What You Need to Know About CSJ Ignite 101
Get ready for Critical Social Justice: Ignite with our What You Need to Know series. Written by Women’s Center student staff member Alexia Petasis.
The theme for this year’s Critical Social Justice (CSJ) was partially inspired from the iconic scene in The Lord of The Rings: The Return of the King where beacons are sequentially lit (it’s really good, we promise… just watch it all the way through). For us, this video represents an igniting of power for change from within us while also inspiring others to recognize the power within themselves for being catalysts for change, because we can’t do this work alone. And there’s no way that Gondor will power through Sauron’s siege of Middle Earth without Rohan’s aid.
Imagine a future where we all used our individual strengths and knowledge to create a socially just world. Being an activist seems like a daunting responsibility if you aren’t sure where to get started. Activism can come in many different shapes and forms and the activists you see marching or attending rallies demonstrate only a small majority of the work activists do. There are many ways in which to engage with social justice issues within your academic fields, disciplines, and passions.
Critical Social Justice is an opportunity for everyone to learn about the many ways they can ignite social change on campus and in their community. One of our main goals for this year’s CSJ is to, “continue to grow the inclusivity of CSJ by helping more people feel welcome and comfortable engaging in challenging conversations about equity and justice, across all racial and ethnic identities, genders, sexualities, political ideologies, academic fields, and life experiences. From dancers to coders, from seasoned activists to those looking for ways to begin impacting change around their passions, “CSJ can be for all of us.” 
With our themes of igniting inclusive excellence and creating knowledge at the margins, CSJ: Ignite 101 and the events following will be centered around the ways we can ignite and raise our consciousness about social justice issues. CSJ: Ignite 101 will be a fun, engaging, kick-off workshop where we will discuss ways you can use your skills, strengths, and knowledge in the pursuit of social change. We will be reflecting on the ways other activists have utilized their strengths for social justice. Not only will you leave with new ways of imagining your role as a change agent, but you will also leave feeling inspired on all the ways you can ignite change in the world.
Help us kick off the 6th annual Critical Social Justice this Monday, October 22nd at 12 pm in AOK 7th floor! RSVP via myUMBC.
Posted: October 20, 2018, 5:27 PM