The Diversity and Social Justice Project (DSJP) is a multifaceted initiative intended to “offer students, staff, and members of the broader Hamilton community the intellectual and moral tools for becoming global citizens and compassionate human beings.”
Specifically, the DSJP aims to raise awareness regarding the issues of race, class, gender, sexuality and other diversity topics. In addition to sponsoring lectures, curricular initiatives and community work, DSJP also provides a number of summer research grants for students to study a variety of issues pertaining to diversity and social justice.
This summer, the DSJP is sponsoring five students for national and international research projects aimed broadening our understanding of diversity and social justice topics. The sheer breadth of these student’s topics of research is indicative not only of their broad interests and innovative approaches, but also of the wide range of topics to which that diversity and social justice research applies.
Stephanie Lang ’14 will spend the summer interning at the SafeHouse Center in Ann Arbor, Mich. The SafeHouse Center is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing support for those who suffer from domestic violence and sexual assault by providing emergency shelter, counseling, legal advice and support groups. Lang will be working on a variety of projects that are essential to the day-to-day operations of the SafeHouse Center.
Eunice Choi ’14 will travel to South Korea for the summer to intern at the World Wide Organization of Organic Famers (WWOOF). Choi will visit and work at a variety of organic farms in South Korea in an effort to better understand the issue of environmental justice – the fair treatment of all people regardless of race, gender, national origin or income with regard to environmental laws and policies – as it applies to rural organic farmers.
Alison Ritacco ’14 will spend the summer in Clearwater, Fla., where her work will expand the boundaries of social justice into the animal kingdom. Ritacco will be interning with the Suncoast Animal League, a non-profit, no-kill animal shelter which takes in unwanted, abused and abandoned animals. The Suncoast League also specializes in providing assistance to traumatized animals and in helping pet owners to solve common pet problems so that fewer animals are abandoned to begin with.
Shakil Hossain ’14 will intern at the Hope Foundation for Women and Children of Bangladesh in Miami, Fla. Hossain will work as an administrative assistant, working on fundraising for the Hope Foundation’s medical, educational, and disaster relief onsite programs in Bangladesh. Hossain will also have the opportunity to engage in grant writing and to serve as a representative for the Hope Foundation in various non-profit meetings.
Asad Javed ’15 will intern at the DAR-UL-SHAFQAT orphanage in Lahore, Pakistan. Javed’s work will involve starting the summer program Colors Combine: Reconstructing Social Thought through a Pragmatic Lens. Because the Colors Combine program aims to inform young people about the issues of race and society, its impact will be central to the mission of the DJSP.
The Diversity and Social Justice Project research grants span four countries and cover topics ranging from environmental justice to issues of gender and race. The work of these dedicated students will no doubt expand the Hamilton community’s knowledge and awareness of diversity and social justice issues.
