Injustice wraps its arms around us everyday. Sometimes it squeezes so tight that it restricts our breathing, even paralyzes us. Yet, panic doesn’t set in. Why? Because we rely on the Wesleyan experience to weaken injustice’s grip by engaging our intellectual know-how gained from courses, social activism skills refined through opportunities outside the classroom, and emotional and inner confidence reinforced by friends, families, Middletown residents, and various members of the campus community.
In 2007, the Peter Morgenstern-Clarren ’03 Social Justice Award was created in memory of Peter, who pursued social justice as a Wesleyan student in order to recognize Wesleyan students’ efforts in tackling injustices for the public good by holistically employing their intellect, skills, and confidence. We are extremely grateful to Dr. Hadley Morgenstern-Clarren, the Honorable Pat Morgenstern-Clarren, and the entire family for their generosity in sponsoring this award that honors their son’s activism.
The first recipient was LaShawn Springer `08. As the 2006-2007 Student of Color Coalition Intern and residential advisor of 200 Church, she organized a program called “Common Struggle for Freedom and Justice.” Visiting professor from Brown University (as part of the Freeman Asian/Asian American Initiative), Dr. Evelyn Hu-DeHart, facilitated the discussion. The program was in response to hate incidents in Clark Hall and growing tensions in the Student of Color communities over the inclusion/exclusion of certain peoples as opposed to others. The purpose of the dialogue is summed up best in Springer’s words, “We cannot begin to understand the notion of freedom, until we realize that our freedom is dependent on the freedom of all peoples.”
Any junior in good standing may submit an application for the award. Details about the application process are available on the Office for Diversity and Academic Advancement Web site, http://www.wesleyan.edu/odaa, under the opportunities tab.
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