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Tag: career

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“Call Me When I’m Welcome”

by weredefy
Posted on November 27, 2018November 27, 2018

Han Ju Seo, a senior at Washington University in St. Louis, looked down at the…

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With the #BurstYourBubble opportunity to win $500 closing, we would like to showcase one out of the several outstanding submissions we received on the 19th (To clarify: We are still ACCEPTING & ENCOURAGING the recording of videos to be FEATURED on our socials!). ⁣ Featured here is @anika.ny, founder of @theactivistexpress (a teen-curated organization that encourages political proactivity through journalism and networking) who, through light-hearted but grounding conversation, was able to find her innermost, expressive voice.⁣ ⁣ From this, she became her own heroine in the face of a distressing, polarizing, and antipathetic social climate by fostering a multi-partisan and multi-opinionated dialogue, meant to construct unity in the face of divisiveness. ⁣ ⁣ As evidenced through Anika’s Instagram caption (Check it out on her page, @anika.ny!) #BurstYourBubble is not solely combatting polarization and social isolationism (however, that is one of its main tenets) — it is about coaxing people to find comfort in using their own voice to start constructive conversations, tackle insecurities/disparities, and maximize their interpersonal potential by fostering dialogue. 🗣⁣ ⁣ Peeking out of your comfort zone has never been or felt this rewarding. ⁣ ⁣ Mending the schisms in our current social and political culture has never felt this satisfying or hope-inducing. ⁣ ⁣ Popping perspectives...⁣ ⁣ Shattering ideological echo-chambers...⁣ ⁣ Bursting both metaphorical and real bubbles... ⁣ ⁣ Has never felt this REVITALIZING. ⁣ ⁣ We at Redefy want to extend a heartfelt, gratuitous “Thank You!” to all of those who were involved/participated in our #BurstYourBubble campaign — whether it was through a partnership, advertisement, sending in a video submission, etc. Each of you, both ostensibly and behind the scenes, have played a major role in MAKING this campaign. Together, we have given platforms to young trailblazers, incited a revolutionizing, widespread cultural epiphany, and made the world a better place — one conversation at a time. NEXT STOP: The #BurstYourBubble Privilege & Perspective Conference in NYC! ⁣ ⁣ [Stay tuned for more #BurstYourBubble-related updates!]

School is one of the best places for both educators and students to become increasingly aware of mental health.⁣ ⁣ And, the #BurstYourBubble social campaign is one of the best conduits for an insightful, constructive, and honest exchange to occur between mentor and mentee, teenager and adult, and student and teacher to occur under the guidance of understanding, empathy, and curiosity — as evidenced by this recording of @stu_voice’s eloquent and lovely Megan Simmons (Director of Strategy / @megan.simmons_ ) and an anonymous teacher.⁣ ⁣ Conversations like these — those that bridge divides instead of feed into them — are important. ⁣ ⁣ By coaxing people into entertaining divergent perspective, teaching them to engage with civility and an open-mind, and providing hands-on experience as to how to thoughtfully listen and productively communicate, we create a sociopolitical culture in which people are more dedicated to celebrating variety rather than derailing it. Championing the balance of ideas both new and old alongside amplifying the importance of positive dialogue allows us to build a better world — one bubble-bursting idea at a time. ⁣ ⁣ (FRIENDLY REMINDER: #BurstYourBubble is closing up its submission box on APRIL 19TH, this FRIDAY; make sure to TAG us (@weredefy) in your videos [whether its a fully-fleshed out conversation with someone or a clip of you bursting a literal/metaphorical bubble and saying “#BurstYourBubble today!”]. Once the straggling submissions have been compiled, our team of directors will be assessing the videos accordingly. The TOP 10 #BurstYourBubble videos will receive a $500 CASH PRIZE — and, a fair margin of social clout!) ⁣ ⁣ #BurstYourBubble now, today, and everyday! 🥳

In blurry and chaotic smartphone footage, a Muslim student and another girl tumble to the ground in a flurry of blows, and a teacher tries to break up the fight.⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ The mayor of East Brunswick called the racially-charged and religiously-motivated altercation a “bias incident,” all-too willingly doling out punishments — to BOTH students.⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ However, the attacker — a girl who was supposedly irate over the Muslim teen sitting in her seat — was charged with simple assault. The school administrators once again regurgitated sentiment-less argumentation, stating (as to the robotic T) that the district “does not tolerate any incidents of bias, discrimination, harassment, intimidation or bullying and takes swift action if such an event occurs”. ⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ However, if a educational institution, a place in which students not only learn academically but socially, fails to remain judiciously stern in the face of a BLATANTLY ISLAMOPHOBIC hate crime, how can we expect our systems to change? Our biases to be deconstructed? Our glorified presumption of “equality for all” in the “land of the free” and the basic guaranteeing of civil rights to become another ornate, hand-scripted element that has no moral standing? ⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ We can no longer afford to minimize local incidents like these in which marginalized teens — marginalized people — are being forced to grapple with indolence & irreverent suspicion wherever they go.⁣ ⁣ Tossing targeted incidents like these under the rug in order to idolize other “mainstream” activist issues is not “doing it for the greater good”; it is erasure and diminishment, no matter if it is done subconsciously or consciously. ⁣ ⁣ It is our duty as citizens apart of a collective to not only bring light to nationalized issues, but also those within our own states, provinces, districts, as hometowns; these incidents are ones not only uniquely personalized, but also are a reflective microcosm of larger, more iniquitous societal prejudices that have committed to sewing unabashed paranoia & disconcertment in the hearts of us, the people. ⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ In order for us to have a perfect union, we must continue to PREACH and PRACTICE the wonder that is grassroots activism.

Contact Information

Please feel free to e-mail us at contact.redefy@gmail.com with anything at all!

You can also always reach out to anyone on our leadership team:

Ziad Ahmed (Founder): ziad@redefy.org

Julia Chang (Executive Director): juliachang201@gmail.com

James Wellemeyer: james.wellemeyer@gmail.com

We look forward to hearing from you!

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