Activist Groups May UNITE

More than 100 Harvard students interested in social and political activism packed the Winthrop Junior Common Room last night for UNITE!, a meeting to discuss the possibility of campus organizations forming a united front.

At the meeting, students brainstormed ways to bring together all the individual activist organizations on campus to produce a more effective voice.

Most of the activist groups on campus had representatives at the meeting, which was co-sponsored by about 25 activist groups including, most prominently, the Progressive Action Network (PAN), Education for Action (E4A) and the Radcliffe Union of Students.

Participants said they were excited to discuss activism with such a diverse group and to learn from the keynote speakers, Professor of Afro-American Studies Cornel R. West '74 and Faith E. Adiele '86, coordinator of E4A.

As a result of the meeting, five steps for the future were set forth to be taken within the next few weeks.

The participants agreed to dissolve PAN and subsequently meet several times in smaller groups to make plans for a replacement.

In addition, the organizers said they would send, via e-mail, a synopsis of last night's meeting and a list of times for the smaller group meetings to everyone in attendance.

After several smaller discussions, the general group will meet again. TS

Although not yet an official organization, the participants decided to endorse this Friday's Ethnic Studies Action Committee rally in their first joint action.

After the meeting broke down into group discussions, attendees talked about the potential for creating an "activism center"--a physical space, analogous to Phillips Brooks House or the Institute of Politics, where individual activist groups could compile information and resources.

Before the meeting, students expressed optimism that they could help to generate a unified front of activism at Harvard.

"I feel committed to helping foster real activism on campus," said Emily K. Hobson '97, a member of several student activist groups, including E4A and Strategic Offense Systems, and a participant in the conference."

Marco B. Simons '97, who chairs several student activist groups including the Burma Action Group, said he believes it is essential to bring together the "disjointed community" of student activists.

"We need to make sure that we're supporting each other and [that we] know where everyone is standing," he said.

"The attempt to build a coalition between progressive and radical activists on campus seemed like a very good one, and especially as it begins under the leadership of West and Adiele," said Jace Clayton '97, a member of SOS who attended the meeting. "There seems to be sort of an uprising of activism on campus, so I'm very hopeful."

During his address to the assembly, West addressed that hopefulness and urged students to continue to be courageous and make personal sacrifices for the benefit of society.

"I've never seen the hunger and thirst [of activism], especially among young people, that I've seen in this generation," he said.

Adiele described her own experiences as a student activist at Harvard in the mid-1980s and the problems faced by the organizations of which she was a member.

She told the group it is vital to become involved in the community outside Harvard and to maintain a lifetime of sustained commitment, instead of just a one-time movement

Although not yet an official organization, the participants decided to endorse this Friday's Ethnic Studies Action Committee rally in their first joint action.

After the meeting broke down into group discussions, attendees talked about the potential for creating an "activism center"--a physical space, analogous to Phillips Brooks House or the Institute of Politics, where individual activist groups could compile information and resources.

Before the meeting, students expressed optimism that they could help to generate a unified front of activism at Harvard.

"I feel committed to helping foster real activism on campus," said Emily K. Hobson '97, a member of several student activist groups, including E4A and Strategic Offense Systems, and a participant in the conference."

Marco B. Simons '97, who chairs several student activist groups including the Burma Action Group, said he believes it is essential to bring together the "disjointed community" of student activists.

"We need to make sure that we're supporting each other and [that we] know where everyone is standing," he said.

"The attempt to build a coalition between progressive and radical activists on campus seemed like a very good one, and especially as it begins under the leadership of West and Adiele," said Jace Clayton '97, a member of SOS who attended the meeting. "There seems to be sort of an uprising of activism on campus, so I'm very hopeful."

During his address to the assembly, West addressed that hopefulness and urged students to continue to be courageous and make personal sacrifices for the benefit of society.

"I've never seen the hunger and thirst [of activism], especially among young people, that I've seen in this generation," he said.

Adiele described her own experiences as a student activist at Harvard in the mid-1980s and the problems faced by the organizations of which she was a member.

She told the group it is vital to become involved in the community outside Harvard and to maintain a lifetime of sustained commitment, instead of just a one-time movement