How Moving 40 Miles South Changed My Perspective

By Minami Holman

I grew up in an affluent community that seemed to never let the worries of social justice penetrate its walls. My high school gave us a traditional education, especially during history class. Even though feminism has been a part of history since the early 1900’s, it was barely mentioned in my four years of high school. I did not know what the term feminism meant, let alone the vast history and contemporary issues surrounding it.Attending OSU has opened my eyes and mind to how the rest of the world operates in accordance with social concepts like sexism and racism. As widely contested baccore is among students, if it weren’t for those requirements I never would’ve taken my first WGSS course (which led me to taking two more in later terms). Nor would I have taken my first Ethnic Studies course--a field that I am now minoring in. I am grateful for the learning opportunities Oregon State University faculty and peers have given me. While the knowledge from the Difference, Power, and Discrimination baccore courses have significantly contributed to the widening in my perspective, the personal experiences of adversity shared by my peers have had the largest impact on my understanding of these social issues--and are what motivate me to continue to be an advocate.A college campus is an incredibly unique space because of its ability to encourage discussions for change on social issues that are important to that generation--even if the change is on a personal level. Programs like AYA are crucial that help to educate and empower women (and their allies) to support feminism in all of its intersectionalities.