Can this class change your life?

I took this class because I have always been an advocate of social justice and wanted to learn about social activism.  I have learned valuable information and useful information. Like why people feel a need to change things up and how certain groups view their/our world.  The Montgomery Bus Boycott, Anti-Nuclear Movement, Environmental Movements (especially my own carbon footprint) and others have again made me focus on the importance of looking at who holds power in this country (and as well, internationally). Never assume that the government has your best interests at the forefront of its goals.  I am continually disheartened when I find out that corporate greed is winning out over the common good.  As members of the same country and planet that seems such a short-sighted approach for big business: short term gain for profit over long-term problems and destruction of our health and environment.  I have tried to be involved when I can and encourage all of you to always try to stand up for what is right.

A small example of my own commitment involved our local school superintendent who was putting profits ahead of the student's welfare. My rage led me to raise community awareness by attending school board meetings, starting petitions, passing out information to parents and letting the board know that kids MUST come before short term profits. Through this I discovered that one should never assume that their voice is not important. I garnered the support of educated and respected individuals in the community who helped to organize a public meeting with the superintendent.  Though  I was labeled a lunatic by some of my neighbors who felt that the superintendent was a "god" who could do know wrong, I kept at it.  In the end, the school board listened to our group and realized that we wanted them to put the welfare of the children first and expected them to also.  We made a difference!!!  They made the superintendent change some of his programs.
We all hate bullies yet allow ourselves to be bullied all the time because we don't think our voice matters.  As I read your blogs Iam so encouraged by how you are changing things around for those that need your time and commitment.  Many of the children and adults you work with are on the lower end of the economic spectrum and you have changed things up for them. 
Awareness of situations comes first and because of this class we all are becoming more aware of the world.  But that is not enough.  Action must follow awareness or we really are letting the bullies win.