Students for Social Justice honored genocide awareness week to educate the SPA community Feb. 26-Mar. 2. SSJ challenged students to ask questions and raised funds to donate to the nonprofit organization World Without Genocide. To promote the week’s activities and keep students engaged, SSJ explained two of the ten stages of genocide per day in the blue sheet’s morning announcements. SSJ’s focus on education outlined in the blue sheet emphasized how a week of events is just the beginning.

“Knowledge and awareness are a key first step on the path toward creating a world without genocide,” said SSJ in a statement in the blue sheet.

The week’s activities consisted of a bake sale on  Feb. 27, a showing of the documentary, I came to Testify, on Feb. 28 and guest speaker Dr. Ellen Kennedy on Mar. 1. While the goal of genocide awareness week was to teach students that genocide is an ongoing issue, Dr. Kennedy’s lecture, alongside the documentary about the Bosnian genocide, served to communicate a different layer.

“Our goal was to communicate that women, in particular, are always horrendously targeted with rape and sexual assault during genocides,” president of SSJ Elea Besse said.

SSJ’s work during genocide awareness week is just the beginning.

“SSJ has planned to have a table outside the cafeteria on International Women’s Day with petitions to get a bill passed in Minnesota to limit the age of marriage to 18, as underage marriage is harmful to children getting married but specifically young girls who are usually marrying older men,” Besse said.

SSJ plans to meet with Senator Sandy Pappas to plan a field trip to help pass the marriage bill, as well as expand and connect with other student groups to put forth positive change in world relations.