Editor’s note: This essay won third prize in the annual Fairfield University Martin Luther King Jr. essay contest open to Bridgeport middle-school students.
Social justice. Social justice can mean lots of things to many people. It could mean a law or policy being changed and reworded, an apology, or someone finally owning, correcting or facing consequences for their actions. So what is social justice? The concept of social justice is when each person can exercise their rights within a society. What happens when that right is violated? Injustice, homophobia, racism, sexual harassment, and many other problems fall under social injustice. Vanessa Guillen is just one of many examples that if these problems are left untreated will hurt people.
Pictured: Student Winners of the 2023 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Essay Contest, left to right: Olivia Hewitt, second prize, St. Augustine Academy; Jaiden Cook, first prize, St. Ann Academy; Isobel Joergensen, honorable mention, St. Ann Academy; and Nayeli Blandon, third prize, Interdistrict Discovery Magnet School.
Contributed photo / Owen Bonaventura, Fairfield University., Photographer / Owen Bonaventura
A great issue in our society is sexual violence. Sexual violence can affect people of different ages, sexes and races. More than half of women and almost one in three men have experienced sexual violence involving physical contact during their lifetimes. Experts know the number is underestimated in this issue because numerous cases go unreported because survivors might feel ashamed or frightened to talk about what happened to them. When people experience this issue, with or without the right support, they can leave people with a lifetime of trauma that could take years of self-work to overcome, and without justice even more. Leaving this issue alone isn’t fair or reasonable. People need to show awareness and bring more attention to this issue.
More people need to teach their kids that this is never OK to do this to a person or to stay quiet if they know someone who has done it. The “Me Too” movement, made to show awareness, as well as the “I am Vanessa Guillen” movement, which was created after the disappearance and murder of Vanessa Guillen at Fort Hood after she reported sexual harassment against her commanding officers, show exactly why this a much bigger issue than some people make them out to be and how we as the people can combine our powers and make a change. In fact, the family of Vanessa Guillen have arranged protests, made speeches, met President Trump, and has gone as far to make an act under her name to change the way sexual harassment is dealt with in the military, allowing it to be reported outside of the chain of command. On Dec. 15, 2021, the “I am Vanessa Guillen Act of 2021” passed on its second try and the family plans to go back to the originally worded act to see if they can get more leverage for the survivors of sexual violence in the military. This alone is referred to as “making history.” Imagine what the people could do if more people participated in protesting, teaching and learning about this topic; how much change would there be?
To conclude, activism and change is no easy task, however, if there was a chance that we could make a better place for the kids, the little people of the future. If there was a chance, we could make safer places for them to grow and learn; would it be a hard choice? Everyone needs help, change can be a one man job, but it would be easier as a team. No one is alone.
Nayeli Blandon is an eighth-grader at Interdistrict Discovery Magnet School.
Credit: Nayeli Blandon @ ctpost.com
