Equiss, a social justice-focused retreat, will be held in Tucson on May 28-30.
Equiss begins each year with a drumming circle led by Tucson-based Odaiko Sonora. "We get into concepts of trust, communication and synergy," said Corey Seemiller, the UA's director of leadership programs. (Photo courtesy of Equiss)
The UA began its Equiss retreat in 2002 as a way to teach students about oppression and social justice issues. This is the first year it has been open to students outside of the University. (Photo courtesy of Equiss)
Power. Privilege. Oppression.
The three are interrelated, say organizers of The University of Arizona's social justice retreat, Equiss.
Examples of injustice exist throughout the world today, which is why Equiss exists.
"The college setting is a kind of laboratory for learning," said Corey Seemiller, director of leadership programs in the UA's Center for Student Involvement and Leadership.
Students should leave the university with a solid academic experience – but also training that will help them become more civically engaged, she said. At Equiss, facilitators cultivate the second half of that equation.
"I hope that this is a way to challenge them to be more action oriented, just, and to look for the disparities that exist," she added.
The three-day retreat will bring together about 40 students from seven colleges and universities to learn about the existence of hatred and what can be done to stop it.
During the retreat, being held May 28-30 at the Redemptorist Renewal Center, located in the foothills of the Tucson Mountains, students will participate in exercises, simulations, group discussions and in teams while exploring their own identities and learning how to relate to others.
Equiss, a combination of the words “equity” and “access,” was founded in 2002 and has since been held for UA students involved in the Arizona Blue Chip Program, a leadership program. This is the first year that registration was open to students across the United States.
Social justice is both a process and a goal, said Jennifer Hoefle, senior coordinator for social justice programs and campus activities at the Center for Student Involvement and Leadership.
"The goal is create a society and, therefore, a world where there is access to resources and equity and a process in the sense that creates an understanding of how oppression incorporates all of the -isms," she said.
While people may have differing beliefs about why social justice is important, it is important that everyone have a general understanding about its effects, Seemiller said.
"Students should be coming to us already thinking about the impact they're having on others and how to appreciate differences" – but not all of them do, she said. "One of the benefits of privilege is that you don't have to notice that you have it."
Equiss is also about understanding how oppression disadvantages some groups while creating privilege for others, said Hoefle, who described the program as “intense.”
“We can talk about individual racist acts, but we can also talk about racism as an institution,” she said, turning to media as an example.
“It’s always interesting to see how people of color are represented. Only 4.2 percent of media outlets are minority owned, so the rest is largely white," she said. "So you have a largely white population controlling the images of people of color.”
She said similar examples exist in the criminal justice, education and economic systems.
“I hope students will come back with a deeper understanding of themselves and will be empowered to act,” Hoefle said. “A lot of the students who are coming are already involved in a lot of places on campus, so the ripple-out potential is pretty large.”
Jennifer Hoefel
Center for Student Involvement and Leadership
520-621-8046
Corey Seemiller
Center for Student Involvement and Leadership
520-621-8046