I
t’s almost inarguable that
today’s political climate
is polarizing. But another
polarizing
sub-
climate
is
among
activists who desire
social
change.
During a classic 2
a.m.
conversation
in the Fishbowl, a
friend and I came to
a conclusion. There
are two prominent
styles among those
who
mobilize
communities
to
effect
change:
marchers
and
lobbyists. Marchers are the
types
of
people
who
see
the
value
and
efficacy
of
public demonstrations as the
most efficient allocation of
their time. Lobbyists derive
value from working within
governmental institutions to
effect change. Both styles are
invaluable, but only when they
work in tandem.
When the historic and global
Women’s March took place on
Jan. 21, I watched in awe as streets
flooded with inspired and patriotic
folks from all backgrounds. The
passion in the air was infectious.
However, in the days that followed,
silence filled the lobbying sphere. I
waited to hear any appeals made
to government in the form of
actionable change and real goals.
My inner lobbyist was left hungry
while my inner marcher felt full
and satisfied.
Some argue this was the
point of the Women’s March.
In a compelling piece for the
Independent, Kate Maltby reasons
that the demonstration wasn’t
designed to “change anything —
but that’s not why we’re doing it.”
She cites the cathartic relief of
protesting as a main driver of the
Women’s March. But wouldn’t it
be great to harness the capacity
for tangible change created as a
healthy side effect?
When marchers nonviolently
demonstrate and protest, they
tap into a potential to make
headlines,
inspire
reaction,
spark
dialogues
and
much
more. These values are almost
unique to the act of organizing
and, as such, anyone desiring
of change must recognize
and
appreciate
marchers.
But what marchers lack is an
avenue to hold their audience,
oftentimes
governmental
institutions, accountable.
This is where lobbyists come
in. Lobbyists tailor the message
of the march to finite and few
requests of their audience.
Whether it’s a meeting with
a congresswoman or her staffer,
and whether it’s in Washington
D.C. or at the local district office,
the meeting will always end in,
“So these are our requests.” And
the requests are a
powerful tool; they do
what protests cannot.
The requests define a
space within which
the institution can
work, as well as a goal
that can be achieved.
Take my Muslim
community
as
an
example. For seven
years
we’ve
held
annual “Day on the
Hill” events, meeting
with more than 1,000
elected officials and their staff
to clear up misconceptions about
Islam and advocate for global
religious tolerance. Each year,
more than 100 Muslims join
the D.C. hustle and bustle as a
part of the Ahmadiyya Muslim
Community’s annual “Day on the
Hill.” As #MuslimsOnTheHill, we
combine lobbying and marching
to put passion into action.
In 2014, our efforts came
to fruition with the launch
of the first and only Muslim
caucus
in
Congress,
the
Ahmadiyya Muslim Caucus.
The bipartisan-chaired caucus
fights violations of religious
liberties globally. This year,
we were the largest Muslim
group to meet with elected
officials
post-immigration
ban. This means we shared
with
our
nation’s
leaders
what the state of Muslim
refugees
and
Islamophobia
is like in the United States.
Sharing personal stories gives
a personality to a movement,
which in turn begins breaking
down
identity
politics.
Furthermore, it incentivizes
action and accountability. If
a representative’s office feels
personally
connected
to
a
movement through a physical
handshake, they’ll care more
about accomplishing those all-
important requests.
As
my
friend
pointed
out to me during our 2 a.m.
conversation in the Fishbowl,
we can’t just have lobbyists.
In fact, it is essential for
lobbyists to be able to reference
some form of a movement for
the sake of relevance.
For the #MuslimsOnTheHill,
we referenced the grassroots
TrueIslam.com campaign. The
viral campaign, which seeks to
clearly and concisely establish
Islam’s true values, provided our
Congressional
representatives
with two things. First, it showed
our congresspeople the level of
public interest in our message.
After all, who would want to
waste their office’s time, and
taxpayer money, on unpopular
ideas? And second, it gave
our representatives a tangible
action their office could take
to support the movement, like
becoming a #MuslimAlly. See
that? The marcher’s grassroots
campaign
paired
with
the
lobbyist’s
specific
requests
harnesses potential for change
more
effectively
than
each
working individually ever could.
Intermittently, lobbyists and
marchers
work
in
headline-
making tandem, as is evident
with the influx in passionate
town halls across the nation.
Citizens are able to cathartically
express
their
feelings
while
simultaneously
holding
their
representatives accountable. In
Ann
Arbor,
Students4Justice
showed our campus how to
combine the marcher mentality
with the lobbyist mentality when
the coalition coupled its sit-in
with a thorough list of requests
to “President Mark Schlissel, the
Administration, and the Central
Student
Government
of
the
University of Michigan.” Quite
formally,
the
administration
issued a thorough response to
each point raised by S4J. Whether
or not the response was adequate
is up for debate. But what’s
happening here is an exchange
between activists, who want social
change, and their administration.
So what does this mean for
you? Well, it depends. If you
haven’t been politically active
about issues that affect us all,
it’s time to start. If you have
been politically active, then
consider what else you can do.
Lobbyists, look into supporting
nonviolent protests. Marchers,
think about setting up a meeting
at your local representative’s
office. If it’s an on-campus
issue, consider teaming up
with
other
students
and
organizations, both lobbyists
and marchers of course, to take
that crucial first step. Let’s all
put our passion into action, and
work in tandem with activists
to effect positive and tolerant
change in our society.
A
s we mentioned in our
monthly
speech
Feb.
16 before the Board of
Regents, we believe that one
“of the greatest dangers facing
this campus … is a pervasive
culture of apathy, whereby many
students unaffected by (racist,
white supremacist, Islamophobic
and anti-Semitic) attacks do
not engage in the critical and
unending work that is necessary
to advance a more just, fair and
inclusive
campus,
University
community and society.”
All of us students, regardless of
our backgrounds and identities,
must care deeply about diversity,
equity
and
inclusion-related
work. We must embrace the
notion of allyhood and embody its
values through sustained action
and activism, especially against
the backdrop of the difficult
year with which our campus and
community have dealt.
Now, why is this the case? One,
everyone deserves the chance to
thrive and find a home — to feel
safe and secure, respected and
valued — on our campus. Two,
diversity, equity and inclusion
benefit all of us: Countless studies
have shown us that progress
and innovation are catalyzed
when
people
with
different
lived and learned experiences,
viewpoints and backgrounds
come together to learn with
and from each other.
For these reasons, over the
past year, Central Student
Government has put diversity,
equity and inclusion at the
forefront of our work. It guides
our every decision and inspires
each initiative and program that
we launch — both inside and
outside of the organization.
Let’s start by acknowledging
that CSG has much more work to
do in the area of diversity, equity
and inclusion; the Demographic
Report that we commissioned
back
in
September
highlighted the homogeneity
of our organization. This is
unacceptable for any organization,
but especially one whose purpose
is to represent every University of
Michigan student.
We
believe
that
part
of
this issue can be addressed
by improving our Governing
Documents,
which
currently
outline
how
CSG
Assembly
seats
are
apportioned.
To
enhance these documents, and
to strengthen the organization’s
internal diversity, we convened
a
Constitutional
Convention.
The convention has proposed
amendments, to be voted on by
the student body in the upcoming
March elections, that will create
specialized seats for first-year,
transfer
and
international
students, which we believe will
help to diversify CSG.
We must also recognize that
the best way to enhance CSG’s
diversity is to expand the pool
of people who get involved in
the organization as candidates
for the Assembly or members of
a commission. Last month, for
instance, we hosted a pre-election
information meeting, with the
goal of providing the opportunity
for
more
students
without
any prior student government
experience to become engaged
in the election process. The
meeting was a success, bringing
together students from across
the University with different
histories
of
organizational
involvement and leadership.
We are also proud to have
executed our campaign promise
of ensuring that members of
the CSG Executive Team and
Assembly undergo intergroup
relations training. The foundation
of this training is to build an
understanding of how one’s social
identities impact interpersonal
relationships.
It
is
likewise
essential in fostering a more
inclusive
environment
within
CSG — an absolute necessity,
as we continuously work with
students of many different lived
and learned experiences.
Our administration has also
overseen
the
re-emergence
and growth of the Diversity
and
Inclusion
Commission.
This
commission
has
been
very
effective,
promoting
a
number of different initiatives
and
programs,
including
University
recognition
of
Indigenous People’s Day and
the establishment of the Student
Support & Action Committee. A
committee for and by students,
the
SSAC
aims
to
provide
continuous support for students
through
monthly
activities
designed to spread positivity
throughout campus. Such events
might include hosting group
dialogues and the flyering of
positive messages.
In
efforts
to
encourage
inclusivity,
allyhood
and
continued support for students,
CSG also launched a campus-
wide campaign in November
called It Starts With Me. The
campaign
calls
on
students
to stand against all forms of
racism
and
discrimination.
This campaign offers a way
for students to step up, call in
and try to make a difference
through their actions. Thus far,
students all across campus have
participated in this campaign,
from the men’s basketball team
to the glee club.
Our proudest accomplishment
in the area of diversity, equity and
inclusion is the establishment
of the Leadership Engagement
Scholarship. This fund, the first
of its kind at the University, acts
as a “tool of equity” in that it
seeks to level the playing field
and support the extracurricular
pursuits of University students
with
demonstrated
financial
need. Since we launched this
initiative
to
the
University
community in October, with the
help of University development,
we
have
raised
more
than
$150,000 for this scholarship. We
deeply believe in the potential
of this fund to strengthen intra-
organizational
diversity
and
better the experiences of many
deserving student leaders.
Much work remains to be
done in the area of diversity,
equity and inclusion, both within
CSG and at the University. But,
we remain hopeful. There are
scores of dedicated faculty and
staff members, administrators
and, of course, students, who
have worked tirelessly to elevate
our shared community so that
it better reflects our very best
selves, our highest ideals and
certainly the rich diversity of the
greater society.
Going forward, it will be
imperative that students of all
backgrounds, identities and
types of campus involvement,
including future CSG leaders,
hold the administration and its
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
strategic plan, which aims to
“creat[e] a vibrant, diverse
and inclusive campus,” to the
highest standards. As long
as we continue to do this —
as long as we challenge the
status quo and believe in the
promise of tomorrow — we
are confident in our ability as
students to lead change and
drive progress.
Opinion
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
4A — Wednesday, March 8, 2017
REBECCA LERNER
Managing Editor
420 Maynard St.
Ann Arbor, MI 48109
tothedaily@michigandaily.com
Edited and managed by students at the University of Michigan since 1890.
EMMA KINERY
Editor in Chief
ANNA POLUMBO-LEVY
and REBECCA TARNOPOL
Editorial Page Editors
Unsigned editorials reflect the official position of the Daily’s Editorial Board.
All other signed articles and illustrations represent solely the views of their authors.
Carolyn Ayaub
Megan Burns
Samantha Goldstein
Caitlin Heenan
Jeremy Kaplan
Sarah Khan
Max Lubell
Alexis Megdanoff
Madeline Nowicki
Anna Polumbo-Levy
Jason Rowland
Ali Safawi
Kevin Sweitzer
Rebecca Tarnopol
Stephanie Trierweiler
EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBERS
The importance of diversity and inclusion
DAVID SCHAFER AND MICAH GRIGGS | OP-ED
Turning passion into action
IBRAHIM IJAZ | COLUMN
Ibrahim Ijaz can be reached at
iijaz@umich.edu.
David Schafer and Micah Griggs are
LSA seniors.
IBRAHIM
IJAZ
ERIN WAKELAND | CONTACT ERIN AT ERINRAY@UMICH.EDU
W
hen
I,
a
young
woman, enrolled in
Women’s
Studies
220: Perspectives in Women’s
Health in the winter semester
of my freshman year, I thought
I had women’s health figured
out. I was curious about my
own body. I searched anything
I didn’t know and knew how to
find the truth about the subject.
Unlike many, I knew that people
with vaginas don’t pee out of
them. However, I hadn’t been
in a sex-ed class since I was
12. I was always taught that a
woman’s body was just like a
man’s with a few alterations
and that there were just two
anatomical types of bodies in
the first place.
When I walked into the
class, I was so confident in what
I thought I knew that I was
completely oblivious to the things
I didn’t. As it turns out, women’s
health is much more than what
people think it is — and it’s often
misunderstood
or
dismissed
by almost everyone, even by
professionals in the medical
community. Despite feeling like
I already had enough knowledge
of the subject going into the
class, I had never even heard of
an intrauterine device, or an IUD
(a pregnancy-preventing device
inserted in the uterus), I didn’t
know what a pap smear actually
entailed and I didn’t know that
doctors are less likely to take
the pain of female patients
seriously. I had also never fully
considered
the
intersections
of race, socioeconomic status
and disability as they pertain to
women’s health. Having certain
identities can mean higher rates
of infant mortality for your child;
it can even mean not being seen
as a woman at all.
Women’s bodies are ignored
by science, objectified by society
and seen as one-size-fits-all.
Diseases that disproportionately
affect women are not always
studied
specifically
in
the
context
of
women’s
health.
In many public schools, sex
education preaches abstinence
relentlessly and ignores safe
sex practices that can help
women protect themselves. The
definition of consent, and the
realities of sexual assault, are
rarely discussed.
Composing
half
the
population and having bodies
that are entirely their own,
women deserve to know the
vital information that pertains
to their everyday lives. They
deserve to know the flaws in
the U.S. health care system;
they
deserve
to
feel
they
are receiving the best, most
informed care they can get. It’s
also vital for men to step up
and to use whatever privilege
in society they have to be
informed and value women’s
health and women’s bodies.
No one can assume full
knowledge when it comes to
women’s health — the field is
too wide, and frankly, there’s so
much information that not even
the experts are fully confident
in yet. Health is something that
affects the lives of everyone,
and because health classes
today do not always include
everyone
(like
transgender
women), it is so important that
we fill in the gaps where we
can. Perspectives in Women’s
Health was enlightening for
me, but it’s ridiculous that I
didn’t learn these vital things
until my freshman year of
college.
Teaching
women’s
health, and teaching it as soon
as possible, can answer some of
the most important questions
young women may have.
If you would like to learn
more about women’s health,
the women’s issues committee
of the University of Michigan’s
chapter of College Democrats
and Students for Choice are
hosting the Women’s Health
Panel on Thursday, March
9 from 8 to 9 p.m. in the
Annenberg Auditorium of the
Ford School.
Women’s health education is a necessity
GRIFFIN ST. ONGE | OP-ED
Griffin St. Onge is an LSA
sophomore and a member of
FemDems.
CONTRIBUTE TO THE CONVERSATION
Readers are encouraged to submit letters to the editor and op-eds.
Letters should be fewer than 300 words while op-eds should be 550
to 850 words. Send the writer’s full name and University affiliation to
tothedaily@michigandaily.com.
My inner lobbyist
was left hungry
while my inner
marcher felt full
and satisfied.