Last Saturday, the world witnessed an unprecedented display of resistance and solidarity. It will come as no surprise to our constituents that our mission's foundation is grounded in the belief that all people deserve to be treated with dignity and that human rights are meant for every single one of us. The marches around the world were also grounded in this belief. As we face the realities around us, it's important to stay engaged and to know that your voice can be heard. 

I have had the honor of working with the students of FossilFree MIT for over a year now. I have witnessed their committment and deep passion. As they go forward, they will be including issues of racism and inequality as it relates to the environment in their work. Becoming involved with FFMIT or  is one way of being engaged and finding solutions. I also had the opportunity to volunteer last Friday through the PKG Public Service Center's City Days program. Volunteering is a great way to be engaged and know that what you are doing has meaning.

FFMIT and Solidarity MIT are offering an IAP course called Activism, Organizing, and Social Movements. The course will offer a series of student- and staff-led sessions with the goal of developing together the skills and frameworks to understand and approach activism, organizing, and social movements in strategic and effective ways. 

As powerful as social media tools are, there is nothing more powerful than showing up. We can do that by both physically showing up and also by using our phones to call--yes, pick up the phone and call-your representatives. Today's New York Times published an article, Why You Should Call, Not Email, Your Legislators, detailing the power of the phone call. According to the article, "Even if you don't speak directly to the lawmaker, staff members often pass the message along in one form or another."  Kara Waite, featured in the article, is an English teacher at Bunker Hill Community College here in Boston. She created a widely shared document to teach others her political activism techniques. She says, "Communicate in a way that someone can't ignore."