June 16

What does it mean to be political? What does it take to be politicized? Yesterday morning we dug into these words and concepts, and those of power and social movement during a panel on los movemientos estudiantiles, or student movements. Amilkar and Raquel from la UASD and Justicia Global came to talk about movements in the Dominican Republic. Malcolm, Joyti and Matt from our group spoke from their knowledge and experience about student organizations and movements in the United States. It appears that students in both countries are part of a shared phenomenon, which Amilkar called ‘kidnapped democracy.’ This is to say that student movements that had been strong and brilliant forces during the civil rights movement and Trujillo’s dictatorship, for example, have been silenced. In the Dominican Republic politically affiliated student groups are not permitted in private universities. In both countries they have been institutionalized and pushed into a quiet mainstream existence, focusing on ‘service’ and ‘charity’. They are often reactionary and do not provide deep analyses or solutions and alternatives. Where is the energy going? What has changed and what are the motivations and understandings behind what today is considered the ‘organized’ student?

Students in the United States are increasingly focusing on activities that are related to their careers. A few students mentioned how many tens of thousands of dollars they will be in debt when they graduate from their undergraduate programs. Especially with the recent global economic crisis in capitalism, students are left without clear alternatives other than specializing themselves, their actions, and their knowledge so they may find a high-paying job. Today students we may put on their resumés the fundraisers and volunteer abroad trips we take part in. Later the genuine worry and care for the problems that are perceived in the world may be assuaged by donations, Facebook group membership, or attendance at an event if not connected to a true critique. These actions are gratifying. They allow us to continue living in a world and a country with such abhorrent inequality and not become angry, and not ask deeper questions. Problems are recognized and addressed, but we do not as often look for the root of these problems. We do not search for the reason why people are so much richer than others, why resources are exploited, and instead we may feed a hungry child for a month of their lives so we are gratified.

We have come here to learn from the eloquence of a people who have not had the language of community organizing erased during red scares. We learn from communities who have had to come together to recognize what are their own problems and discovering their own solutions, instead of someone else defining what they need. This is the political. This is not the electoral politics. This is not just how your vote may or may not count. This is not climbing the hierarchical ladder to take a position of ‘power’ such as a president, governor, businessman or general may hold. This is about sharing together all of our common no’s and finding a common yes with those around us. And that is what we started doing yesterday in the conference room of Casa Montesinos. We questioned our own concept of being organized that we may carry with us. We met people and shared ideas, and we begin to learn how to work together and transform.

Contributed by Meredith