One design for the Speak Out! campaign initiated by the CU Independent reads, "I don't believe in segregation of color unless it pertains to my laundry." (CU Independent)
Those who stop by the UMC terrace Tuesday may encounter a mob of students exiting a Buff Bus wearing matching social justice T-shirts, a crowd of observers and news reporters and Congressman Jared Polis.
Tuesday at noon, the CU Independent will unveil the new “Speak Out!” campaign. The student-run social movement aims to address discrimination on campus. Paul Voakes, the dean of the journalism school, said he thinks that the campaign will improve the community.
“The CU Independent will be able to show the rest of the campus that journalists have a stake in the health of the community,” Voakes said. “Part of that health is a community’s ability to celebrate diversity and be inquisitive.”
Amy Herdy, the adviser for the CU Independent, said she thinks the campaign will help reporters serve their journalistic responsibilities.
“If it works like we hope it will, it will enrich their coverage,” Herdy said. “They’ll hear voices from every community on a wide array of topics and it will make it more interesting, more colorful and more significant. They’ll be serving their journalistic responsibilities which is to give voice to those who otherwise may not have one.”
The subject of the Speak Out! campaign focuses on 10 main issues: heterosexism, sexism, body image, abelism, ethnocentrism, substance abuse, religionism, ageism, racism and classism.
Cameron Naish, a 21-year-old senior news-editorial major and managing editor of the CU Independent, runs the campaign. Naish said he wants the Speak Out! campaign to address topics most relevant to the CU community.
“Our goal and our ultimate responsibly is to report on the issues that matter most to students,” Naish said. “We hope to bring these issues to light on campus.”
Editor-in-Chief Danielle Alberti, a 22-year-old senior news-editorial and anthropology major, said she thinks the campaign will bring in more varied stories.
“I’m really hoping it will make us look for more stories outside of what we typically look for,” Alberti said. “We have an idea of what a news story is, so we don’t usually cover a lot of events on campus. It will open people’s eyes that there are bigger issues on campus.”
The Speak Out! campaign is unique in that it is completely student-run and concerns the implementation of social justice between students.
“This is the kind of material that the Daily or the Camera can’t cover; we are the students on campus,” Naish said.
The press conference for the event will feature a speech by Congressman Jared Polis of the 2nd District of Colorado. Polis signed on to support the CU Independent’s campaign, along with student groups on campus.
An excerpt from a letter of support presents the opinion of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Resource Center:
“We were given the opportunity to review and critique the campaign and were very impressed by what we were presented… As an advocacy center on this campus, we feel that this campaign will make a very positive contribution to the climate and dialogue on this campus. We know first hand how difficult it can be to work on creating a space of inclusion and feel that this campaign is a great place to start the process.”
The Denver Asian Pacific American Commission also issued a letter of support to Chancellor DiStefano in regards to the Speak Out! campaign.
“The Denver Asian Pacific American Commission applauds their efforts and supports this campaign, and we believe it will reflect very well on the University of Colorado.”
Alexis Smith, the UCSU Diversity Director and 23-year-old senior news-editorial major, also sent a letter of support to the chancellor.
“The ‘Speak Out!’ campaign is the culmination of many hours of hard work and debate about how to best engage the campus concerning issues of inclusion and diversity.”
Naish said he is impressed with the support from the public.
“We were hopeful, but at the same time it’s amazing how many people have given us so much support,” Naish said. “Bronson [Hilliard, the CU spokesperson] supports it, the chancellor supports it, and student groups on campus support it. That’s the best part about it.”
Herdy said the outside press coverage does not surprise her.
“I know my fellow journalists and I have faith they realize something important when they hear it,” Herdy said.
The Speak Out! campaign goes far beyond Tuesday’s event. The campaign also comes with a wide range of T-shirts.
The T-shirts for the Speak Out! campaign make statements on issues ranging from sexual equality to same-sex marriage. The T-shirts were designed by TDA Advertising.
Jim Moscou, the director of strategy and development at TDA Advertising, said he was happy to help with the campaign.
“We love all the t-shirts,” Moscou said. “T-shirts are cool; people love wearing t-shirts. It’s a great way to spread the message.”
Moscou said TDA Advertising often works on social justice projects.
“The people involved are great journalists looking to get involved in great innovative journalism,” Moscou said. “[Advisor] Amy Herdy is just incredible and so are the editors. I’d do anything I can do to help them. The agency always has room and we always have a program helping public service announcements.”
The public service approach to news reporting, though not a previous focus in the CU Independent, will become an important aspect to the publication. Alberti said she thinks CU needs a social justice campaign.
“We should be advocating for social justice,” Alberti said. “Campaigns like this aren’t needed in larger markets, but the fact that CU is struggling for diversity, we see it as a need for this.”
Voakes said he thinks this new type of reporting will maintain journalism’s unbiased ideals.
“Doing the Speak Out! campaign won’t prevent the CU Independent from doing stories that are fun, balanced, impartial, but they’re saying there are certain values we all have,” Voakes said. “In all of the stories that have two or three sides, reporters will be capable of giving all sides of a story.”
Voakes said that this new movement in journalism brings reporting to a less detached level.
“It’s a new model for journalism,” Voakes said. “Traditionally, journalists would typically stand apart and be detached from community improvement and in the many styles that have broken down over the last few years, this isn’t as common as it once was. We actually do care about the community.”
Through reporting on social justice issues, the CU Independent hopes to bring problems to the forefront of the student community. Naish said he expects the religionism aspect of the campaign will have the biggest impact on the CU campus.
“In 2006, CU did a campus climate survey and the one issue people had the most problem with was religion,” Naish said. “There aren’t as many resources available to students regarding religion. Obviously, we hope to give all issues the same coverage, but religion is where we expect to learn the most.”
Student Grace Hokama, a 19-year-old sophomore international affairs major, said she thinks substance abuse will echo greatest across campus.
“I think substance abuse is a big issue,” Hokama said. “You hear more of that going on. People aren’t afraid to talk about it, but the other issues are more internal.”
With all of the issues exposed to the public, Herdy said she thinks Speak Out! will spark discussion.
“It’s not so much about the campaign as it is in terms of coverage,” Herdy said. “It’s important for a news publication to educate people on the issues that matter and to provide a forum for people to intelligently discuss those issues.”
Contact CU Independent Staff Writer Jennifer Retter at Jennifer.retter@colorado.edu.
3 comments
“ISLAMOPHOBIA”
Born in the U.S. and growing up here in Boulder, I have never felt so patronized, segregated and shunned for being me. I am an American, and I am Muslim. I believe in the religion of Islam full heartedly, in its values and fundamentals. Do all Americans know what these values and fundamentals are? I mean really and literally are? No, many Americans do not know. They take what they see on the news, what they read in the papers and magazines and they decide that they have become well acquainted and competent enough to claim that they indeed “know Islam and know Muslims”. But if they really knew Islam, wouldn’t they have known that the word Islam means “peace” in Arabic? Wouldn’t they have known that two of the biggest sins in the religion of Islam are suicide and the murder of innocent people? Wouldn’t they have at least understood the fact that we too have had loss of life of our believers in 9/11, Iraq, Palestine, Afghanistan, Pakistan, etc.? That we are labeled as “terrorists” killing innocence and yet no light is shed on the fact that OUR innocent are being killed, that our mothers, fathers, brothers and sisters are being murdered on a DAILY basis by foreigners and by invaders on their soil. This is what Americans fail to realize. This is what they fail to speak out on behalf of and this is what they fail to give mercy on.
As a University student, and an active student leader in many ways, I am appalled to see my own people turn on me. I am used to the stares, the glares, the whispers, the harrassment and even the foul name calling, but now, I am experiencing something I never have before.
Everywhere I turn I read “ISLAMOPHOBIA”, The Church pastor planning on burning MY HOLY BOOK, the falsely labeled “Ground-zero Mosque” and all of the pure hatred being spread. I compare it to the black plague, except worse. At least with the plague, it was a medical epidemic that was out of humans’ control. This however is being controlled and fueled by humans. And it is spreading: across the land, through many generations and then across the waters around the nation. This is scary for me. It is scary for my friends, family and I am sure for all the other believers of Islam. I have never considered myself “non- American” but based on how my beliefs are being wrongly attacked and no accountability, I do not feel American. I am made to be an outsider, one who does not belong…and for what? Because of my beliefs and how I dress? I have never caused harm to any individual nor do I ever plan to, just like the vast majority of Muslims everywhere. This is unfair, it is hurtful and it should not be accepted by Americans. True Americans stand with their people no matter their race, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation and ability. There is no boundary or rules on the American vision that this country was founded on.
We have faced as a United Nation these types of social justice issues before, and we have overcome and succeeded, and this time we need to again as a UNITED NATION stand up for justice and represent our values as Americans. Stand up against this horrible act of the Quran burning, which brings tears to my eyes just thinking about it, stand up to this notion of “ISLAMOPHOBIA” and stand tall that we are all Americans and our differences are what bring us together. I urge you all to just stand up and speak out.
Thank you,
Isra Chaker
Dear Mr. Chaker,
Your frustration and pain are understandable. However, as Americans, all of us have migrated here. During WWI and WWII, to avoid ostracizing, my grandfather had to change his name because he was of German ancestory. The Japanese were also viewed with hostility. You have to understand, that people are only human in their fears and anger. No where in the text of your letter, did I read anything criticizing or judging the Islamic terrorist attacks on the U.S. When a nation, people, and religion declare war, there is a price to pay. And like the innocent deaths of 911, unfortunately, innocents pay on the other side. You do understand, the concept of war? Did you expect Americans to roll over and turn a blind eye when 3000 innocent people died? Those people did not set the policies of the U.S. government; they were janitors, secretaries, and clerks.
I know, your response will be ‘not all Moslems’ are terrorists. True, to a degree, but I have read the Quran, and verbal semantics do not fool me. Much like the so-called mighty Vikings of the Western past, your military ‘chivalry’ is concentrated on terrorist attacks against innocent people and defenseless institutions. This is war? Is that the Moslem definition of brave Islamic ‘warriors’? For such as those, there are no 72 virgins waiting. By the way, ’72’ is a number connected to astronomy, and has nothing to do with any ‘virgins’ in a Valkrie orgy.
Sadly, Mr. Chaker, you and I are only pawns in a very large game, and Islam is being used, not for God, but for a different agenda. In Arabic, Sadek means a friend, in another semetic language, Sadek means righteous. Your people have forgotten what Mohammed said about the treatment of the People of the Book. Islam is just a tool to destroy the West. Once you have done the dirty work for them, Mr. Chaker, they will destroy you. Am I wrong? Ask yourself, in one example, why do Western Masonic Shriner’s use the motif of the Islamic star and crescent, the Alem, ‘the world the universe’, with the scimitar – it means to conquer the world with the sword. Take the old Soviet symbol of the sickle and hammer. Take off the handles, what stylized design do you see. Think. Are the Communist-Socialist-Progressives really Islam’s friend, or are you being used?
BTW, Mr. Chaker, your Mahdi will come out of Islam, but will have a Western Christian background (no, Obama’s background does not qualify). His country and people are known. The place of the Mahdi’s appearance upon the world stage is designated. Kill all the Christians, and he will not manifest.
If I may say softly. Quit your whining, Mr. Chaker, and seek knowledge and wisdom. Show that you are an American. For though the forces of evil are bent on destroying this country, it will again rise as a phoenix. That is in prophecy also.
Marieann
Are you, Mr. Chaker, the Righteous Friend? A Friend of God?
Marieann