Break Away Blog
The Weight of A Ballot + Voting Resources
As community collaborators, we know there is no such thing as “not my issue.” Politics are deeply intertwined in our work.
A Solution Isn’t Always the Answer
A natural reaction to identifying problems is to try and find solutions. But this isn’t always the right move. Especially when it comes to community engagement.
The Ethical Volunteer
We believe in education and looking inward in order to be aware of the privilege you bring into a space. We do it to de-center ourselves and highlight the systems of oppression at play.
Let’s Talk About Liberation
Liberatory movements have been happening for decades. From the Suffragettes and the Civil Rights Movement to Stonewall and the Sunrise Movement, folks have been calling for liberation from systems of oppression.
The Importance of Black Stories
Black stories must be told truthfully and honestly. The best way to ensure this is done? Let Black people tell their own stories!
Dr. King Demands More From Us
Dr. King’s actions flowed from his faith which grounded him in love—love both in word and in deed. What many of us have failed to do as individuals and as parts of institutions is interrogate how we benefit from the status quo and renounce white supremacy completely.
Do We Need Safe or Brave Spaces?
Over the years, we’ve seen the intentional shift within student and academic affairs to advocate for creating brave spaces over safe spaces. There is an arguable difference, considering the implications of each term.
The Difference Between a Firecracker and a Pilot Light
“Firecrackers go off in a flash, then leave nothing but ashes. I prefer a pilot light—the flame is nothing flashy, but once it is lit, it doesn't go out. It burns steadily, and it burns forever.” — from Walking with the Wind: A Memoir of the Movement by John Lewis
A Commitment To Inward
A common draw to immersive experiences is to get outside of ourselves. In community engagement programs, we witness the recurring pattern of finding disruption in the world we thought we fully understood. Essentially, we relearn what we once thought was true.
We’re Not in the Business of Alternative Breaks
Break Away isn’t in the business of alternative breaks (and neither are you). We dream of a society of people who prioritize just and equitable community. Alternative breaks, and community engagement programming at large, are simply a powerful vehicle to get there. We are motivated to engage, commit, and perform because of our deep belief in our vision.
Dismantling White Supremacy is White People’s Work
Though the burden of the tragedies brought to light in the last few weeks falls harder on the Black community, the responsibility for addressing and destroying white supremacy rests with white and non-Black folks.
A Statement on COVID-19
Break Away staff has spent recent weeks reflecting on and researching the implications of coronavirus (COVID-19) on students, staff/faculty, community engagement programming, and higher education at large.
This is Not Normal
Five Years in a Movement, Hundreds of Years in the Making
A couple of weeks ago, our staff attended a lecture by Patrisse Khan-Cullors, co-author of When They Call You a Terrorist at The Carter Center. Patrisse’s book was released in January, five years after she co-founded the Black Lives Matter movement.
Social Justice Is Political, Not Partisan
Is there a disconnect between who sees themselves fitting within the bounds of community collaboration and the conversations surrounding justice? If so, how do we bridge those gaps?
In Times of Change, Embrace Each Other
In his essay, An Experiment in Love, Dr. King powerfully explains that nonviolence should never be mistaken for passivity. Rather, nonviolence is an active decision to center the principles of love and community.
it’s Time To Make Room For Difference
The word “politics” has come to imply profound differences in beliefs, unresolved disagreements, and passionate people left feeling frustrated or apathetic. Conversations with folks outside our political ideologies have suddenly become burdensome and often avoided altogether for the sake of keeping relationships amicable.
We Must Believe Another World Is Possible…and Create It
Our Executive Director spoke to the people in that small room about how we had tasted what it would feel like to live in a society of people who prioritize just and equitable community. In our time together, we had built parts of that vision. If we knew how to build it here, we could build it out there.