Optimist
  • News
  • Sports
  • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Editorials
    • Letters to the Editor
  • Features
    • Book Review
  • Multimedia
    • Photo Galleries
    • Videos
  • Police Log
  • Print Edition
  • Projects
  • Classifieds
  • About
    • Advertise
    • Policies
    • Staff Contacts
    • Jobs
You are here: Home / News / Justice Week sees lower participation than past years
Members of IJM encouraged students to take part in various forums and seminars as part of International Justice Week (Photo by Lauren Franco)

Justice Week sees lower participation than past years

March 24, 2017 by Tori Aldana

Several speakers came to campus this week to highlight issues of injustice throughout the world for Justice Week. The week, sponsored by the Office of Spiritual Formation and the on-campus chapter of International Justice Mission (IJM), featured several forums and special events all relating to social causes.

Catlin Young, junior communications major from Dallas and co-president of the campus IJM chapter, was in charge of organizing the week.

This year’s Justice Week included as chapel speakers Brad Voss, executive director of Made in the Streets, Dr. Steven Moore, ACU professor of language and literature, and Danny Sims, executive director of Global Samaritan in Abilene.

Groups like Red Thread Movement have participated in Justice Week the past couple of years, as well as other organizations. However student organization participation was low this year, said Emily Counts, IJM chapter co-president.

“We had a hard time this year getting people involved,” said Counts, junior communications major from Abilene. Counts also said it was hard to find representative of student groups or when they did make contact the groups may have seemed interested at first but did not follow through.

An event called “Careers for the Common Good” took place Monday evening and was a discussion between students and current leaders in non-profit organizations on how to get a career in the field of justice.

“Salam’s Neighbor,” a movie about Syrian refugees and the reality they are facing was shown Tuesday night.

IJM on Thursday evening hosted a benefit concert at Mezamiz Coffee Shop, which included performances by Kaitlynd Satterfield and Weston Weast. Students also had the opportunity to write letters to national legislatures on the End Modern Slavery Initiative Act. The act was passed two years ago but never received funding. The letters encouraged funding in order for the act to work and showed an interest among constituents for social justice.

IJM is a global organization that helps pull people out of slavery and human trafficking situations. They prosecute those who are instigating trafficking and help police forces in places that have high trafficking rates so the activity doesn’t continue. IJM aims to raise awareness on slavery as well as the sex and human trafficking. Counts said most people know about these problems, but they are not pleasant to talk about.

“It’s easy for college students to live in a bubble where they are worried about passing classes and balancing social life,” she said. “But it is sometimes easy to forget that there are people who are having struggles in the world exponentially greater than those experiences.”

Counts said it is a duty for Christians to help people who are in dangerous or hurtful situations and use their privilege to help them.

“I think Justice Week is important. It’s kind of a gut check and a reminder to all of us that we live a very privileged and a very blessed life. And because we live a such a blessed life, we need to use our life to help others who weren’t born into the same situation as we were,” she said.

IJM helps the global IJM organization, based in Washington D.C., spread awareness, gain funding and get legislation passed.

Filed Under: News

Other News:

  • Annual Lunar New Year celebration held by ASO

  • Student life implements new software, updates rushing process

  • Conversations about extension of Brown Library hours continuing

About Tori Aldana

You are here: Home / News / Justice Week sees lower participation than past years

Other News:

  • Annual Lunar New Year celebration held by ASO

  • Student life implements new software, updates rushing process

  • Conversations about extension of Brown Library hours continuing

Follow us online

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Optimist on Twitter

acuoptimist The Optimist @acuoptimist ·
6h

BREAKING: Campus will be operating remotely in the morning. Any classes after 1 p.m. will be in person.

Reply on Twitter 1620939263557734401 Retweet on Twitter 1620939263557734401 Like on Twitter 1620939263557734401 Twitter 1620939263557734401
acuoptimist The Optimist @acuoptimist ·
31 Jan

BREAKING: Campus will continue operating remotely Wednesday due to continued icy conditions.

Reply on Twitter 1620523455421779970 Retweet on Twitter 1620523455421779970 Like on Twitter 1620523455421779970 1 Twitter 1620523455421779970

Optimist on Facebook

The Optimist

3 days ago

The Optimist
ACU’s Alpha Psi Omega chapter raised money for the Living Waters Charity by putting on a show in the span of 24 hours. See more photos from our gallery: ... See MoreSee Less

Gallery: 24-Hour Musical tells the heartwarming story of Junie B. Jones - Optimist

acuoptimist.com

ACU’s Alpha Psi Omega chapter raised money for the Living Waters Charity by putting on a show in the span of 24 hours. This year, the department chose to perform the beloved children’s musical “...
View on Facebook
· Share

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

The Optimist

5 days ago

The Optimist
Greek Life has started a partnership with Campus Director, a software company that works with universities all over the country. Read more: ... See MoreSee Less

Student life implements new software, updates rushing process - Optimist

acuoptimist.com

Greek Life has started a partnership with Campus Director, a software company that works with universities all over the country. The Campus Director software has an algorithm programmed to match rushe...
View on Facebook
· Share

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

Videos

Optimist Newscast Jan. 25, 2023

Tune in to this week's newscast for a look at Greek Life rushing, the annual ... [Read More…]

  • Women’s tournament run ended by first-round exit against UTRGV
  • Optimist Newscast Feb. 22. 2022
  • Optimist Newscast 2.16.2022

Latest Photos

  • Home
  • Podcasts

© 2023 ACU Optimist · All Rights Reserved