ASB Maui Day 1

Alternative Spring Break: Maui Wowi Day 1

Maui Wowi Day 1 Video

Students of UC, Santa Cruz have taken off to spend their spring break in Maui doing hands on work and learning more about the diverse agricultural practices across the island! With a time change of three hours, we had a long day of relaxing, swimming, driving, and setting up camp at James Simpliciano’s farm! We ended the day with a nourishing feast at James and his wife’s home. 

Stay tuned to find out what we do next! 

Affirming Human Rights on a Local Scale

When we think of human rights movements, we immediately think of the historical human rights movements such as the Civil Rights Movement (1964). Human Rights Movements are powerful as they are movements around topics that shape eliminating racism or fostering gender equality. Even though Human Rights Movements are stereotypically known to take a larger scale approach, they can occur at smaller levels at the local scale. If you are interested in going into advocacy work, here are some options you can pursue at a local level.

Educational System:

American Civil Liberties Union:

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If you are interested in learning more about the educational rights of children in general in public schools, the American Civil Liberties Union reinstates the rules educating youth. Advocates point out the rights of children regardless their gender, racial, religion, citizenship and socio-economic status. If you are interested in learning more about the work the American Civil Liberties Union does, you can check out their website here.

Recognizing Mental Health in Our Educational System:

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Consider fighting for the educational rights for children who suffer from mental illness in the public education system. According to the National Alliance of Mental Illness (NAMI), “half of individuals living with mental illness experience onset by the age of 14 in the United States.” NAMI aims to advocate for more effective mental health services and to recognize mental health within the school system.

Workplace Equality:

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There are also efforts to promote workplace equality by establishing no-discrimination policies (ex. Based on gender, race, sexual orientation).  If you are interested in finding out about more efforts for human rights pertaining to workplace equality, check out this website.

Coming Out:

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Santa Cruz also has numerous human rights efforts pertaining to coming out. For example, The Diversity Center, aims to develop positive LGBTQ+ leaders in local middle schools and high schools and build a strong community. If you are interested in getting involved with The Diversity Center in Santa Cruz, you can check out their website here. On campus, the Lionel Cantú Queer Center also recognizes the importance of building a queer and trans community on campus for students. You can also learn more about their efforts here.

Houselessness Efforts:

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Santa Cruz has also had various houselessness efforts. For example, you can get involved with the Santa Cruz Homeless Garden Project. The Homeless Garden Project allows Santa Cruz locals to volunteer in the garden and produce fresh crops they can enjoy. If you are interested in volunteering at the Homeless Garden Project, check out their website here.

Food Not Bombs believes in sharing free food with Santa Cruz locals, specifically the houseless to ensure that everyone is feed. With Food Not Bombs, you can volunteer to prep and serve food. If you are interested in finding out more about their campaigns, you can check out their website here. 

As you can see, the list goes on for Human Rights Movements at the local scale. By learning more about what your community can offer, you can make a truly positive effect on the people around you.

If you are interested in learning more about Human Rights Efforts, we would love to share a conversation with you at Common Ground if need help getting started. We are also honored to host over a dozen Laureates on May 15-18, 2018 for our Regional Conference of North American Right Livelihood Award Laureates who will talk about various human rights efforts they have took part in. Visit https://kresge.ucsc.edu/commonground/ for details. 

You Can Call Me Frankie

Frances Moore Lappe (aka Frankie) is the author or co-author of over 19 books that discuss hot topics regarding world hunger, the environment and living democracy. The first book she wrote, Diet for a Small Planet (1971), sold three million copies. On the evening of February 26th, 2017, the honorable Frances began by speaking to a large audience at UC Santa Cruz’s Kresge Town Hall about her newest book Daring Democracy: Igniting Power, Meaning and Connection for the America We Want, which she co authored with Adam Eichen.

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The Right Livelihood Award - also known as “the Alternative Nobel Prize” - is awarded to honorable individuals who put in their heart and soul into making the world a better place. Since UC Santa Cruz’s Kresge College is the only Right Livelihood College in the United States, the university serves as a resource to bring Right Livelihood laureates together and speak about their lifelong achievements. UC Santa Cruz was honored to have Frances Moore Lappe come speak.

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The evening started out when Frankie explained that she was neither a pessimist or an optimist; she is a possibilist. The ability to understand that there are always alternative solutions available (whether it comes to democracy or applying for jobs after college), opens a door of possibilities. 

“We see the world through culturally formed filters,” said Frankie. We need to understand how valuable it is to appreciate our peers’ cross-cultural differences. By taking a moment to pause and think about why your colleagues see the world through a different lense, we can gain a different appreciation of the world and a culturally diverse mindset. 

The “spiral of powerlessness...undermines democracy.” In Frankie’s book, Daring Democracy, we learn to understand that there is a blame and shame culture that shapes societal wealth distributions.

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Frankie explained how her book Daring Democracy discusses eight strategies of highly effective billionaires. With a combination of manipulating the mindset and rigging the rules, one has the ability to become rich within a democratic political system. 

Real Democracy:

In April 2016, Frankie told the audience about a democracy march she participated in that changed her life. “I didn’t think I could walk 10 miles and I walked over 100 miles.” At age 74 she experienced a “movement of movements.”

“There are quickening steps to real democracy —action in states, counties and cities,” spoke Frankie. When it comes to voters, we need to create clear elections, restore and expand voter rights (ex. Automatic voter registration), and ensure every voter carries equal weight. 10 states plus Washington D.C. are already using Automatic voter registration (AVR) to increase voting. Frankie discussed how need to encourage more states to utilize AVR to expand the voices of the American population in political decisions.

“Californians take their democracy seriously.” When it comes to deciding on commissioners to represent the various districts of California, any adult California with no conflict of interest in invited to apply for a position. California has a great way of interviewing prospective commissioner candidates through multiple stages and this technique allows randomization in candidate selection. This technique ensure equal and fair representation.

Step out of your comfort zone:

Participating in democracy can be a thrill. Stepping out to your comfort zone and taking a chance to bond with strangers (whether it is by attending City Council meetings to talking to people at the local coffee shop), will allow you to take the first step towards community action. Frankie explains how “Living Democracy ensures 3 essentials for human thriving: power (a sense of agency), meaning (beyond our own survival) and connection (to each other and the earth).”

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“All my life I wanted to be part of a democracy movement” and now Frankie is getting the opportunity to live her dreams.

If you are interested in learning more about Frankie, you can check out her website Small Planet Institute. On the website you can learn more about her dreams she makes possible.

Also, we are honored to host Ms. Lappe and over a dozen more Laureates on May 15-18, 2018 for our Regional Conference of North American Right Livelihood Award Laureates. Visit http://kresge.ucsc.edu/commonground for details.