Social Justice Action Project Proposal

Purpose: This assignment requires you to propose an activism project (a) designed to address a social justice issue and (b) that relates to a significant issue or topic addressed during the semester. You will select a social justice issue and develop a proposal that addresses your goals for social transformation related to the specific issue you've selected.

Unless your instructor indicates otherwise, you have two options: (1) you may propose a personal act of activism involving only yourself; (2) or you may propose a collective act that involves more people than just yourself. (See the next paragraph for examples of each type.) Regardless of your choice, the action you propose should be narrow and must be designed to address and/or bring awareness to the issue. You will produce a proposal that provides your rationale for the project, based on concepts discussed in required course readings.

However, you will not actually implement the project (although you may do so in the future if you'd like). We recommend that you focus on a social-justice action that is local and manageable, something that you would actually be able to implement in the near future.

Types of proposals: Collective social-justice proposals can propose a creative product (e.g., an art exhibition, poetry collection, fashion show, music CD, or film), an activist organization (e.g., a nonprofit organization or association), or an activist event (e.g., a political march or demonstration).

Personal Action Social-Justice projects can also focus on a creative product, an activist organization, or an activist event; examples include creating an information/resource sheet that can be shared on social media, giving a short presentation at an organization you are a member of (or have access to), creating a YouTube video regarding your social justice issue, or volunteering at a local organization that addresses your social justice issue.

The proposals must address a specific issue explored during the semester in our course. For example, a creative project proposal might propose to develop a series of murals for Denton or another local city, or a proposal for an organization might involve starting a nonprofit birthing center in a local city for low-income mothers. The opportunities are endless, so be creative!

Assignment: After selecting a social justice issue to serve as the focus for your activism, you should identify and analyze specific course readings that can be related to your selection. You should also research existing creative products, activist organizations, or activist events that already address your issue in some way, so that you can explain how your project is similar to and/or different from others. You may also, if you wish, do additional research in library databases of journal articles.

In your proposal you will carefully explain your proposed project and give a thoughtful rationale for it. With reference to your personal experience or observation, a current event, or your analysis of a social problem, explain why you selected your topic and what you hope to accomplish with your proposed project. Explain how you would want your project to enhance social justice.

Your proposal must carefully discuss your project in relation to at least three specific passages from required readings in the course. The description and rationale for your proposed project must also incorporate careful discussion of how your proposal addresses "intersectionality," a key concept covered in this course.

Your proposal should explain how your proposal addresses at least two of the following in relation to each other: race/ethnicity, class, gender, sexuality, dis/ability, size, age, religion, or nationality. Please seek approval in advance from your instructor for any topics that may not readily address these categories.

Your proposal should be well-written according to academic standards, and it must cite your sources according to the most recent edition of the MLA Handbook (8th edition).

Project proposal form: To fulfill this assignment, carefully follow the instructions below and complete the proposal form provided to you with the numbered subheadings listed on the form. Your Social Action Project Proposal should be submitted electronically to your instructor via the instructions provided. Your proposal should be submitted on the form that we have provided you.

Note on plagiarism: If you previously completed this assignment for another course, you may not submit the same assignment. Submitting the same assignment will result in a "0" for this course. You also may not submit the work of another student who previously completed this assignment. We reserve the right to check for plagiarism using "Turn-it-in," which maintains a database of completed assignments.

Social Justice Action Project Proposal: Instructions and Proposal Form

(1) Social Justice Action Project Title: Here you should give the title or name of your proposed activism project. If you plan to create an organization this would be its name; if you plan to produce a creative project this would be the name of your product or concept. Your title should not be the same name of an existing organization or project.

(2) Detailed Description: Here you should carefully describe the concept of your project (100-250 words).

· For creative projects: Describe your project clearly by addressing the following questions as specifically as possible:

o What topic or issue are you bringing awareness to? Is your topic or issue local, regional, national, and/or global? (We strongly recommend local.)

o How does your proposal aspire to enhance social justice?

o What will you be making or producing? Be as specific as possible. For example, if you are producing a CD, what songs will you include? Or if you are producing an art show, what works of art will you include?

o How are you addressing the topic or issue in innovative ways?

· For an activist organization or event: Describe your project clearly by addressing the following questions as specifically as possible:

o What topic or issue will your organization or event address or advocate for? Is your topic or issue local, regional, national, and/or global?

o What will your organization or event do? What kinds of activities will it be involved with? In other words, if someone were to observe your organization or event in action, what would they see?

o Will your organization or event have a specific location, and who will lead it?

o What kind of services/insights/ideas/awareness will be offered?

(3) Target Group/Audience: Describe the types of people whom you hope to impact with your project (i.e., youth, women of color, women impacted by domestic violence, etc.).

(4) Purpose and Rationale: Here is where you make your case for the need and importance of your project (400-600 words). Explain the purpose of your project, why you are proposing it, and how you hope that your project would enhance social justice. Explain the kind of change or impact you hope for your project to have on the people in your intended target group or audience. Your explanation of the purpose and rationale must include the following:

· A brief discussion of a personal experience or observation, a current event, or your analysis of a social problem that leads you to make this proposal;

· A thoughtful discussion of how your project is informed by at least three specific required readings from the course. Refer to specific passages in each of the three readings that you select. In addition, if you wish, you may also refer to journal articles and/or websites that were not assigned to the class; and

· A thoughtful discussion of how your proposal addresses "intersectionality," a key concept covered in this course. Your proposal should explain how your proposal addresses at least two of the following in relation to each other: race/ethnicity, class, gender, sexuality, dis/ability, size, age, religion, or nationality. Please seek approval in advance from your instructor for any topics that may not readily address these categories.

You should cite your sources according to the most recent edition of the MLA Handbook (7th edition).

(5) Propose Three Steps to Initiate Your Plan: List three potential steps that you can make to initiate your plan; provide reasons why these steps are necessary to accomplish your goal.

(6) List of Works Cited: List your works cited according to the guidelines of the most recent edition of the MLA Handbook.

Note: This project may be used for university-wide assessment of the undergraduate core curriculum. Thus, for this purpose, it may be reviewed by university-wide faculty and staff outside of our department. Thanks to Sara Ishii for suggesting the personal action option; and thanks to Carrie McMaster, Kimberly Merenda, and Jessica Sadr for additional suggestions.