"Where is the Justice in Social Justice?" -Rocio Meza
Social Justice means justice in terms of the distribution of wealth, opportunities, and privileges within a society. I don’t disagree with the definition, but when I think of Social Justice. Social Justice means a society coming together as one to challenge injustice and valuing differences. On May 13, 2001, fourteen people living in the Little Village neighborhood organized a hunger strike. The hunger strike begun because a construction of a new high school was promised, but had been on hold. Took nineteen days until it increased pressure on the school district. Four years later, the Little Village Lawndale High School Campus had been built for hundreds of students in the fall of 2005. Social Justice (Sojo) High School is one of the four schools on Campus. In 2012, Sojo staged a sit in, organized a community meeting, and skipped classes to fight for justice for our Sojo staff members. The principal, teachers and advanced placement classes were in the process of being replaced. Sojo students sat down in front of their lockers for five class periods without saying a word. Demanded to meet with the West Side High School Network.
The meeting in August, the community was forbidden to attend. During the meeting, Marissa Velasquez who replaced the principal, tried justifying the action of a student leader. After justifying the action, she refused to let a senior student, Rocio Meza to read a poem, The Voice. The crowd was responsible for Velasquez leaving her platform. In the end of August, students took action to rally and march through the neighborhood. Not only was there students from Sojo, but students from World Language and parents as well. Before 2012, the words social justice didn't have a specific meaning to me, but within the four years of attending Social Justice High School, it became important. Being involved in a school who not only teaches the basics of math, reading, and science, but teaches the history of our brothers and sisters and what they brought to our beautiful school. We are taught the importance of sticking to what we believe in and how to be heard. “We were born out of struggle, the struggle continues!” Now I feel like my voice can be heard and my voice matters. I believe I’m a person that can help make a difference for the better. Before I thought you had to be someone special to get your point across, but I realized anyone can achieve if they don’t give up. There’s always going to be injustice in society. Too many controversy and too many opinions that won’t come together to agree. Laws discriminate among justice. The system of rules of which prevents actions.
The meeting in August, the community was forbidden to attend. During the meeting, Marissa Velasquez who replaced the principal, tried justifying the action of a student leader. After justifying the action, she refused to let a senior student, Rocio Meza to read a poem, The Voice. The crowd was responsible for Velasquez leaving her platform. In the end of August, students took action to rally and march through the neighborhood. Not only was there students from Sojo, but students from World Language and parents as well. Before 2012, the words social justice didn't have a specific meaning to me, but within the four years of attending Social Justice High School, it became important. Being involved in a school who not only teaches the basics of math, reading, and science, but teaches the history of our brothers and sisters and what they brought to our beautiful school. We are taught the importance of sticking to what we believe in and how to be heard. “We were born out of struggle, the struggle continues!” Now I feel like my voice can be heard and my voice matters. I believe I’m a person that can help make a difference for the better. Before I thought you had to be someone special to get your point across, but I realized anyone can achieve if they don’t give up. There’s always going to be injustice in society. Too many controversy and too many opinions that won’t come together to agree. Laws discriminate among justice. The system of rules of which prevents actions.
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