Today, November 5th, 2007, is the launch of The Georgetown Progressive. The Progressive is a new web-based publication written by students at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. The Georgetown Progressive will be a publication providing commentary and analysis on national and campus issues alike, and will be available completely free at www.georgetownprogressive.com.
Recently, the GU College Democrats have launched a campus-wide initiative called the Progressive Coalition. The project aims to unite independent, progressive groups on campus with the common goal of engaging more students in democratic (and Democratic) activism. The initiative is run by the College Democrats, but look below the fold to learn about the other organizations involved and what you can do to help…
H*yas for Choice
Georgetown University’s unofficial and unrecognized (hence the asterisk) pro-choice, pro-reproductive rights health group. H*yas for Choice provides information on birth control and women’s health issues.
Georgetown Solidarity Coalition
Formed in the 1996-1997 school year to help university employees form a union, this worker’s rights group has continued to fight alongside campus workers, including recent support for DPS officers’ efforts to negotiate for better wages and benefits in spring 2007, and the Living Wage Campaign with campus janitors that climaxed in March 2005 with a hunger strike by 26 students, drawing national attention to the reality that many universities exploit low-wage workers.
GU Pride
Provides educational and support services to the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and ally (LGBTQA) communities at Georgetown. GU Pride also provides education, support and referral services to those exploring their sexual orientation and/or gender identity and other individuals sharing an interest in these issues.
Eco-Action
Eco Action club is dedicated to promoting environmental sustainability on campus. They focus on many issues such as recycling, energy consumption, the utilization of renewable energy sources, and educating students on how to maintain environmentally sound habits.
LEAD
Leaders in Education About Diversity (L.E.A.D.) is a dynamic peer education and leadership program. L.E.A.D. Activists work to raise awareness of prejudices in order to promote open interaction between people of all backgrounds and build a common understanding among a continually diversifying Georgetown University community.
There are many other campus groups which are getting involved, and we sincerely hope that more groups will join in our effort.
I hope you can all take a few minutes today to explore our site and let us know what you think! If you like what you see, pass it on to friends and family members. Hopefully, a few of you may even become regular readers.
The Georgetown Progressive represents a great example of student activism and bottom-up organizing, and it is a story I hope you find worthy of a “Rec.” Our publication is not a profit-seeking enterprise, and we merely ask for your help to raise awareness and bring readers to our site. Go check it out!
Wield the Pen,
Alex