There are many noble causes out there that need support, so here is a list of ways that you can support your cause and do activism in Bowling Green and the surrounding area.
1. Volunteer your time
Volunteering is an incredibly important part of activism because nothing will be changed without hard work. There are many volunteer opportunities available in Bowling Green. Here are some places you can give your time:
• The Cocoon- a domestic violence shelter in Bowling Green, they also take donations of toiletries and other necessary items
• URGE- a reproductive rights group that works to provide sex education and safe abortions
• Wood County Humane Society- help out animals who are looking for a home
• Food Pantries- located in various churches around Bowling Green, pick what looks right to you!
• Not In Our Town- a group based in Bowling Green whose goal is to end hate
If these don’t appeal to you, Google something you are passionate about!
2. Go on an Alternative Break
The University offers the chance to travel to different places around the country during school breaks, like Fall or Spring Break, and give to that community. Here are the opportunities for this spring break:
•Living off the grid (Boone, NC): Woodland Harvest Mountain Farm is a permaculture farm that is self-sustaining. This aims to teach about “community building and environmental stewardship,” according to the University’s website.
• Refugee resettlement (Richmond, VA): Students will help the International Rescue committee resettle, educate, integrate and employ refugees in America
• Conserving Carolina (Hendersonville, NC): This trip is to “help conserve the lands and natural resources of the Carolina Mountains,” according to the University’s website.
3. Donate your money
As important as giving your time is, when it comes to supporting a cause, money might be even more important. Money gets things done and gives people more opportunities, so consider donating to a cause you support. Here are some places you can donate:
• Everything mentioned in this article!
• Harvey House in Northwest Ohio: Harvey House, named after Harvey Milk, is a drop-in or community center for LGBTQ+ youth, and it is the only one in Northwest Ohio.
• Family House: They provide safe housing and social services to homeless families in Northwest Ohio.
• Social Services for the Arab Community (SSFAC): They help the Arab community, either immigrants or refugees, in Northwest Ohio empower themselves.
If you don’t have a lot of money to give, but have time, you can raise money through a bake sale or online crowdfunding site for your cause.
4. Educate yourself and others
The most important thing about being an activist is being educated about what you care about. Education about your cause will help you better to understand what needs to be done. Also, take time to educate yourself on something you don’t know a lot about. Here are a few causes you may not know about:
• Learn about the prison-industrial complex and how it is affecting many poor Americans and Americans of color. The Prison Activist Resource Center is an activist group that fights against it. The NCAAP in Toledo has a prison branch that aims to eliminate the “cycle of incarceration,” according to PARC.
• We all know about climate change, but do we really know what it is and how to stop it? Ohio Citizen Action mobilizes people to advocate for public interests, including supporting clean energy and educating the community.
• Gerrymandering is a tactic used by politicians when redrawing legislative district boundaries, so they have the most seats in the next election. Fair Districts Ohio is an organization that wants to stop gerrymandering in Ohio.
Ignorance is the cause of a lot of the problems in the world, so educate yourself and then, in turn, educate those around you.
5. Tell the University what you want
The University cares what students want; we are the ones paying the bills, so if you approach the University with what you want with support from your fellow students, it can be done. The multicultural and LGBTQ+ resource center was moved into the Union because students pushed the University to put it there. It took many students, many years and staff support, but it got done.
If you see a problem you can use the See It. Hear It. Report It. function. If you have a specific program or problem fixed on campus, you can email Rodney Rogers, interim president, or Thomas Gibson at Student Affairs.
6. Get involved in politics
An important part of making a change also comes in legislation and politics. Start going to city council meetings and even volunteer with the campaign or the office of one of the people on city council. Getting to know how the law works and how legislation can benefit your cause is instrumental in making a change.
7. Go to groups on campus
There are plenty of student organizations on campus that are great tools for social activism. There are many important social groups that work to lift up voices of marginalized identities. Here are some groups on campus:
• Black Student Union
• Latino Student Union
• Queer/Trans Student Union
• Feminist Organization Raising Consciousness and Empowerment
• National Alliance on Mental Illness
