From marches on Washington, to the events in Charlottesville, Va., to sit-ins in Baker Center, activism has recently been prevalent throughout the country and here in Athens. Here are some of the activist organizations on campus and their plans to organize this academic year.
Feminist Equality Movement
A concert benefiting reproductive justice accessibility within the Athens area may come to Ohio University at the end of the semester thanks to the Feminist Equality Movement, also referred to as FEM.
FEM is an educational activist group working to further intersectional feminism across campus, Megan Carter, the president of the group, said. The organization focuses on issues concerning reproductive justice as well as rape culture and sexual assault.
To further educate people on campus about feminism, the group plans to put out a biweekly magazine on the movement.
International Socialist Organization
The International Socialist Organization assists other activists when they are busy on campus.
“(We’re) looking to join with different movements on campus like the divestment campaign and anything anti-racist,” ISO member Tess Hickey said.
The organization also plans to “build the left on campus” through reading groups and education about political philosophies, Hickey said. Additionally, the group works with the Athens Tenant Union to help students and Athens residents win disputes against their landlords.
OU Sierra Student Coalition
This semester, the OU Sierra Student Coalition will be back up and running after it previously fell to the wayside, member Casey Machenheimer said.
The coalition is an environmental activist group on campus, which aims to convince the university to divest from fossil fuels, Machenheimer said.
“Right now OU has money invested in certain companies, like Exxon Mobile, that run on fossil fuels and support fossil fuels,” she said.
The group would also “love” to meet with the new university President Duane Nellis to talk about where he stands on that issue, member Winter Wilson said.
Students for Education Reform
Students passionate about the future of education can join Students for Education Reform, which advocates producing positive change in education reform at the legislative level.
“We think the public education system in America is flawed,” Jake McClelland, the group’s state recruitment coordinator, said. “It disproportionately gives poor education to poor kids and kids of color and people in between.”
The organization lobbies at the state house and talks with legislators to advocate bills that it believes promote good educational outcomes, McClelland said. This year the group may also campaign for various elections coming up, such as the governor primaries.
Students Teaching about Racism in Society
Come Halloween, it’s easy to find posters from Students Teaching about Racism in Society, or STARS.
In the past, the group has done poster campaigns teaching students about cultural appropriation in Halloween costumes, organization president Mailé Nguyen said.
This year, STARS is looking to do a different poster campaign and continue to do Black History Month programing in February as it has done in the past.
Bobcats for Life
While many activist groups on campus fall to the left of the political spectrum, Bobcats for Life takes a traditionally conservative stance on abortion.
The anti-abortion group officially started last year. This year it plans to focus on educational outreach about abortion procedures, Ashley Law, the president of the group, said. She added that the group plans to participate in community service to help women and pregnant mothers, and she hopes to “inspire others on campus to stand along” with the organization.
F--kRapeCulture
Homecoming will bring Bobcat football, returning alumni and a march from F--kRapeCulture again this year.
F--kRapeCulture is a “reactionary” group, which bases its activism on preventing sexual assault at OU, as well as other places around the country, Ruby Cochran, a member of the group, said. The organization also focuses on the relationship between assault survivors, administration and law enforcement.
This year members plan to come together for another rally during homecoming as they have the past few years, and although they are not technically an official OU student organization, Cochran added that the group will meet in the Women’s Center on campus for periodic meetings.
The OU Graduate Employee Organization
An activist group focused around graduate students is the OU Graduate Employee Organization.
The group came together over the summer and is trying to organize graduate employees of the university, including teaching assistants, adjuncts and people who are hourly employees, co-president Elliot Long said.
“Our stipends are lower than our peers, and we pay more for health insurance than our peers,” Long added.
The organization is fighting for better benefits from the university such as graduate parental leave and more support for international students, he said.
NAACP
Mark Brown, the president of OU’s chapter of the NAACP said in an email “there is always a time to show solidarity.”
While the group is open to assemble for “peaceful protests,” it will be focusing its general body meetings on professionalism, academics and economics, Brown said. He added that a tutoring program within the group is something he sees in the future, as well.
