For the office of religious and spiritual life January is a time to think about a key aspect of many religious traditions: social justice. In light of Martin Luther King’s birthday, the office tries to think of a simple way for students to voice their beliefs about social justice issues that are important to them. That’s why this year the office came up with “Buttons for Justice,” a project that lasted all last week.
The office decided to set up a booth on the Driscoll Bridge and have passing students stop to create their own social justice-related button based on their beliefs. There were markers and blank buttons that students could decorate and pin to their backpacks or clothes, according to University Chaplain, Gary Brower, who came up with the idea. Brower and two other religious life staff manned the table all last week.
According to Brower, students made buttons representing a variety of different issues.
“I’ve seen buttons made that have an environmental focus, a gender equity focus, a religious focus and an education focus,” said Brower.
According to Brower, the reaction to the event was about what the office anticipated given the time of year and people’s busy schedules.
“There’s the standard amount of curiosity, a standard amount of busy people declining the offer to make a button and perhaps a couple of dozen folks actually stopping and making buttons,” said Brower. “Those who stop like the idea, like the ‘crafts’ aspect and are happy to wear their button.”
While the office of religious life works to maintain and oversee religious traditions such as on campus religious groups at DU, this event was not meant to promote any certain religion.
“There has been no intention of ‘censoring,’ or guiding, folks’ causes,” said Brower. “Most major religious traditions have a notion of social justice [such as] restoring the world, distributing resources, caring for the marginalized and voiceless. From my vantage point as University Chaplain, I do not champion one tradition over another, but want to allow any individual to express his/her convictions.”
In past years, the office has done similar projects, such as having students write to public officials about social justice issues that they care about, and having them complete the phrase “I have a dream…” on a paper “dream bubble” that would decorate Driscoll Bridge.
The Office of Religious and Spiritual Life also held a day of service at a soup kitchen in honor of Martin Luther King Day yesterday. Its next big event will be held in early February when they will ask students to make “Valentines for Veterans” that will be delivered to the VA Hospital in Denver.
