ACTIVISM- Mobilizing individual or collective action to influence or change public opinion or policy
The #WoosterHomeForAll movement was started by a Wooster Student in the Fall of 2016 in response to a feeling of discord between students and community members. A silent demonstration of solidarity along Beall Avenue and a rally held downtown lead to the creation of the hashtag. The Center for Diversity and Inclusion encouraged faculty, staff, and local community members to post photos of themselves using the hashtag. Later a formal graphic was created with over 1,000 images being distributed in the greater Wooster community.
College towns across the country often experience various levels of tension between community members and the students who attend local colleges. Wooster is set on creating pathways of communication about this concern through the Bridging Beall Project.
The College reviews applications from students and community members and then places them into groups of six. The groups are purposefully designed to offer a wide range of background, identity, and political affiliation. Each group is led through a multi-week program that revolves around discussions of personal identity and a shared service project in the community. The goal of the program is to create allies for each respective group in their contrasting social circles.