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Food for Thought: Translating Social Consciousness into Civic Engagement

July 14, 2016 Simone Champagnie University of Baltimore

While millennials are very much interested in progressive social change, research suggests they aren’t utilizing conventional politics as a vehicle to drive that change. In 2008, approximately 59% of people between the ages of 18 and 24 were registered to vote and 49% actually voted1. Compare that to people between the ages of 45 and 54, 74% of which were registered and 67% of which actually voted (1).  Millennials are quickly becoming the largest American electorate yet they are less likely to vote in comparison to older generations (2). Instead, this generation block has practiced more social methods of change rather than civic.

Here at the University of Baltimore we are opening a food pantry for the use of our students, staff, and faculty. The idea was developed by students who not only saw the need but responded with action. Even students who reported that they didn’t foresee themselves needing a food pantry still acknowledged that food insecurity is a real and current issue for their peers and support the project. Many are willing to volunteer, donate, and assist the food pantry, increasing its chances of success. While the portion of students experiencing food insecurity may not be the majority, the majority of students rallied around and promoted the food pantry project.

Civic engagement may be on the decline in terms of student participation but I would argue that this doesn’t necessarily indicate moral apathy or a lack of citizenship. The main goal in encouraging civic engagement should be helping students understand that their disillusion with the politics doesn’t make the system any less real. Politics have been around for a very long time and aren’t diminishing in power any time soon. Teaching our students how to navigate the political arena will empower them to create solid changes for tomorrow’s generations.

If we want to encourage our students to be civically engaged we must first understand their moral code and develop civic-mindfulness around those codes. The concerns of our students are what will drive their passions which will in turn drive their actions and level of engagement. This generation must be reminded that they have a hand in their future, the future of the nation and the future of the world through civic engagement.  

Our food pantry is a positive implementation on a small scale for our university community, but it is not a permanent solution for the larger problem of national food insecurity. Our students obviously want to address the social and political problem of hunger and have been inspired to do so with the food pantry. The next step towards civic engagement may be encouraging our students to reach out as advocates within the political realm to address the shortcomings of welfare and the increase in food insecurity. Millennials are very aware of social injustices and many want to translate that awareness into action. Our goal is to help them learn traditional methods and develop innovative means to do so that align with the ethos of their generation.

Sources:

1.       http://www.census.gov/prod/2010pubs/p20-562.pdf

2.       http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2016/05/16/millennials-match-baby-boomers-as-largest-generation-in-u-s-electorate-but-will-they-vote/