Why We Wear Black, the social justice group that was active on campus last year, has changed its name to Student Liberation Movement, and widened its mission statement.

According the the group’s Facebook page, the group hopes to evolve their original focus on primarily students of color, and implement reform in a more intersectional manner.

In a July 20 Facebook post announcing the change, the group said, “We root our movement in the issues faced by students of color on Dickinson’s campus and their intersecting identities. We do, however, acknowledge, advocate, and are allied with the lived experiences of students of color, women, students within the LGBTQ+ spectrum, students with disabilities, and students who are members of any other marginalized group. We aim to establish and bring unity amongst marginalized groups. In doing so, it is important that we acknowledge the many roles within this movement as some people may want to be in the forefront, while others’ activism may take different shapes and forms.”

According to organizer Jacqueline Amezcua ’19, this change is an attempt to address more of Dickinson’s alleged issues of minority discrimination as well as draw support and leadership from many parts of the campus community.

“I feel that the name change is more inclusive of the groups and identities on campus and I hope that students can come to feel, if they don’t already, that they identify with the movement, even if they are not organizers,” said Amezcua.

The group announced the following day that they are accepting applications for new members for their organizing team in the upcoming year.  The Facebook announcement invited all sophomores, juniors and seniors to become “part of this team and the progression of the movement.”

“It is so crucial for students to raise their voices, take ownership of their stories and lived experiences, and be heard,” said Janel Pineda ’18.  “There are so many students who have felt invisible and dismissed on Dickinson’s campus. My hope for the Student Liberation Movement is that it [will] serve as a significant means of catalyzing positive change on campus, through its empowerment of student voices.”

The movement’s first public appearance was a demonstration on Wednesday Nov. 18, 2015 at the cafeteria Thanksgiving dinner.  The “Blackout” event gained traction on social media via video, where students spoke about their opinions of marginalization and ignorance at Dickinson College.

After the Thanksgiving blackout, all members of the Dickinson community were invited to attend a “Call to Action” dialogue in ATS on Nov. 19. Over 700 faculty, staff, and students gathered to discuss their experiences with marginalization and possible solutions to address these problems.

The movement released their recommendations for the college administration on Sunday, Jan. 31 at an open forum in ATS.  These so-called “asks” referenced many areas of campus social and academic life and made demands for better training for faculty and students, as well as more accessible student campus resources.

The movement finished the year by holding a Solidarity Cypher on April 26, to reflect on the year.

If you are interested in applying for a position in the group, visit their Facebook page to download an application.