By Megan Muzzell
Western Herald
This summer, 27 students tried to raise awareness in Kalamazoo about sweatshops in the Social Work Department’s Communities 4600 class. The class project, which began in the spring semester and will continue into the fall, focused on raising awareness of the exploitation of human labor in sweatshops
“Our professor decided to teach us more about community organizing on a broader spectrum, we came up with ideas to put the word out,” said Aarika Ann Anderson, a student in the class. “This class is the foundation – stepping stone – so the next class can pick up where we left off.”
The topic was chosen by assistant professor of social work, Barbra Barton. The students did research on sweatshops and came up with ideas of how to raise awareness locally.
“I like the topic that was given, I was unaware that there are sweatshops in the U.S.,” Anderson said. Most students said that the class structure was different than they were used to.
“We got to be out and about in Kalamazoo, I didn’t expect that, it was something new and different,” said Ben Kines, another student in the class.
To work more efficiently, the class divided into separate committees for media, community, school, business and technology. The class focused more on an overall goal than individual grades.
The class made hemp bracelets as a fundraiser that they sold at the Art Hop and downtown summer festivals. Students also passed out fliers and informed people about sweatshop conditions.
Josie Berridge, on the community committee, said that talking with people got them to think about sweatshops for “at least 30 seconds.” Petitions against sweatshops were also available for people to sign.
The class aimed to raise $500 in the eight weeks, and has almost reached that goal as the end of the semester nears.
The class did, however, have its share of obstacles.
“It is a difficult campaign because it is hard to connect to locals to make the issue urgent and important,” Berridge said.
The class will be offered again in the fall and will focus more on campus awareness then it did over the summer.
Goals for the Fall semester’s class are to urge the university to buy its uniforms and Fall Welcome t-shirts from sweatshop-free retailers, create a student organization for sweat-shop awareness, and more provide more campus and community education. Students interested in the campaign are invited to join the Facebook group “Sweatfree Kalamazoo”, which has 470 members.
With the semester ending, many in the class feel they were successful in organizing and sharing information.
“I was hoping we would do something and my hope was fulfilled” Berreidge said.
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