Feature photo from Sidelines Archives by Ethan Schmidt
Story by Maia O’Brien
Students attended a teach-in in the student union about the history of the labor movement and the history of activism on the MTSU campus on Nov. 25. It was organized by the MTSU Young Democratic Socialists (YDSA) and the MTSU Student Worker Advocacy (SWAY).
This meeting prepared for their march on Dec. 3, which pushes for bi-weekly pay for students. Student workers are currently paid monthly. Those participating in the rally meet in front of the Student Union Building at 11:30 a.m. on Dec. 3.
Around 20 students attended the event, many of whom were members of the YDSA or SWAY.
“The main thing I want people to take away from this is, I guess, the understanding that we’re stronger together than we are separate,” said student and SWAY member Triston Beckley. “And as workers, we have the real power and pull.”
The teach-in began with student Ashton Beatty discussing the long history of activism on campus. Topics such as the formation of the Black Student Union in 1969, the confederate imagery on campus and the power of marches organized by students were all covered.
“It’s like, who can we talk to?” said Beatty when referring to students taking action on campus. “What can we make happen here? What’s something reasonable we can achieve?”
He further explained how these actions were localized and how small parts of bigger movements were taking place at the time.
“The march won’t be the end of it,” said student and YDSA co-chair Elizabeth Cannan-Knight. “It’s just one action in a long series of actions that they’ll be taking as a kind of a group of student organizations to demand change, real change, for workers on campus.”
Another student, Dutsch Dorman, talked about the working-class struggle. He urged the importance of collective power, especially with the student workers on campus. He included discussion questions for the students to contemplate the type of change they would want to see in their workplace, especially on campus.
“Don’t get discouraged if it doesn’t make a difference immediately in the moment because making change is something that requires a lot of consistency and work,” said Cannan-Knight.
The teach-in’s main goal was to help spread the word about the upcoming march for student workers. They will be pushing for a direct answer from management about bi-weekly pay for students in the near future. YDSA and SWAY encourage people to spread the word and to attend if they can.
Maia O’Brien is a reporter for MTSU Sidelines.
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