Dear President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris Christopher Hall Course: Anthropology of Social Movements Professor: Lilian Milanés, Community and Social Justice Studies Student: Christopher Hall Essay: Dear President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris
Assignment: Within the individual research portion of this course, students were able to choose and connect with a social movement at the community, city, state, or federal level. The course’s final assignment asked students to engage with what they have learned and to use their
coursework and their own research to explore letter writing as an activist tool. Choices for this assignment included writing an op-ed or an open letter, or a letter to an elected official.
Final Letter Assignment Description: Social movements often start with a particular issue, such as: a discriminatory piece of legislation or policy; a social issue (inequities in education, affordable housing, healthcare access, etc.); or an issue affecting a certain community on campus or in your neighborhood. What current social movements have you observed around you? Are there particular organizations or community groups that are especially active where you live? Is there an issue you have observed in your community or everyday life that you would like to draw more attention to? Are there particular organizations or community groups that are especially involved with this topic? Within the individual research portion of this course, you will be able to choose and connect with a social movement--
at the community, city, state, or federal level--and engage with what you have learned in this course. As the final ‘paper’ for this course, we will explore letter writing as an activist tool. Following along with the social movement of your choosing (affecting people at the community, city, state, or federal level), your letters should be informed by your coursework and your own research. You may choose to write either: (1) An op-ed or an open letter, or (2) a letter to an elected official.
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