This is something I want my students to feel. I want them to see themselves as part of a community. Even more, I want them to see themselves as agents of change, as people capable of creating the world that embodies their values. Helping students develop this sense of agency is the reason that I have been engaged in this work since the beginning. Helping my students understand their ability to make a difference in the world is the way that I have chosen to make a difference in the world. Working closely with 70+ people on this effort is a rare privilege. And it’s difficult to express how profound the experience has been.
Agency is so important, for all of us. And this reminds me a bit, too, of the feminist concept of praxis, that "the personal is political." Now that the CPLC has finally engaged us on a personal level, we are having meaningful experiences, and we feel hope about the future and our ability to make a difference, to help our students find their way. This is where the hope is!