There is no one way to be an advocate for the issues you care about. Advocacy work centers around creating a community where marginalized voices are uplifted and heard while equity and justice prevail. Social justice isn’t just about mass protests, and it doesn’t always need a podium — it can start in your dorm room, home, or classes.

There’s a stigma on Furman’s campus that there is a right way to be an advocate, and all other forms of advocacy are ineffective or performative. The stereotype that all forms of advocacy must be public and “important” enough to be featured in a LinkedIn post or Instagram story is more harmful than not. The way to promote social justice is not having the loudest voice —it is using your voice effectively. Criticizing smaller actions creates an unwelcoming space for those looking to make a difference. To those who disparage advocacy at the personal level, I ask, shouldn’t we all be advocates?

This is not to say that advocacy belongs on an island. Advocates need to have a community of people who each play their part. Individual actions are great, but they are much stronger when combined with the efforts of others.

What personal actions can we take to further social justice efforts? Let’s start with the idea of “raising awareness.” Raising awareness is an effective tool if you know how to build on it. Many injustices persist because people are willfully ignorant of them, and starting these conversations means they can no longer hide from the consequences of their inaction.

You need to be educated about the issues you want to address in order to have these conversations. This can happen through your classes, individual research, and even CLPs. As President of Furman Justice Forum, a large part of our group’s advocacy is done by educating others through CLPs or other similar events (check out the Justice Month lineup on our Instagram). It is your responsibility to come into these conversations knowing what you are talking about; you don’t have to know everything, and you don’t have to change anyone’s mind, but understanding what you are advocating for is essential.

Advocacy can start small, from your kitchen or dorm room. Most families have a rule to “keep politics off of the dinner table,” but social awareness transcends politics. It’s interdisciplinary, from sustainability to business, and it touches all parts of our lives. Maybe your home is the best place for these conversations to start.

We can start with these intentional conversations and take them further. Follow legislation that impacts issues you care about and write to your elected officials from a personalized and educated point of view. You can even host letter-writing events to bring your community together to create change. So, share that Instagram story, and then write to your congressional representative about it.

Using your time and resources is a powerful way to make a difference in your community. Partner with volunteer organizations, donate to non-profits if you are able, and, most importantly, spend time listening empathetically. Spending time in your community is an active way to examine your possible biases and privilege and then make change.

Wield your vote as a tool for effecting change. According to the U.S. News & World Report, in the 2020 general election, only 34.5% of Furman students voted and less than 20% of Furman students voted in the 2022 midterm elections. Challenge your friends and family to speak up, not just every four years, but in local elections as well.

The only “right” way to be an advocate is to be an empathetic member of your community and take action. This is not an all-encompassing guide to generating social justice, but if you make these efforts a habit, you will start to see change around you. Whether on a small or large scale, doing what you can to support what you believe is right makes a difference.