What are students’ responsibilities as driving forces of social change?
This is the question posed during Human Rights Week 2010, hosted by Boston University Martin Luther King Scholars and the Howard Thurman Center. The goal of the week, which is underway, is to shed light on activism and to inspire a diverse community to work together in the name of Martin Luther King Jr. and his message of social justice, said College of Arts and Sciences senior Brandon Stinchfield, who helped coordinate the event.
Stinchfield said this year’s theme for Human Rights Week is “Civic Voices.”
“We want to showcase what students have done and are continuing to do in social movements,” he said. “Historically, we are highlighting the actions of Howard Zinn and his efforts to encourage students to act.”
The week kicked off Monday night with a screening of the film “You Can’t Be Neutral on a Moving Train: The Life of Howard Zinn.”
Stinchfield said the group’s event on Tuesday will be a Battle of the Groups, in which one BU student political group will be awarded $500 by a vote of those attending.
The week’s events will also take a look at the role of music in activism through performances and an informational session, he said. Thursday will be an evening of musical performances, including a blues guitarist, a hip-hop artist and an Indian dance group.
“On Friday, we will be taking a look at how music played a role in the civil rights movement, hosting a free screening of the film “Soundtrack for a Revolution,’ which includes interpretations of civil rights songs by artists like John Legend,” he added.
Concerning the level of activism on campus, Stinchfield expressed optimism in regards to student involvement.
“I would not say that BU students do not take enough action. Instead I would argue that students often never see the action taken by their peers,” he said.
BU students who attended Tuesday’s Battle of the Groups generally agreed that Human Rights Week was a worthwhile event on campus, and they said they hoped more would take place in the future.
Another participant, CAS junior and Amnesty International member Shahrzad Noorbaloochi, said she hopes Amnesty wins the prized check in order to bring speakers David Kilgour and David Matas, who have written a report on the persecution of the Falun Gong spiritual movement in China, to campus.
“I think it’s a great time for student groups to come together for a common yet diverse cause,” said CAS junior Sarah Sullivan, a co-director of the Women’s Resource Center.
She said she hopes the center wins the $500 prize in order to bring Inga Muscio, a feminist speaker and writer, to BU.
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