I did not know what I was getting myself into when applying to the Master's in Social Justice and Community Organizing program at Prescott College. Having 20 years of experience as an activist and organizer at the local to international levels, who has developed coalitions, held leadership roles, and conducted education and training events for emerging activists and organizers. I did not know what the Master's program would else offer. After acceptance into the program, I took my first three courses: Globalization and Urban Politics, Radical Pedagogy as Praxis, and Organizing 1. These courses set the tone for what was about to come. Brushing up on theories of change, what leadership looks like in movements, how to sharpen organizing skills, and how to bridge academic scholarship to community practice are some of the ways each of the courses provided in the program.
I have noticed shifts in my work during and since the program. These shifts have looked like having more confidence when leading in groups I am involved with. Another growth has been easing my organizing outlook, where it is more relational between the grassroots organizer and the communities they work alongside. The last example of a shift was posting our thoughts on the discussion boards for each class. That gave me a chance to talk with classmates with different ideologies and experiences in organizing, along with emerging organizers, and wade in the variance of ideas rather than react to those expressions.
The Social Justice and Community Organizing Master's program at Prescott College is truly a rare academic jewel. It is a program that genuinely bridges ideas and action to pivot academics to organizers and organizers to be scholars. The Master's program did the latter for me as I was recently admitted into the Geography doctoral program at the University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee, which will allow me to showcase what it means to be an organizing-scholar in geography.
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