By: Vixon "V-Jay" John, President I thought things were going to change, but it’s the same song, played on a different instrument. I would call myself an activist (notice, I didn’t use the word “label”). I feel when I talk about making moves on campus or creating unity to the “leaders,” the message falls on deaf ears. What’s the point of saying that we all need to come together and unite, then when it actually comes to making it happen, nobody wants to respond?
After the drastic budget cuts that effected mainly the organizations of color during Spring ’07 and hearing everyone complain and argue about its injustice, I’ve been preaching about how all of these groups need to come together and increase communication. Being proactive about these issues are more important than waiting for something to happen. This is when my idea for SAPC (Student Association for People of Color) came to life. Wanting to counter the SUNY New Paltz Student Association, my idea was for SAPC to become the underlying hub for all the organizations of color to increase communication and finally promote the unity that we need. Seeing that I didn’t want this coalition to be recognized by the Student Association, it was supposed to act as a general understanding for all these groups that it’s time to get our shit together.
To make a long story short, I got one other person to help me out (thanks Wonder Woman) and we did make some leeway by being recognized at Black Solidarity Day, at a few programs and by only one organization (Much love to AWA!). But, when it came to us having meetings and actually getting down to work (which wasn’t hard work) however, NOBODY would show up for our meetings or participate to help achieve our goals of unity. There were times a few people came out (the highest number being nine), but for the most part, people preached the same hymns of “we gotta come together” and “it’s time to get things done.” Safe to say, these same people didn’t come to another meeting. What happened to the passion that these so called “activists” had when shit was hitting the fan? I thought that by creating SAPC, there would finally be something for all of us to use to come together instead of working separately. Guess I was wrong.
On this campus, we have so many resources of information and connections with organizations outside of the campus to start a real revolution; a revolution of progress. Whichever cause we believe in, there is an organization on campus that supports that cause and helps to make a difference. This whole revolution thing is not impossible, it’s just people don’t want to commit the work necessary in making it happen. We all seem to be traveling in different circles, but never merging (like those van diagrams you use to do in elementary school). This could be due to our egos getting in the way or the disparity between those who are too involved and those who hardly involved at all. Every program I go to, the same “activists” come out and the same ol’ song of unity is sung, but now, it’s time to stop preaching to the choir, but to start teaching the choir how to preach. It’s these hypocrites that make me feel that my journey of getting into activism and fighting for change was all for nothing.
I was talking to an old activist friend that I haven’t seen in a while and I explained to her about how the real activists that are left on campus are doing everything and there is only a few people showing interest in carrying on the activist legacy New Paltz is known for. It was so good to talk to someone who actually understood where I was coming from. I realized that I’ve been so active for these past couple of years that I haven’t given a chance for other people to step up and take over. I’ve been trying to hold onto the torch for so long, but I need to start handing it off to the upcoming revolutionaries, whom will have to go through the same trials and tribulations that I went through. I can only hope and pray that this new age of activists coming up in this school (wherever they are) don’t get into activism and suffer the same fate I have.
But in the end, I guess you were right, Florest…
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