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Public Praxis Journal
Civil Rights Movement/Religious Studies
December 3rd, 2009
Caela Provost
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"In Germany they came first for the Communists, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a
Communist. Then they came for the Jews, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Jew.
Then they came for the trade unionists, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a trade
unionist. Then they came for the Catholics, and I didn't speak up because I was a
Protestant. Then they came for me, and by that time no one was left to speak up."
~Pastor Martin Niemöller~
Introduction to the Praxis Activities
Taken Spring of 2008-Habitat for Humanity
Before I begin my entrees for my Public Praxis Journal, I feel it is important to
say that I find an assignment such as this very important to not only higher learning, but
also for a greater understanding of humanity. I have always believed that it is more
important for individuals to learn how to act than to merely learn of the acts of others.
(Although learning the acts of others is of critical importance.)
This being said, the following are entrees describing my feelings on my three
praxis movements: “Take Back The Night,” “Hunger Banquet,” and “To Write Love on
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Her Arms.” They include quotes and information from and on the movements as well as
my feelings and inclinations towards each issue.
When Juan Williams, author of the series “Eyes on the Prize,” came to our class
to speak to us, he stated that, concerning young people, achieving peace and justice in
today’s society “…starts in terms of their education and it starts in terms of their
values.” 1 I know that my participation in my praxis activities has taught me a great deal
about the importance of attaining knowledge of current human rights and civil rights
issues in order to change the world for the better…I hope my reader(s) will learn
something from my experiences as well.
Entry # 1: “Take Back the Night”
October 20th, 2009
The following words are written on the main page of the official “Take Back the
Night” website:
Welcome to Take Back the Night. A place free from sexual assault and
abuse. We invite you to become part of the solution, part of the end to
1
Direct Quote from “Eyes on the Prize” author, Juan Williams
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sexual violence. Here is a place to take a stand, a place to break the
silence. Here we can Take Back the Night! 2
The above words inspire hope and courage in those who are taking a stand against
sexual abuse, both victims and otherwise. I have been lucky enough to go to Marist
College’s “Take Back the Night” three out of my four years of college. I attended the
movement my freshman, sophomore, and senior year.
Every year I am literally moved to tears hearing the stories of women and men
who are affected by sexual violence. Their stories are powerful for so many reasons but,
most importantly, the stories show people that victims are willing to “shatter their
silence” for not only themselves, but for other people. Even though they can’t change
what happened to them, they can fight so others won’t have to feel the same pain,
sadness, and fear that they did after their abuse.
“Take Back the Night” has always been especially important to me for many
reasons, some which have come into light more recently. I greatly admire those victims
who share their stories so that others might escape the horrors of sexual abuse or find the
strength to speak out and get help. I feel as though these people are shining examples of
taking a personal crisis and turning it into a way to protect and help others.
Although it was due to a different form of violence, after my uncle’s suicide
during the fall of my sophomore year of high school, I became an advocate of sorts for
children and teens dealing with suicide. I spoke about my experience as a teen affected
2
http://www.takebackthenight.org/
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by a loved one’s suicide in attempt to reach both students affected by suicide and students
with thoughts of suicide.
Later, I volunteered at the counseling center at my high school, and here at Marist
I participated in a student film called “Pressing Depression” written and directed by
Jeffrey Hogan; the film spoke on the affects depression had on those dealing with the
illness, and those dealing with the aftermath of the atrocities committed due to
depression. A talk back was held after the viewing of the film and students, including
myself, shared personal stories with the viewers.
As mentioned above, my experience with a loved one’s suicide isn’t a case of
sexual violence. However, the way both forms of violence, my uncle’s death and the
sexual abuse cases heard about during “Take Back the Night,” were dealt with connects
the two. They exemplify the importance of taking a stand and helping others deal and
prevent tragedies and violence.
I also feel connected to “Take Back the Night” for another reason. My junior
year at Marist, I went to a party. I thought I could trust all the people I was partying with,
so when I went to the bathroom I put my drink down on the table. I came back, and
unknowingly finished a drink spiked with a date rape drug. I remember very little of my
night after that moment. Fortunately, I was one of the few lucky people who escaped a
situation involving such drugs with only cuts, scrapes, and bruises from falling and
tripping in my attempt to get home.
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While I was spared any sexual violence, I know that there are people every day
who are not so lucky. I feel like participating in the march and the “speak out” during
“Take Back the Night” allows me to help, if only in a small way, stop sexual violence. In
a way participating in this present day movement is similar to past movements,
specifically those acted in and planned by the brave individuals who fought for Civil
Rights in the mid-nineteen hundreds. Like the Civil Rights activists, participants in
“Take Back The Night” rally to stop non-violence in a non-violent way.
Entry # 2: “The Hunger Banquet”
November 11th, 2009
I was fortunate enough to participate in Marist College’s annual Hunger Banquet,
a charity event put on to raise money for and awareness of world hunger. Going to the
Hunger Banquet is always quite a humbling experience. The whole night really brings
world hunger into perspective for students, faculty, and staff in a way that mere words
cannot.
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The quote below, taken from the Feeding America website, sheds light upon the
hunger in our own country that we often turn a blind eye to.
In many ways, America is the land of plenty. But for 1 in 8 Americans,
hunger is a reality. Many people believe that the problems associated with
hunger are confined to small pockets of society, certain areas of the
country, or certain neighborhoods, but the reality is much different. 3
The most disheartening aspect of the above words is that they describe just the
hunger issues faced by the United States of America. If we, a country considered part of
the first world, are facing such hunger issues, what is it like for those in the second world
or the third world?
The Hunger Banquet allows those who attend to get a “small taste” of the reality
of poverty and hunger in our world. Those who attend pay a straight fee of $3 per meal
and choose randomly out of a bowl “their fate” so to speak. Each person is placed at a
table or chair based on their choice of either the first, second, or third world. Those lucky
enough to choose the first world are served a full meal, complete with bread, salad, a
main course, and dessert. People placed in the second world get a shared salad and a
shared main course. Students, faculty, staff, and volunteers who chose the third world
make up the majority of the people in the room; however, these people sit only in chairs,
and are served a small bowl of rice, a piece of bread, and a glass of water.
I was placed in the third world, and I can honestly say that the amount of food
given to me was not enough to take away my hunger. I was lucky enough to have a
3
http://feedingamerica.org/faces-of-hunger/hunger-101.aspx
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friend at a first class table who, in keeping with “share what we can spare” philosophy,
gave me some of her serving. I then shared that with the people around me.
I think the aspect of the Hunger Banquet that touched me the most was that the
group of us who were placed in the third world represented the people who were able to
eat what we ate once a day; there are people in our city, our state, our country, and our
world that aren’t even given what we were given to eat. I felt guilty eating even my
small portion; even though I was hungry, I knew that there were people starving to death
at the same time as I was eating my bowl of rice. Many of those people would have given
anything for my bowl of rice: the bowl of rice I wasn’t satisfied with.
According to the World Food Program the following are statistics that represent
the horrible reality of hunger:
•
Every six seconds a child dies because of hunger and
related causes
•
Undernutrition contributes to 53 percent of the 9.7 million
deaths of children under five each year in developing
countries. This means that one child dies every six seconds
from malnutrition and related causes.
•
907 million people in developing countries alone are
hungry
•
1.02 billion people do not have enough to eat - more than
the populations of USA, Canada and the European Union 4
4
http://www.wfp.org/hunger/stats
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We as a people need to take a stand against world hunger. Every small step CAN
make a difference. We are not powerless in the movement. One person can make a
difference. The Hunger Banquet was a small step…but one that has no doubt raised
awareness of the issue of world hunger and a desire to change things for the better.
Entry # 3: “To Write Love on Her Arms”
November 13th, 2009
This year, the movement “To Write Love on her Arms” took place on Friday
November 13th, 2009. Simply put, “To Write Love on Her Arms” is a movement that
exemplifies and promotes exactly what its name suggests: LOVE.
The quote below is the mission statement of the movement “The Write Love on
Her Arms.”
MISSION STATEMENT:
To Write Love on Her Arms is a non-profit movement dedicated to
presenting hope and finding help for people struggling with depression,
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addiction, self-injury and suicide. TWLOHA exists to encourage, inform,
inspire and also to invest directly into treatment and recovery. 5
The movement is simple: take one day to write the word “love” on your arms...in
doing so you become a symbol of hope and love for those who feel that they have lost
both. The movement is testament to the fact that you can change the world for the better
by doing small acts; by merely writing the word “love” on your arm you can change
someone’s life or save someone’s life.
As I mentioned in my first entry, I have dealt with the loss of someone due to
suicide. I know too well and understand too fully what suicide and depression can do to a
family. That’s why this movement, though straightforward and easy, is so incredibly
vital. I chose to write love on my arms for my uncle and all those who are dealing with
depression and/or suicide. Everyone deserves to feel loved and to feel like life is worth
living. If I can play any role, big or small, in helping people realize their own
worth…than I can go to sleep at night with a feeling of hope for those who struggling to
find their own.
Conclusion
The following words were spoken by Freedom Rider Jim Peck in the year 1961.
He spoke these words immediately following a brutal beating in Birmingham that he
received by trying to make a non-violent stand for peace.
I think it is particularly important at this time when it has become national
news that we continue and show that nonviolence can prevail over
violence. 6
5
6
http://www.twloha.com/vision/
Eyes on the Prize p. 149
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I think that Peck’s words still hold true today. If a non-violent group of individuals can
make a stand together for Civil Rights at a time of racism, danger, and turmoil, then I
have no doubts that the citizens of the United States can take non-violent stands for peace
and justice in today’s world.
The path may not be clear, the road may not be easy, but it is my belief that all it
takes to promote positive change in our world is for one person to stand up for what we
all know is just. ONE PERSON can make a difference. ONE PERSON speaking out
against rape and sexual violence can change the lives of others. ONE PERSON dedicated
enough to become more aware of and give support to the fight against world hunger can
help save a child in need. ONE PERSON who has the courage to share his/her story
about suicide or depression can help raise awareness for others and perhaps even give
hope to those who are hopeless. ONE PERSON has enough power to make a
difference…all that person needs to do is start believing in the power of peace, tolerance,
love, and hope.
Thank you for giving me the opportunity to be that “ONE PERSON.” I hope that
what I’ve written in this journal, though brief, will inspire others to live their lives to the
fullest not only for themselves, but also for others. Thank you for the opportunity to
participate in such activities. Even more importantly, thank you for allowing me to gain
a new belief and a new hope in the idea that ONE PERSON can make a difference.
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Works Cited
Eyes on the Prize America's Civil Rights Years (1965-1985). Prod. Blackside.
"Hunger 101." Feeding America. Web. 17 Nov. 2009. <http://feedingamerica.org/facesof-hunger/hunger-101.aspx>.
"Hunger Stats |." WFP | United Nations World Food Programme - Fighting Hunger
Worldwide. Web. 17 Nov. 2009. <http://www.wfp.org/hunger/stats>.
Take Back the Night. Web. 17 Nov. 2009. <http://www.takebackthenight.org/>.
"To Write Love on Her Arms Vision." To Write Love on Her Arms Home. Web. 17 Nov.
2009. <http://www.twloha.com/vision/>.
Williams, Juan. Eyes on the Prize America's Civil Rights Years 1954-1965. New York:
Viking, Penguin, 1987. Print.
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Photos were taken from the following links:
http://www.rps.psu.edu/probing/graphics/hunger.jpg
http://www-scf.usc.edu/~chard/pilotimages/take-back-the-night-poster.jpg
http://majoritymag.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/04/twloha.jpg
If you or someone you know is suffering from abuse go to (or call):
http://www.boystown.org/
Boys Town National Hotline
Phone: 1-800-448-3000
http://www.ndvh.org/
http://www.centeragainstdv.org/
To make a donation to the fight for hunger or find help when in need go to:
http://www.thehungersite.com/
https://my.care.org/
http://feedingamerica.org/
If you or someone you know is depressed or feeling suicidal go to (or call):
http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org/
1-800-273-TALK (8255)
If you are having troubles dealing with a loved one’s suicide go to:
http://www.road2healing.com/
~or~
TALK to someone…a family member, friend, support group, counselor…getting
help is a sign of strength NOT weakness
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PRAXIS FILE
PRAXIS SITE(S): Marist College
ADDRESS/PHONE: Marist College
3399 North Rd.
Poughkeepsie, NY
12601
School #: (845) 575-3000
PARTICIPANT’S NAME: Caela Anne Provost
PHONE #: (978) 895-8830
COURSE/PROJECT: Religious Studies ST: Civil Rights
ACTIVITIES:
Take Back the Night ~ October 20th, 2009
•
Student Run = NO SITE DIRECTOR
Hunger Banquet ~ November 11th, 2009
•
Signed sheet at banquet for attendance
To Write Love On Her Arms ~ November 13th, 2009
•
Global movement done independently = I am my own site director
COMMENTS: (to be written by Professor Mar)
Signature (Professor):
Signature of Participant: