Dedicated to “Advancing Democracy through education and service,” the Democracy Institute holds a variety of events with a focus on providing diverse learning and leadership opportunities. These experiences come in many forms; like last semester several students from the Democracy Institute attended a Warriors game thanks to the generosity of the College of Adaptive Arts here on campus. The core philosophy of the Democracy Institute has members working to engage with civics in every aspect of their academic experience here at West Valley. Students who complete certain requirements during their time here are eligible to receive a digital badge highlighting their commitment to service and civics; a credential that they can add to resumes, college applications, and more!
In the two years since the Democracy Institute was first created by Professors Nichola Gutierrez and Janis Kea, there have been numerous speakers, field trips, and volunteering opportunities for students. Students are a central component for hosting events that showcase the diverse experiences and voices that enrich democracy. In fact, many of the trips the Democracy Institute has held were ideas initially suggested by students. Last spring, students attended a guided walking tour of the Japanese American Museum in San Jose. They got to learn about the Japanese-American experience, from their contributions to farming practices and local communities to the internment camps during WWII. Another event attended by several students from the Democracy Institute was the Study Abroad program held in Salzburg, Austria last summer. The Democracy Institute helped promote and select attendees for the Global Citizenship Seminar. Participants learned about the meaning of being a global citizen and presented their own projects based on global issues relating to climate change.
The Democracy Institute also provides students with many opportunities to volunteer in the local community; helping out at events hosted by the organization and at charities across the local area. Last fall, they held several voter registration drives in conjunction with the League of Women Voters, TRIO, and the Office of Student Needs to register as many people on campus as possible before the November elections. Across the multiple drives held, the League registered more than 40 new voters. Volunteers from the Democracy Institute donated many hours of their time to these voter drives, contributing to this record-high number of newly registered voters. As a group, the Democracy Institute also often volunteers at local charities such as Second Harvest, sorting food and packing boxes to help feed families in our community. In the fall, volunteers from the Democracy Institute (and other students from West Valley) packed more than 25,000 pounds of food in just one Friday morning.
The Democracy Institute is determined to provide new experiences and educational opportunities for all members by collaborating with different groups both on- and off-campus. There are several upcoming events hosted by the Democracy Institute this semester that anyone is welcome to attend; for example, the upcoming Democracy Summit starting March 17th and ending March 20th. The summit will explore the themes of sustainable consumerism through a variety of events during its four-day stretch. For instance, the Cilker Repair Cafe allows students to make repairs, with the help of Repair Cafe of Silicon Valley, on their jewelry, clothing, small electronics, and even bikes. Another event during the summit will be the free clothing swap and thrifting boutique experience, made of clothes collected from on-campus donation boxes. Students can drop off clothing until the week before the Summit. Ending the week with a panel of speakers on Thursday, March 20th, the Democracy Summit will surely be an engaging and informative experience for all attendees. I hope to see you there!
For anyone interested in joining the Democracy Institute, the online registration form can be found by searching Democracy Institute on the WVC website (here) and the Instagram is @wvc.dem.institute, where event and speaker announcements are posted.