The 21st Century has become a time full of oppression, but that does not prevent people from standing up for what they believe in. Women are a prime example of people who have stood up for themselves to step out of the weak stereotype placed upon them by society. Undocumented immigrants, people of color and people from lower social classes join the list of those oppressed.
There is not a specific age to begin being a social activist, as shown by the newly formed Social Activism Club at Bell High School.
Founded by Alejandra Perez Moreno and Fatima Saleh, magnet juniors, and sponsored by social science teacher, Mr. Francisco Trujillo, the Social Activism club has proven itself to be the start of something great for Bell High School.
The Social Activism club does not focus on one sole topic, for there are just too many labels in today’s society.
Social activist Areli Franco believes since Hispanics and minorities, in general, are the people being looked down upon and labeled negatively, it is crucial for people to stand up for themselves and “no longer accept the world how it is,” by taking what they learn within the club out into the real world.
Unfortunately for the world of social activism, it too suffers from its own stereotypes: primarily the belief that the only people who are activists are women, but that is not the case for Bell High School’s Social Activism club. Club members, Daniel Cardenas, Francisco Armijo and Corey Rosales believe that anyone who is aware of the oppression within society and is willing to do something to try to make a difference can be considered a social activist.
According to Mr. Trujillo, “we need change,” for there are too many “isms,” racism, sexism, among others that affect society and it is “our obligation to do something about it.”
Trujillo strongly believes that by letting the club members identify what issues affect them the most they will be able to seek the change they want to see not only at Bell High School, but society as a whole.
“You hope that whatever it is that they learn and can do here whether it’s on a small scale or a large scale,” Trujillo said, “change doesn’t have to be something that occurs instantaneously and globally but it can be something that starts small.”