Campus Progress Updates

Amy Goodman to Speak at the Southern Regional Conference

pdelatorre — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 18:01:41 EST

We are happy to announce that Amy Goodman, host and executive producer of Democracy Now!, has been confirmed as the keynote speaker for the Campus Progress / The Nation Southern Regional Conference at Morehouse College in Atlanta, GA on February 6-8, 2009.

Register now!

Democracy Now! is an award winning and independent daily news program featuring in-depth interviews, interesting debates, and hard-hitting reporting on national and international affairs, and grassroots activism.

Because Democracy Now! is independent, it is able to offer information and viewpoints that are difficult to find in much of the mainstream media.

Paul Flores "Representa" at the University of Michigan

Paula O. — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 12:17:08 EST

From Dr. Mark Villacorta at the University of Michigan:

On Thursday, October 30, Paul Flores, Julio Cardenas and Tanya Orellana brought ¡Representa! to the University of Michigan. They performed to a capacity crowd full of students, faculty, staff and community members.

One of the most special things about the event was that it would not have happened without financial and logistical help of several incredible people, including Jeff Kass, Vanessa Diaz, Professor Ruth Behar and of course, the good people at Campus Progress. Seven other departments and offices also supported the event, which was the final program for Hispanic Heritage Month 2008.

The audience responded with cheers, laughter and applause as Paul and Julio told their bilingual tale about Cuban Hip Hop, struggle, friendship and community.

The program embodied the true spirit of independent Hip Hop, roots that often get lost underneath today’s commercialized, hypersexualized and ultraviolent landscape that dominates the culture today.

We were honored to host such an original and inspiring event and we are most grateful to everyone at Campus Progress for making it happen… best wishes to all for 2009 and beyond.

Poetic Protest Against the Congolese Genocide at NC A&T

Paula O. — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 13:06:53 EST

From Campus Progress Student Organizer Kambale Musavuli:

On October 23, 2008, as part of "Breaking the Silence: Congo Week", spoken word artist Kahlil Almustafa joined students at NC A&T State University for a night of poetic protest against the atrocities taking place in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

An open-mic night of local artists and students precedeed the unforgettable perfomance by the notorious poet Kahlil.

As Kahlil perfomed in front of a crowd of nearly 300 students, he reminded them of the importance of activism and standing up against injustic and oppression. See below for pictures from the event:

Poet Kahlil Almustafa and Visual Artists Ayinde Purnell

Student Organizer Kambale Musavuli and Kahlil Almustafa

Chie Abad fights sweatshop labor at Trinity College.

Paula O. — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 12:53:28 EST

From Alexandra Klestadt, writer for the Trinity Tripod of Trinity University:

Current issues involving sweatshop labor in the United States go surprisingly unrecognized. On Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2008 Carmencita (Chie) Abad, along with Campus Progress and the Global Exchange alliance, spoke to Trinity students about her experience working under such conditions. Abad was brought to Trinity by Campus Progress and Director of the Women & Gender Resource Action Center (WGRAC) Laura Lockwood, in conjunction with the Women, Gender, and Sexuality (WGS), International Studies, Public Policy and Law, Political Science Departments, and the Ivy Society.

Surprisingly, the job in which Abad was employed, and spent upwards of $5,000 to attain, was in a U.S. commonwealth. Despite fervent labor laws in the United States, commonwealth areas such as Saipan, in the Pacific Island region, go under the radar.

Abad knows firsthand what it is like to work in a sweatshop. She spent six years as a garment worker in Saipan. During that time, she endured wretched working conditions, frequently working 14-hour shifts in dangerous conditions. "If we were stitching, for example, an arm sleeve onto the main part of the shirt," she recalled, "the supervisor would say that we had to complete 100 an hour. But you knew, we knew, that this was not possible. You could make 90, on a good day. Then you had to do overtime to make up the 10 lost each hour - for free."

When one of these supervisors noticed that she could practice a relatively sophisticated level of math, she was immediately promoted. That was week two. Even as a low-level supervisor, however, she encountered the same challenges. The chain of command was organized such that each employee struggled to meet the arbitrary quotas of the Sako Corporation (the primary licensee of The Gap).

Workers lived in the equivalent of bunkers, with about 50 women to a room sharing just one hose as a shower. Abad explained that men and women were not permitted to fall in love, to get married, to become pregnant, or to join any religious organizations. Abad, understanding that there were venerable issues within what we know as a code of International Human rights, moved to unionize. The Gap, which she worked for primarily during her time there, quickly shut her down. Rather than return to her family and home in the Philippines, Abad has set forth to educate Americans of the injustices practiced on U.S. soil.

At the close of her talk, Abad called for change, citing a project she did with University of Connecticut students in a study of university bookstore merchandise. "Do you have Jansport backpacks? Champion sweatshirts?" she asked. "These are the things we made. We do not boycott at 'World Exchange,' but you must see that this is wrong."

She encouraged a cooperative to unionize Trinity's employees, including those working for Chartwells. Abad continues to work with American college and university campuses in order to offer rights to all workers.

Abad has come a long way since leaving Saipan. Upon her arrival to the United Sates she set forth to tell the world her story. Joining the World Exchange organization and approaching several other persons, she was able to file suits against many of the corporations who licensed products which were made under sweatshop conditions. Gaining a large settlement from companies like J.C. Penney, Sears, and The Gap, she pushed for medical benefits, subsidized wages, and has ensured personal and religious rights for employees in Saipan.

Leaving the Rittenberg Lounge, I did what Chie encouraged me to do during her presentatation; it turned out my shirt was made by one of the multiple companies Abad has named. Time to pay a little more attention on that next shopping trip or even the Trinity College Bookstore.

CP to Co-Sponsor MTV's "Be the Change" Youth Inaugural Ball

misspronounced — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 15:03:50 EST

In January, millions of people are expected to flock to our nation’s capital for the inauguration of Barack Obama. This fete of our democracy means that DC residents and visitors can expect overcrowded public transportation, a massive influx of porta-potties, and spotty cell phone service, among other annoyances. However, the copious all-night parties and balls going on around town will make navigating the crowds worth it.

In addition to hosting our own inauguration kick-off reception on January 16, Campus Progress is proud to be one of the official sponsors of MTV’s “Be the Change Inaugural Ball” celebrating the accomplishments of young people. The ball will be held on January 20th at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center. Much of the details are still forthcoming, but according to MTV:

“The ball will be staged at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center and will feature several leading artists, celebrities and government officials (to be named later), alongside hundreds of young people who've been chosen to attend based on their demonstrated volunteerism.

The "Be the Change Inaugural Ball" will be televised live across all MTV platforms, including MTV, MTV2, MTV Tr3s, mtvU, MTV Hits, MTV Jams and MTV.com on the evening of January 20. Exact air times will be announced in the coming weeks.

The live television event will also include live broadcasts from other locations across the globe, where young people are completing major service projects. Leading up to the event, MTV will showcase stories of young people providing service within their communities on a daily basis, beginning on January 1.”

You can read more about the event over at Future Majority.

No word yet on whether or not the Presidential Inaugural Committee will grant the MTV ball status as the official youth ball (President-Elect Obama will only be making appearances at official balls) but we are keeping our fingers crossed.

Campus Progress is excited to be a part of this historic event -- keep checking back here for updates!

Inaugural Poet Elizabeth Alexander explores the "Free Black Man" at Yale University.

Paula O. — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 13:31:02 EST

On December 4, 2008, the Office for Diversity and Equal Opportunity at Yale, and Campus Progress hosted a lecture entitled, "Free Black Men: Reflections on Race and Masculinity in the Age of Obama," delivered by Dr. Elizabeth Alexander, Professor of African-American Studies at Yale University. Her lecture explored the emerging possibilities for the various projects of black male self-making in the wake of Obama's historic victory. She traced moments in the history of black men where their insurgent modes of being exploded static categories of masculinity and allowed for ways to love and cherish, lead and follow, be beautiful and proud, strong and vulnerable. In the recent explosion of particularly narrow categorizations of black male possibilities, Dr. Alexander argues that Obama represents a paradigm shift that must be appreciated for the freedom his example can afford many black men. And perhaps most importantly, Dr. Alexander drew an irreducible connection between the advances of black feminist theory and this project of free black manhood, arguing that black feminism is responsible for both the analytic tools and cultural resources with which to fully realize free black manhood in all of it's possible iterations.

Dr. Alexander, one of only four black women tenured as professors in Yale history, is an accomplished poet, essayist, and scholar. She is the author of five books of poems, including The Venus Hottentot (1990), Body of Life (1996), Antebellum Dream Book (2001), and a book for young adults, Miss Crandall's School for Young Ladies and Little Misses of Color (2007). Her most renowned work, American Sublime (2005), was one of the American Library Association's 25 Notable Books of the Year as well as one of three finalists for the Pulitzer Prize.

Her collection of essays on African American literature, painting, and popular culture, The Black Interior, was published in 2004, and a second collection of essays, Power and Possibility was released in 2007. Her verse play, "Diva Studies," was produced at the Yale School of Drama in May 1996. Dr. Alexander has taught at the University of Chicago, New York University's Graduate Creative Writing Program, and Smith College, where she was Grace Hazard Conkling Poet-in-Residence, first director of the Poetry Center at Smith College, and member of the founding editorial collective for the feminist journal Meridians.

Professor Alexander was an inaugural recipient of the Alphonse Fletcher, Sr. Fellowship for work that "contributes to improving race relations in American society and furthers the broad social goals of the U.S. Supreme Court's Brown v. Board of Education decision of 1954." In 2007, she was also awarded the first Jackson Prize for Poetry from Poets & Writers, Inc. The $50,000 prize honors an American poet of exceptional talent who has published at least one book of recognized literary merit but has not yet received major national acclaim.

Her national presence, however, is sure to change as she has just recently been selected to compose and deliver an original poem for the inauguration of the nation's first African-American president, Barack Obama. Alexander will be only the fourth poet to read at a swearing-in ceremony after Robert Frost, who read at John F. Kennedy's in 1961; Maya Angelou, who read at Clinton's in 1993; and Miller Williams, who read in 1997 for Clinton's second inaugural. Her selection has already been heralded by the London Guardian's Jay Parini as "an inspired choice" and the Chicago-based Poetry Foundation as "a perfect choice."

According to a Washington Post interview, Alexander has said, "I am obviously profoundly honored and thrilled...Not only to have a chance to have some small part of this extraordinary moment in American history. . . . This incoming president of ours has shown in every act that words matter, that words carry meaning, that words carry power, that words are the medium with which we communicate across difference and that words have tremendous possibilities, and those possibilities are not empty."

A Call for Economic Assistance for Struggling Students

pdelatorre — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 10:58:03 EST

Campus Progress today joined several student, consumer, and higher education groups sending a letter to Congress to ask that economic stimulus legislation include short term assistance for students, who are facing significant trouble paying for college during the current recession.

So far, the only federal action to soften the blow of the recession on higher education has been to include providers of private student loans in the $700 billion dollar bailout. This action was counter productive, and will help few if any students while propping up high-risk, high-interest loans. You can read more about this here, or click here take action against the private loan bailout.

The letter sent to congress suggested four measures that Congress could include in the next stimulus package that would provide significant short term assistance for students, while investing in the most important asset for America’s economy in the years to come – human capital. Specifically, the groups asked Congress to:

UNL Students Receive Grant for Anti-Genocide Activism

pdelatorre — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 11:06:54 EST

Divest Nebraska, a student organization at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL), was recently awarded a grant of $400 from the non-profit Campus Progress for their campaign to convince Nebraska lawmakers to divest from targeted companies. Targeted companies are those companies operating in Sudan that provide few to no benefits to Sudanese citizens and generate revenue used by the Sudanese government to fund genocide.

"Crossing Arizona" Sparks Immigration Dialogue at Michigan State University

misspronounced — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 12:31:58 EST

In response to a recent series of raids by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials, arrests and deportations in the Greater Lansing area, Michigan State University’s progressive student organization Amplifx hosted a screening of the documentary Crossing Arizona, and fundraiser for the newly-formed No Human Is Illegal Network (NHIIN).

The screening, sponsored by Campus Progress, was held on November 20th at the East Lansing Public Library. There was a good turnout, despite a sudden snowfall that took Michigan by surprise.

Crossing Arizona showcases what happens when border policy fails everyone, focusing on those directly involved. From local ranchers and humanitarian groups to the armed minutemen who patrol the border area, Crossing Arizona reveals the complicated web of failed immigration and border policy in the United States.

During the film, a representative from NHIIN explained objectives for local victims of raids. Families of those deported have been left extremely vulnerable, having lost their main breadwinner and in some cases not being able to communicate with them. Guests were invited to participate in a raffle, donate food items and donate directly to the over 70 individuals that have detained over the past few weeks.

For more on the film, visit www.crossingaz.com

College Affordability Gets an “F”

pdelatorre — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 18:20:55 EST

Campus Progress Statement on the National Report Card on Higher Education

Washington, DC -- December 3, 2008 -- America has flunked on college affordability! That is the message sent by a report released earlier today by The National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education that grades states’ higher education systems by their affordability, participation, preparation, and completion. Every state in the US except California received an “F” when it came to college affordability. On average, college costs low and middle income families 25% to 55% of their family income after financial aid is considered.

This shocking reminder of America’s failure to invest in the next generation should spur students, families, colleges and policymakers into action. With the national dialogue focused almost exclusively on short-term measures to bailout certain sectors of our economy, Campus Progress believes that a strong case should be made for a significant, long-term investment in college access and affordability. An educated workforce is the backbone to any viable vision of working economy, but without a renewed commitment to college affordability America will continue to fall behind in the global market.

UPDATE: Who are we bailing out? Banks or Students?

pdelatorre — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 16:11:46 EST

Bad news – despite letters from concerned taxpayers, students, and college affordability advocates, Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson announced that he will be moving ahead with his proposal to spend part of the $700 billion dollar bailout to “save” providers of private student loans.

Campus Progress, along with the Project on Student Debt and many others, urged Secretary Paulson against this action, and asked the public to express their concern. We feel that this action is unnecessary, counter productive, and unfair. We should not spend taxpayer dollars to help CEO’s while students are denied the right to discharge their education loans in bankruptcy if they run into financial hardships.

Don’t throw up your arms and walk away - we need to demand that any government bailout for lenders making risky, high-cost loans is accompanied by common sense protections for borrowers.

Write to Secretary Paulson urging him not to sell out students while bailing out lenders.

Who are we bailing out? Banks or Students?

misspronounced — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 12:14:20 EST

Students with impossible-to-pay college costs are joining the ranks of distressed homeowners and CEOs in feeling the brunt of the economic collapse. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson has proposed allocating part of the $700 billion bailout for private tuition loaning agencies that, with their high interest rates, have already ruined the credit of generations of students around the country who have amassed insurmountable debt before they even step foot in their first full-time jobs.

High risk loans are what got us in the trouble in the first place! Rather than supporting these companies, students need access to fair loans in order to help them make smart decisions abut college.

Alongside education and activist leaders across the country, Campus Progress has signed on to a letter to oppose Paulson’s support of these corrupt loaning companies that will hurt students and perpetuate the shortfalls in this economy. If you’re interested in learning more about this action, check out the letter on the website for The Project on Student Debt here, take action, and tell your friends!

Islam and Homosexuality Event Sparks Dialogue at GWU

misspronounced — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 13:25:30 EST

On of our students writes:

On Sunday, October 26th Allied in Pride, with the help of Campus Progress, held a panel discussion on Islam and Homosexuality at the George Washington University. The event drew a very diverse crowd of over 250 people.

The purpose of the event was to bring together Muslims with differing points of view for an honest and open discussion about topics which are rarely discussed in Muslim communities. To that end, Imam Daayiee Abdullah (an openly gay Imam), Imam Johari Abdul-Malik (a well-known Imam at a local mosque), Dr. Amal Amireh (a professor of Women and Gender Studies and a feminist Muslim), and Hisham Mahmoud (an Islamic scholar) came together for the discussion. The panel was moderated by Zahir Janmohamed of Amnesty International USA.

The night began with Dr. Amireh who talked about two contexts for the conversation, islamophobia and homophobia. She cautioned against judging Islam as being unique, pointing out that all religions contain factions which are critical of homosexuality, at the same time she condemned the notion that homosexuality is a western construct citing the work of various gay and lesbian activists in the Middle East.

Her remarks were followed by Imam Abdullah who claimed that the message of Islam applied to all Muslims regardless of sexual orientation. Imam Abdullah cited the cultural contexts of many of the passages used to condemn homosexuality concluding that there was a place for gay and lesbians within the faith and endorsing the notion of same sex marriage within Islam.

Next was Mr. Mahmoud who provided a thorough and nuanced analysis of Islamic thought, rulings and scripture on the topic. He concluded that homosexuality was condemned by Islam and that those who resist same-sex attractions would be rewarded in the long run. He also made clear that it was not a Muslim's place to judge others and condemned anyone who would punish someone because they were gay or lesbian.

The last speaker was Imam Johari. He reiterated the belief that it was not a Muslim's place to judge others claiming that one's sexual orientation did not define who they were. He continued that there are and have always been gay and lesbian Muslims and that it does the community no good to deny this fact. Imam Johari also stated clearly that he believed that within Islam sexual relations must take place within the context of marriage and that he did not believe Islam allowed for same-sex marriage. He ended by saying the in much of the Muslim community there has been a reluctance to deal with the issue of HIV/AIDS due to the stigma that it is a "gay disease," he pledged his support to work on the issue and asked for anyone who was interested to join him in his efforts.

Following the remarks there was a brief question and answer period. Among the many questions, Imam Johari was asked about his view of gay marriage in light of the principle of separation of church and state. He replied that while he believed that marriage is between a man and a women the country was based on the fundamental principal of separation of church and state and that if people in a state want to legalize same-sex marriage, as long as he isn't being forced to marry someone of the same sex, they should be allowed to do it. In other responses, Dr. Amireh spoke of the importance of not judging Islam and of working within the faith to advance a gay rights agenda, Imam Abdullah spoke of the difficulties of coming out for many gay and lesbian Muslims and of the conflict facing their parents, and Mr. Mahmoud spoke about the difficulties of presenting the perspective of his faith in a climate that is increasingly critical of those who do not approve of homosexuality.

The panel served to bring forth topics and perspectives that are not often discussed in open spaces. By hosting this panel, all who participated helped raise the dialogue and provide a space for informed discussion and thought about Islam and homosexuality.

Maryland students pressure banks to clean up their act!

Tommaso — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 19:02:47 EST

Our guest blogger is Rachel Fauber, Campus Progress Action Grantee and Campaign Director of Towson Energy Activists.

The Towson Energy Activists(TEA) are very proud to have just become part of the Campus Progress community and already have begun working for progressive changes when it comes to the environment. On November 14th, TEA paired with local Baltimore Rising Tide for a coal financers day of action in the financial district of the city. Students, young people and community activists, held huge banners, flyered, chanted and engaged in a mass action of shutting down Bank of America and Citibank accounts (video).

Interactive Discussion on Elections Held at New York University Two Days before Election Day

Paula O. — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 13:35:10 EST

From Johanne Brier, New York Institute of Technology '09:

On November 3, 2008 more than sixty students gathered at New York University to discuss the issues most affecting their daily lives. Ebuka Onwubneme, a 21-year old Nigerian-born student listed immigration as her number one issue.

“Immigration is very important to me. It has impacted my life as a student for years. After I got into school, immigration laws affected the amount of financial aid I received and my eligibility for a number of scholarships. They also impact the types of jobs I can take to pay off my loans.”

The event brought together students from a variety of political, social and economic backgrounds with the aim to encourage those eligible, to vote. Organizer Johanne Brier, New York Institute of Technology '09 decided to organize the event for international students who felt “disengaged and disconnected from the voting process” .

NYU Communications Professor Will Baker, who presented at the event, opened by stating that he was "impressed to see such a diverse group of young people coming together on a Saturday night to talk about the importance of the election. When I look around the room, I can see that this election is truly about all of us and I commend you on taking action.”

“Even though I can’t vote, this will be the second election process I’ll see, said Joanna Francis, a 28 year-old student from Trinidad and Tobago studying at Kingsborough Community College. “Being here with all of you makes me feel like I am part of an amazing historical process.”

The event also featured an art exhibit from the New York Institute of Technology Fine Arts Department and a variety of spoken word performances.

Election 2008 -- A Mandate for Moving Forward

misspronounced — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 16:34:55 EST

On November 7th, 2008, a panel gathered at the Center for American Progress to discuss the results of the 2008 election. The impressive lineup included Campus Progress Action’s own Policy and Advocacy Manager Erica Williams, and also featured Ruy Teixeira, Senior Fellow, Center for American Progress Action Fund, Anna Greenberg, Senior Vice President, Greenberg Quinlan Rosner, and Gene Sperling, Senior Fellow, Center for American Progress Action Fund.

The event began with a presentation by Teixeira during which he broke down the voter turnout data from November 4th. While the nation saw a 62.2% overall turnout, the highest since 1964, the most interesting changes were seen in the massive numbers of youth and minority individuals who turnout out to vote. 17-18% of all voters were ages 18-29, and 26% of the total was African American. These numbers show a marked up-tick in turnout for these two groups who have been historically absent at the polls. From his data, Teixeira concluded that not only do Americans want change, but America itself is changing.

Anna Greenberg and Gene Sperling then reflected on the outcome of the election and emphasized a very interesting and important point: both argued that the recent downturn in our economy was not the deciding factor of this election as many conservatives claim. Rather, they argue, the desire for a more progressive administration has been developing for years. As Greenberg explained, a confluence of factors (including the poor response to Hurricane Katrina, multiple lobbying and corruption scandals, and the growing disdain for the war in Iraq) led Americans to lose confidence in their government. According to Greenberg, it was largely this erosion of democracy and feeling that the democratic nature of government had been undermined that led to Obama’s victory on November 4th.

Williams built on the theme of long-term issues being decisive factors in this election by relating it to the youth vote. As she said, this election was different in that there is a “distinct generational identity based on the economy” that may not have been as prevalent in past elections. With social issues taking a back seat to our failing economy, the youth today were (and are) concerned about college affordability, unemployment rates, and their basic ability to survive in a country with a very high standard of living. This focal point led the youth to align, organize, and turn out in record numbers this election.

Although many statistics were shared, the respective campaigns were critiqued, and many questions were asked, the overarching theme of the event was clear: On November 4th, the American people came out to the polls and voted in favor of progressive candidates. In order to arrive at their decision, Americans took many substantive, long term issues to heart and voted to see a change in the current system. Thus, the speakers asserted, this election was in fact a mandate for change, a demand from the people to reform the government, restructure our broken institutions, and attempt to create a better country than the one we see before us today.

Campus Progress Action Statement on Propositions 8 (CA) and 46 (CO)

misspronounced — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 10:31:16 EST

In this momentous time of unprecedented voter turnout and the election of the nation’s first black president, Campus Progress Action celebrates the defeat of Proposition 46 in Colorado, preserving equal opportunity programs in that state, and mourns the passage of Proposition 8 in California, which will rewrite the state Constitution to eliminate the right of same-sex couples to marry.

Through the efforts of numerous youth-led organizations on the ground and nationally, such as Rock the Vote, Energy Action Coalition, and others, young voters turned out on election day in record numbers to demand a mandate for change. This year, young voters between the ages of 18-29 comprised 18% of the electorate, while voters 65 and older counted for 16% of the electorate. Not only were young voters a larger part of the electorate than seniors, an estimated 23 million young people cast their vote in this election -- 3.4 million more than in 2004. To engage young people around the election, Campus Progress Action partnered with non-partisan efforts such as Trick or Vote, Video the Vote, and the Twitter Vote Report, encouraging students on campuses all across the country to remind their friends to vote and report problems at their polling place and in their communities.

Today, we’re taking pride in the fact that for the first time in its twelve year history, Ward Connerly’s deceptive anti-equal opportunity ballot initiative in Colorado, Proposition 46, has been voted down in a statewide election. Losses in California in 1996, Michigan in 2006, and Nebraska this year have finally been matched by a victory, and Colorado will preserve its equal opportunity initiatives in higher education, employment, and contracting. Campus Progress Action staff, student representatives, and friends worked to defeat this initiative through tireless phone-banking, emailing, press outreach and peer-to-peer interaction. The defeat of this proposition not only ensures the protection of vital programs in the state of Colorado, but stems the tide of challenges to diversity and equal access to education nationally.

Of course, while there is much reason to celebrate right now, the decisions by voters in California, Arizona, and Florida to ban marriage equality, and in Arkansas to deny unmarried couples the right to adopt children (widely seen as a way to prevent gay couples from adopting) create cause for concern. Proposition 8 was a particular loss for the progressive community, as it represents the first time the state repealed a previously-recognized right. In order to bolster efforts by young people to combat Proposition 8, Campus Progress Action provided an action grant to students to help them sponsor events on their campuses. The Goldman School of Public Policy (GSPP) at UC-Berkeley used their grant to host a fundraiser to defeat Proposition 8. The event was a great success, bringing in more than $5,000 from over 70 people who attended, and an additional $1,200 from other sources. Members of the Queer Student Union at UC-Santa Barbara used their grant to raise awareness about Proposition 8 by staging mock marriage ceremonies for 50 couples. Notably, Santa Barbara was the only county in Southern California to vote NO on Proposition 8.

Although the passage of Proposition 8 was disappointing, it is important to note that the No on Prop 8 campaign raised record amounts of money, and mobilized one of the largest grassroots and volunteer networks in history to build a strong coalition for the future of civil rights. Young people (who according to a CNN exit poll, voted against Proposition 8 by a 61% margin) overwhelmingly support equality and justice for the LGBT community, and will continue to be an essential part of the grassroots effort. Visit Equality California for the latest news and information on how to help the ongoing fight for equality in California. Also, check out videos from the I’m Voting For campaign that show young people talking about their support for LGBT Rights:

- Raymond on GLBT Rights

- Emma on not getting married

Campus Progress Action applauds the hard work of staff and volunteers who worked tirelessly to defeat Propositions 8 and 46, but recognizes that there is still much work to be done to ensure equality for all, and expand the scope and impact of the progressive movement. Campus Progress Action encourages young people to remain engaged in progressive work post-election through our programs in activism, journalism, and events, and to connect to the larger progressive community so that we can make sure our elected officials are held accountable. For more information, please visit our website at www.campusprogressaction.org.

American University Law Students Awarded a $1,000 to Push for Gulf Coast Recovery

pdelatorre — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 13:36:04 EST

Student Activists for KatrinaRita Survivors (SAKS) received a grant of $1,000 from Campus Progress to raise awareness in the American University community of the ongoing human rights abuses occurring on the Gulf Coast following the hurricanes of 2005 and the most recent devastation caused by Hurricanes Gustav and Ike. Today they are kicking off a week-long series of events to raise awareness.

Young Voters Showed Their Power -- But the Work Has Just Begun

misspronounced — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 10:41:50 EST

On November 4, 2008, more young people voted than in any election since 1972, marking the third major election in a row in which youth voter turnout increased. Two days after the election, Campus Progress hosted an event looking at the role young voters played in this election cycle and exploring ways young people can use this momentum to build upon their political power and influence. The event was a discussion between panelists and the audience members, moderated by Campus Progress Policy and Advocacy Manager, Erica Williams.

In the discussion, the panelists agreed that the high youth voter turnout and participation in campaigns during this election was impressive and game-changing. As panelist Reverend Lennox Yearwood, Jr., President and CEO of the Hip-Hop Caucus put it, young voters “smashed the kiddie table mentality,” and proved that young people have political power and will continue to exercise this power.

The panelists also commented on the idea that youth turnout on Election Day was the culmination of a “perfect storm of events” over the past few years. Panelist David Madland, the director of the American Worker Project at the Center for American Progress, noted that the economy was one of the most important issues in this election for young people not just because of the recent financial crisis, but because the economy has not been working for young people for a long time.

Kat Barr, Deputy Political Director at Rock the Vote, explained that the increasing involvement of young people in politics is a trend that has been occurring over the past four to five years. The number of young voters has been on the rise since 2004 and young people are becoming increasingly aware of political issues such as the war in Iraq, the climate crisis, the economy, health care and college affordability. While groups like Rock the Vote and Campus Progress helped students become more involved with the election this year, these efforts were bolstered by an overall feeling among young people that the country is headed in the wrong direction, and they could be the ones to change it. As Rev. Yearwood explained, “This became [young people’s] moment, and we saw that if we don’t do it now, we aren’t ever going to do it.”

The second part of the discussion focused on how young voters can use the momentum they have gained in the past few years to increase their political power. Both Amanda Carpenter, National Political Reporter for Townhall.com, and Rev. Yearwood agreed that the best way to increase involvement of young people in politics is by making government more transparent. Barr suggested that even though young people have spoken in this election, it is easy for politicians to ignore their voices, so now, more than ever, young people need to keep making their voices heard.

Most of the discussion during the question-and-answer portion of the event focused on how to get young people more interested in smaller, less-exciting issues. The panelists agreed that the most successful way to generate interest in smaller issues is by repackaging the issue as one that young people can directly relate to and understand.

The high youth voter turnout and participation in the 2008 election clearly answered any lingering questions about political apathy of young people. Regardless of the political role young people play in elections to come, this year they proved that they have the power to shape the future, and that their votes and voices should be recognized and respected.

Shelby Knox Screening Inspires Discussion About Sex Education

misspronounced — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 15:18:57 EST

Illustration: Matt Bors

On October 15th Campus Progress teamed up with the University of Maryland Baltimore County Freedom Alliance to show the film The Education of Shelby Knox. Meeting at the University Cabaret, about twenty people showed up to watch the film and to discuss the role of sex education in the United States.

Following a fifteen year-old girl in Texas, Shelby Knox displays how the lack of comprehensive sex education in our school systems often leads, as it did in Texas, to high rates of STDs and pregnancies. It accurately portrays the real-life consequences of implemented policies that are often written hundreds or thousands of miles away.

Staying after the screening, attendees said the film made them think about other parts of the United States, and the diverse difficulties they face. Most colleges provide an environment where sex, sex education, and protection are talked about without objection. This film reminded students that there are parts of the country where people refuse to teach sex education because they want everyone to only have sex within marriage.