01 Jul @overthrowbabylon
“We started our page, @overthrowbabylon, as a way of amplifying minority voices in efforts to manifest these experiences into a collective platform that pushes for a period of reflection and evaluation of the state of minority/majority clashes at UWC.
It is the idea of a movement within the movement to spark change and fill a niche that was previously empty. Galvanized by a post by Juan Antonio on the UWC Alumni page questioning the overwhelming silence surrounding the issue of BLM and our perceived demand for a space in which minorities could be open and honest about their experiences with racism across different campuses, we decided a platform must be established for the spread and access of such experiences.
Our first step was the creation of an Instagram page followed by a prompt on the topic of antiracism that invited our followers to share their stories and thoughts. In the light of the murder of George Floyd, we felt it was an increasingly important issue for us to tackle as a movement. Since then, we have expanded and become more informative in nature. Recently we began a Zoom book club that aims to help us all learn about and understand the issues we face as a society with a focus on minority experiences. And in efforts to also allow for learning about different aspects of activism, we wanted to share our thoughts on different forms of social media clicktivism–its successes and downfalls. Giving greater context to topics like #blackouttuesday and “performative activism”, we hope to also share ways our community engages with the #BLM movement or other movements of oppressed communities impactfully.
We also wanted to provide the opportunity for students to hold conversations via comments on posts which is why each post is uploaded with a question. Such discussions will encourage self-reflection and preview where our community stands on such matters. Beyond that, we hope to support the UWC community and their efforts as activists, by sharing causes supported by or campaigns started by UWC students and alumni affecting minority populations that are underrepresented in general media and our schools.
We strive to evaluate, question, and challenge the movement. The inevitable conversations that will be as a result of the experiences and stories shared by our page will surely be uncomfortable, but we believe they are necessary. In the future, we look forward to highlighting a host of other issues faced by minority groups ranging from gender, race, and ethnicity.”
Ece, Hayley, Mariana, Elya, and Brandon – Class 2020