Club for social justice
On Thursday, GlobeMed at USC recognized the World Day of Social Justice by educating and inspiring students about the myths on poverty.
Tagging · Sophia Nagar, a freshman majoring in theatre, spray paints “laughter” near Tommy Trojan as part of World Day of Social Justice. – Austin Vogel | Daily Trojan
The United Nations General Assembly proclaimed Feb. 20 as the World Day of Social Justice in 2007. On that day, UN member states support efforts of the international community to eradicate poverty, promote work and employment, gender equality and access to social well-being for all.
GlobeMed, a national organization with branches on more than 50 university campuses across the country, partners at USC with Care Net Ghana to support women’s and children’s health and human rights. Each of GlobeMed’s university chapters has an initiative to engage its campus on social justice issues.
At USC, a graffiti project pointed out the contrast between a socially just world and the world in which we live. Members of GlobeMed at USC asked students a type of social justice they though everyone should have a right to, and students spray painted their answers on a large board.
GlobeMed at USC focused on debunking three myths. The 2014 Gates Annual Letter, published in January by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, described “3 Myths that Block Progress for the Poor.” Club leaders educated about the myths that poor countries are doomed to stay poor, that aid is a big waste and that saving lives leads to overpopulation.
By combatting these myths, poor countries have hope for development.
As GlobeMed titled its event “Pop That Myth,” each time a student learned a fact, he or she popped a balloon on the side of the board.
The goal was to raise awareness about social justice and the question of what everyone deserves in the world.
USC GlobeMed member Lucy Ruderman was excited to able to reach out to students not directly affiliated with her program.
“I think it’s incredible to have such strong student advocates who genuinely care about bettering the world beyond our campus,” Ruderman said. “It was really cool to be able to engage other students outside of GlobeMed with World Day of Social Justice.”
In the future, USC GlobeMed will continue working with Care Net Ghana in a local project to help fund a medical laboratory and an ultrasound scan. The new equipment in the facilities will allow for timely and accurate diagnoses of complicated pregnancies and reduce maternal and infant mortality in the area.
Last year, they trained 100 volunteers from 20 villages in the Volta region of Ghana to become community health workers and provide pre- and post-natal maternal and child-care, giving each villager the ability to be a sustainable resource that will transform his or her individual community.
GlobeMed member Jennifer Camello noted that the organization reached their goal for the day.
“We reached our goal in raising awareness about World Day of Social Justice as well as some social injustice issues surrounding foreign aid,” Camello said.