When I was sixteen years old I had the amazing opportunity of attending RAN’s youth action camp that was right before the U.S. Social Forum in Atlanta, Georgia. I have to say this was an amazing experience that really helped shape me and how I view activism even today. The camp along with the Social Forum really gave me a sense of hope, a feeling that change is happening.
It’s hard to explain what the camp and forum were like. Intense would be one word that comes to mind. Mind blowing would be others. There is something to being around a ton of people who want to make the world a better place.
I felt more equipped as an activist but also as an individual when I got on the plane to return home after spending around a week and a half in Georgia. I was confronted with a lot of issues and perceptions I had never thought of before. Honestly, it was tough at times but not in a negative way. I felt young and often lost in a world that increasingly seemed more complicated but at the same time everything was making more sense then it ever had to me.
What was probably the biggest thing I took from the Camp and Social Forum was the idea that environmental justice and social justice are interconnected and one could even go as far as to say they are the same issue. I should explain that before coming to this camp I viewed social justice issues and environmental problems as completely separate. I mean, I cared about both issues but didn’t view them as connected or one in the same.
And honestly, although it was mentioned probably a million times before this activity, I didn’t make the connection until we did The Web. In short, everyone stands in a circle holding a piece of paper with an issue on it like mining or climate change. Someone starts out with a ball of string and passes it to someone who is holding an issue that relates to the issue the person holding the string until we developed a very complex web. It was amazing for me to see how everything connected.
Besides this fairly large, paradigm shifting realization, I learned a lot of practical things at the camp as well as the forum. The workshops were all awesome and addressed a wide variety of issues that expanded my world immensely. At the camp itself I learned how to organize a successful campaign using the steps that RAN uses and actually help facilitate a workshop at the Social Forum on youth organizing using them.
This description does not even begin to describe how incredible this experience was for me. I believe it to be one of the pivotal moments of my young life and although I will be unable to attend the next Social Forum, I am really stoked that other people will be able to have the opportunity I did when I went to the one in Atlanta.
Sorry all these pictures are of me they are the only ones I have.
I am currently attending school in Bar Harbor, Maine at College of the Atlantic. Along with the environment and social justice, I am also passionate about music and writing.
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RYSE is the youth branch of RAN, Rainforest Action Network, which works to protect the Earth and support human rights through education, grassroots organizing, and non-violent direct action.
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Arwyn,
I was so glad we met at RAN’s RYSE camp for the USSF in 2007! What an inspiring and skill-building week. Life-changing even…. now I work at RAN as the Grassroots Action Manager for the Forests Program. We all had an amazing time that truly helped chart our future paths. Can’t wait for the next one! Thanks for writing this awesome article.
I had a tremendous experience at a RAN training in the fall of 2008. It was co-hosted by SEAC and IEN. The training was the first time I learned about tar sands in depth and was inspired to take action locally against the industrial tar sands developments in Alberta. RAN helped me to articulate the relationship between social justice and environmental issues and especially to see the role of corporate power in this equation. I hope we can all use the tools we learned about at these trainings to spread our understanding of the issues at future gatherings!
I also want to say how excited I am for the Social Forum to be in Detroit. I went to school near Detroit and have some insights into the amazing organizing and activism that is happening in the city. What a great place to bring the world together to talk about justice and continue building it.
Hey Arwyn!
I just wanted to echo what you and Hillary said and say that that camp also changed my life. What an amazing week!
I remember the workshop you lead at the Forum, you were so on point! I remember being really impressed that you were one of the youngest people at the RAN camp and that you facilitated the workshop so well.
Hope to see you again soon at something! Looking forward to reading your posts.
Robin