Hi CNU friends!! I wanted to bring something to this conversation about how we can actively work to make progress at our university this year. This (long) thread will be a breakdown of a collaborative working group I’ve been helping to formalize over the past two years 1/

The group is called the Student Sustainability Network (SSN). Let me start by sharing our working definition of “sustainability” - “the ability for human/social and ecological systems to thrive together in perpetuity”. 2/

Most people chalk this term up as a blanket on “green” or specifically environmental issues. But wait, IT GETS BETTER!

Sustainability as we define and frame it includes the CRUCIAL idea that our social, organizational, and political systems must also be sustainable. 3/

This means that working towards a more sustainable campus/community/society/future means fighting for social justice & equity, class/gender/racial/LGBTQ+ equality, etc. in addition to environmental causes. 4/

Additionally, sustainability in this sense acknowledges the intersectionality of these different systemic issues. Racial, gender, sexual, and environmental injustices are all intertwined and magnify off of each other in our current societal systems - this is not sustainable! 5/

A society will only thrive perpetually within itself and with our natural world/resources when systemic injustices are stomped out. To put it shortly, in order for people to want to SUSTAIN a society, they must have a place within it worth fighting for. 6/

Sustainable systems are built on addressing injustices and raising every voice. This is our philosophy with the SSN.

While previous under different leadership, this SSN now lives under Student Sustainability Commissions (which is a part of Student Government!). 7/

Currently, the network meets monthly and invites all students and campus organization leaders to join in order to foster collaboration, discussion, and a general cohesion of efforts. 8/

Our current framework organizes our affiliate groups into four categories: (1) Social justice, (2) community, culture & placemaking (CCPM), (3) environmental, and (4) mental & physical health. 9/

Social justice groups include some like International Justice Mission, who work towards raising awareness on human trafficking, and Where is the Line (WITL), an organization working to bring support to survivors of sexual abuse. 10/

Community, culture, and placemaking groups include organizations like those under the Multicultural Inclusiveness Board (MIB) that are working in cultural representation and activism, as well as groups like Spectrum who provide support networks for the LGBTQ+ community. 11/

Environmental groups include those like Green Team, who work in environmental activism on issues like climate justice, and well as Roots and Shoots, who work in environmental education in our local community. 12/

And groups within our mental/physical health category include Nat’l Alliance on Menatal Illness (NAMI), working to provide better mental health resources on campus, and Planned PH Generation Action (PPGA), advocating for better sexual health resources on campus. 13/

Altogether, the SSN is a growing hub for all students and organizations working to advance causes like improving racial inclusion, environmental/climate justice, increased mental health support, and more on campus. 14/

The goal of this network is in no shape or form to “take over” the incredible work being done by these amazing groups already, but rather to create a space to have these conversations, foster collaboration, and help to advance real change by means of networking & unity 15/

If you are interested in hearing more or becoming an active part of these monthly conversations this fall, you can opt to join our email list here! https://forms.gle/WeaJ9JxM18vok5gw7

I am confident we can make real change as a united network, and I hope that SSN can be a starting ground for this change!

Finally, I want to express my most sincere appreciation to all sharing stories this week about the injustices & unfair experiences they’ve had at CNU.

It makes me so angry yet so proud to hear our community experiencing these collective pains, but still working to change this place for the better. I can’t wait to see how CNU can grow and change over the next 1/5/10 year(s) because of this powerful student community! (END)