I.D.E.A week stands for Intersectionality*, Diversity, and Equity Awareness Week. The week long awareness campaign, running from March 3rd to March 9th, seeks to celebrate the history of social justice activism at Rutgers and encourage the general Rutgers student population to learn more about modern social issues. Led by fellow Rutgers students, I.D.E.A week aims to familiarize social justice con
cepts and activism by showcasing all the diversity of identities, wealth of resources, and legacy of contributions to social justice at Rutgers University. Our goals for this campaign include :
i) Celebrating Rutgers University and especially Douglass Residential College’s historical and contemporary contributions to human rights, social justice, and diversity. ii) Presenting feminist and social justice concepts and activism in a more easily accessible manner. iii) Raising awareness of the diverse definitions of feminism and social justice that are underrepresented and misunderstood in mainstream media. iv) Exploring interactions between feminism, social justice and contemporary life at Rutgers University and beyond.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*Intersectionality is a theory used to recognize that people are a mix of multiple identities which include, gender, race, age, ethnicity, class and sexual orientation. We are not just one identity, we are all complex! And since we our identities are complex, our experiences likewise are also complex. Diversity typically refers to the many factors that inform our identity like gender, race, age, ethnicity, religion etc. However, the concept of diversity means more than that. It also includes the ideas of respect, acceptance, and compassion. Equity, unlike equality, understands that not everyone in society has equal access to resources, opportunities or even treatment depending on intersectionality. Equity means fairness and justice towards all members of society, which will mean different measures for different populations in society.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
For more information or if you have questions, contact [email protected]!
