Each year, Wake Forest University and Winston-Salem State University co-sponsor and alternate hosting a keynote event to commemorate the life of Martin Luther King, Jr. This year, the event will feature a keynote address by CNN anchor Soledad O’Brien, “Social Justice: On TV, behind the scenes, and in our lives.” This event takes place on Monday, January 23rd at 7 pm – and I hope that your students will attend.
The idea of social justice may be a new one to your students. Rather than being a fact or a historical event to be memorized and learned, social justice is a concept. There are not necessarily right or wrong answers, but rather opinions on its worthiness, its practicality, or even its possibility or desirability.
What do your students think of social justice? Have they formed their own opinion? They might have been influenced by a particular faith tradition, or political leaning. Or they may not have carefully considered where they stand on the issue.
One of the most beautiful parts of college – at least for me – was being able to be confronted with a new idea and to try to figure out what I felt about it. Did I agree or disagree? Why? What did my friends think, and why? What did my parents think, and why? What could I glean from my classes and my studies on the topic? And as I sorted out ideas and beliefs in my own head, and listened to the opinions of others, it helped me determine where I stood on many issues.
Every person is entitled to his or her beliefs on the idea of social justice – and every other concept out there. College is a time to take a big bite out of ideas, chew them around, see how they taste. If your student has not already formed his or her opinion about the idea of social justice, this might be the right month to consider that issue.
And start by going to the Soledad O’Brien event tonight. Then read, or research, or talk to others. And your student will be one step closer to identifying his or her beliefs, and how to help live those for the rest of his or her life.
