STATIC

by Jovel Queirolo, ’14, and Holly Fetter, ’13

Welcome to Static, a site for Stanford activists to connect and create.

Self-identified progressive activists are invited to write and submit pieces (journalistic, literary, creative, artistic, whatever!) that provide a progressive perspective. There’s also a list of active activist groups on campus, and a calendar of events. This is a place to put your critical thinking skills to use as you engage with the posts, poetry, and people that sustain this site. Not all content needs to be political, but it should reflect a creative resistance to the norm – a response to mainstream dialogue about communities, ideologies, politics, and action.

In the summer of 2011, activist/journalist Amy Goodman addressed students at the 7th Annual Campus Progress National Conference — a conference focused on inspiring “young people to promote progressive solutions to key political and social challenges.” Goodman spoke about her recent book, Static, describing how that title reflects the way in which alternative publications effectively fuse activism and journalism. As an advocate and a storyteller, her work serves as a type of static that is understood as a “criticism, opposition, or unwanted interference” into the mainstream political discourse.

Our Static is just that – the electric sound of young activists disturbing the atmosphere. We don’t intend for this site to be a space defined by negative energy, one whose foundation is built exclusively on challenging and undermining other perspectives and arguments. Rather, we believe that there is a positive creative potential in thinking critically about what is happening on campus, in the United States, and internationally.

At Stanford, the work of progressive activists often goes unnoticed – unless it is controversial enough to attract the attention of campus press. As a result, our stories are only told about us, and never by us. We’re here to reclaim our power to self-narrate, and to lend visibility to incredible activist-identified individuals that are making change in the Stanford community and beyond.

This site is only valuable if it is useful to you. Please send us any and all Static feedback, as we take all input seriously. If you’d like to get involved, as either a member of our Editorial Board, a Staff Writer, or a Contributor, please contact us at StanfordStatic@gmail.com.

We welcome any and all submissions that reflect our mission of creating a space for progressive-minded Stanford activists to share ideas, stories, and events.