PoLITical clubs at Samo

With elections coming up, politics are on everyone’s minds. If you are looking to become more politically aware and join the conversation, here are a couple of political clubs on campus to help ease you into the political sphere. Samo’s Political Activism Club was founded last year by William Sherman (’19) with the goal to start political conversations and encourage students to get more involved in politics. Every week the club members discuss current events and political issues together, getting input from new voices with different political opinions. “In political activism we have a three pronged system: discuss, learn and take action. Each week we discuss current events and other constitutional questions such as if healthcare is a right, if hate speech is protected by the constitution, and so on,” Sherman said. Besides the in-class discussions the club also receives visits from guest lecturers from local and state governments, and goes on trips to city hall and the police department. The members also make a point to take action to make a change in our community. One way they do this is through monthly bake sales to raise money for various charities. Political Activism Club provides students with an outlet to discuss political issues and become exposed to new opinions. As a nonpartisan club, Political Activism Club welcomes all political ideologies and is a great community to join. “I think it’s a great club to join because it’s a very friendly environment no matter where you stand on the issues, which is rare nowadays. There are no dumb questions and everyone learns something new each meeting,” Sherman said. Junior State of America (JSA) is a nationwide organization that encourages the development of leadership skills and allows students to discuss and discover the politics in our country. The chapter at Samo is lead by club president Jasmine Karkafi (’19), who has been involved in the club since her freshman year. The club meetings consist of political discussions and debates, allowing club members to share their opinions and hear from opposing sides. JSA also has a lot of opportunities for students outside of Samo’s halls. Throughout the year there are over-night conventions that students can attend with other JSA chapters. These conventions give students the ability to speak out on important topics and hear from voices outside of their chapter bubble. JSA is also a nonpartisan organization, so the club welcomes all political ideologies and opinions, providing a perfect space for students to talk about important issues and learn from opinions of others.“It is a great club to join because it can give students so much experience in politics, public speaking, and civic activism. Meeting so many new people and being exposed to a vast pool of ideas and political views teaches them to be more open minded and engage more. This is so important considering the polarized climate of today’s politics,” Karkafi said.