EDITORIAL: Don't deactivate your activism
It’s been five days since Joe Biden was declared by major media outlets to be the next president of the United States. Since Nov. 7, thousands have filled streets in celebration while others have rallied in frustration.
Bloomberg News anticipates that more than 157 million registered voters cast their ballots in the 2020 election. This year's voter turnout could be on track to surpass the record 66 percent in 1908. In Isabella County, 74 percent of registered voters cast their ballots, a near-15 percent increase from 2016.
It’s activism on college campuses like Central Michigan University that made those numbers possible.
According to a National Study of Learning, Voting and Engagement, the voting rate among registered CMU student voters more than doubled between 2014 and 2018. The increase, which is expected to continue this year, proves that student activism is more far-reaching than many expect.
Central Votes played a crucial role in convincing students to vote this year. The nonpartisan, student-run organization formed before the 2016 elections and dedicates itself to registering the unregistered. Throughout the Trump administration, the group has helped hundreds of students prepare to execute their civic duty to vote.
The organization was spotted at important campus events, such as the Sept. 10 “Legalize Being Black: Our Lives Matter Too” march organized by Detroit senior Darien Bird.
That day, hundreds marched from the Bovee University Center to the heart of Downtown Mount Pleasant chanting “No justice, No Peace” while advocating for equality and social justice.
Of course, activism takes on more forms than marches.
Last month, the Central Michigan Climate Solutions Summit brought together multiple facets of the university and the greater Mount Pleasant community. The five-hour conference educated attendees on how to implement sustainable solutions in their everyday lives.
These are only a few noteworthy student groups facilitating important conversations on campus. RSOs like the Refugee Outreach Collective and the New America Project have made it their mission to bring change to campus.
Student activism helped create the historic election we witnessed last week but do not stop now. With a new administration on the horizon, your activism is needed more than ever.
