity and Equity Center (DEC), Wildcat Pantry, and Student Leadership, Involvement and Community Engagement (SLICE). The event is focused on promoting activism and providing a place for students to share experiences while gaining education on societal issues.

The event was held in the SURC, and involved many activities for participants, including a conversation-based table talk event, as well as workshops on social justice and issues. 

The Day of Action concluded with a community meet and greet where participants were able to speak to a wide variety of different tabling organizations.

One of the organizations tabling was the League of Women’s Voters. Their table was inhabited by Jean Kasburry and Charlie Sorenson, two of the league’s representatives who were looking to make a difference in the way CWU students look at elections, and where they place their priorities. 

“Odd-year elections are always the lowest turnout elections because many people don’t understand what these specialty departments do and why they should care about them.” Sorenson said. “It depends on where you live obviously, but every school board probably has 1 or 2 people up for election, and even if you’re not in K-12 anymore, you can have a big impact on a school district by voting on the board. 

Alongside the tabling organizations,  the Diversity and Equity Center (DEC), Wildcat Pantry, and Student Leadership, Involvement and Community Engagement (SLICE) all had a hand in the event.

During the agents of social change event, Isaak Moss, a DEC affiliate, spoke on the importance of social justice and how students can be involved with creating change, while elaborating on the importance of hosting the Day of Action. 

“The [DEC] wants to educate people on the things going on, so events like this are very important when it comes to showcasing issues that some people may not have known before,” Moss said. “There’s different forms of activism. It doesn’t always have to be protesting or being on the front lines…It can just be having tough conversations with people and being a caregiver. There’s many different ways to use activism, there’s not just one form.”