Sustainability: a buzz-word that excites environmentalist and corporate CEO alike has reached a pivotal point in its history. In recent times, this term has impressed itself upon social consciousness in a variety of different ways. At times it has brought about monumental change for the good, and at others, it stood as a symbol for … Continue reading Sustainability: What is in a Word
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Tokenism: The Cooked Spinach of Community Engagement
“The idea of citizen participation is a little like eating spinach: no one is against it in principle because it is good for you.” (Arnstein 1969, p. 216) Photo from 2jdominic at eatthismuch.com Arnstein’s analogy from her 1969 seminal work on citizen participation brings to mind a vibrant visual of a steaming bowl of spinach. … Continue reading Tokenism: The Cooked Spinach of Community Engagement
Putting Feminist Theory to Work
From the moment I declared my second major in gender and women’s studies and started to share this information with family, friends, and strangers, I have been haunted by a single question in an astounding array of manifestations: “So… what do you do with that?” My responses have ranged anywhere from a detailed, in-depth explanation … Continue reading Putting Feminist Theory to Work
The Power of the Next Generation (and Their Access to It)
The number one idea we interrogate in each of my masters in higher education classes is who does (insert any aspect of higher education) include? Who does this leave out or not include? This concept arises when we are talking about the historical contexts of specific colleges, when we are unpacking the canon of student … Continue reading The Power of the Next Generation (and Their Access to It)
From the Tag to the #Hashtag: A Brief Case Study on Street Art in RiNo
When I first learned I had been chosen as the gentrification community-engaged fellow at CCESL I had a rush of dichotomous emotions – excitement, confusion and overwhelming fear. How could I possibly focus on the broad and complex term of “gentrification”? As a recent transplant to the Denver Metro Area, I quickly learned small, long-standing … Continue reading From the Tag to the #Hashtag: A Brief Case Study on Street Art in RiNo
The Harm of Quietistic Tendencies
Quietistic—crippled by what could go wrong and give up on politics as a meaningful pursuit. According to Marriam-Webster, quietism is “a passive withdrawn attitude or policy toward the world or worldly affairs.” That word—quietistic—strikes me as an easy alternative to working through my identity as a privileged student (because of my race, economic status, ability, etc). I work … Continue reading The Harm of Quietistic Tendencies
Why Access to and Retention in Education Matters to Me
In the fall of 2015, I walked onto the University of Denver’s (DU) campus as a student for the first time. I remember walking into my undergraduate freshmen resident hall with my arms full of some of my favorite books from home, watching everyone around me move into their rooms while joking and laughing with … Continue reading Why Access to and Retention in Education Matters to Me
CCESL Student Fellows 