Activism and Advocay

Advocacy and Activism

By Marife Hernandez

Word Cloud

What comes to mind when you hear 'Social Justice Issues'?

Advocacy = Speaking up or taking action to help a cause or make a change.

*Advocacy means speaking up, sharing ideas, and working peacefully to create positive change.

What is Advocacy?

Multiple Choice

What is the best definition of advocacy?

• Complaining about a problem without taking action

• Speaking up or taking action to help a cause or make a change

• Forcing others to agree with your opinion.

• Blaming others about any problem that affects you

Example of Advocacy

School-Related Advocacy:

• Example: A group of students starts a petition to get more funding for ESL programs or bilingual education so all students can get the support they need.

• Why it’s advocacy: They are speaking up for a cause and trying to influence school leaders to make a change.

Social Media Awareness:

• Example: A student shares posts about the importance of mental health and encourages classmates to check in on each other. They also share resources for free therapy or crisis hotlines.

• Why it’s advocacy: They are using their voice to spread awareness and help others.

​Example of Advocacy:

Example of Advocacy:

Fighting Against Discrimination:

• Example: Students notice that a local business is treating Spanish-speaking customers unfairly. They write a letter to the owner, post about it online, and encourage respectful conversations about fair treatment for all.

• Why it’s advocacy: They are standing up for fairness and trying to change public attitudes

Multiple Choice

Which of the following best describes advocacy?

• Speaking up or taking action to support a cause and create change

• Arguing with others until they agree with your opinion

• Ignoring a problem because it doesn’t affect you

• Complaining about an issue without taking action

Multiple Choice

Which of the following is an example of advocacy?

• A student refuses to do homework because they think school is unfair

• A person sees an issue in their community but does nothing about it

• A group of students starts a petition to get more funding for ESL programs

• A student deletes all their social media accounts

Multiple Choice

Why is posting about mental health resources on social media a form of advocacy?

• It spreads awareness and helps people find support

• It forces others to listen and agree with your opinion

• It is a way to criticize those who struggle with mental health

• It helps students avoid talking about mental health in real life

What is Activism?

Activism: Speaking out and taking action in public to support or challenge a cause.


Activism can involve protests, petitions, boycotts, and other forms of direct action.

Multiple Choice

Which of the following is the best definition of activism?

• Staying quiet about important issues to avoid conflict

• Only discussing issues with close friends and family

• Waiting for others to fix problems in society

• Speaking out and taking action in public to support or challenge a cause

Example of Activism

Walkouts or Strikes

• Example: Students across the country plan a school walkout to protest unfair immigration policies. At a specific time, they leave class and gather outside to make their voices heard.

• Why it’s activism: They are publicly taking a stand and showing solidarity for a cause.

1. Organizing a Protest

• Example: A group of students is upset that their school doesn’t have enough bilingual teachers. They organize a peaceful protest outside the school, holding signs and chanting for more language support.

• Why it’s activism: They are taking direct public action to demand change.

Example of Activism:

Example of Activism

Boycotting a Product or Business

• Example: A clothing brand is exposed for using child labor. Students decide to stop buying from the brand and encourage others to do the same by sharing information on social media.

• Why it’s activism: They are using their actions to pressure the company to change.

Multiple Choice

Which of the following is an example of activism?

• A student starts a petition to demand safer streets in their neighborhood.

• A student writes a research paper about climate change for their class.

• A student volunteers at a food bank to help families in need.

• A student talks to a teacher privately about their concerns

Multiple Choice

Starting a petition asking for change about a social justice issue is considered activism because...

• it promotes individualism over community action.
• It tries to make a change in society and get others involved

• it focuses solely on personal opinions without seeking change.
• it is a way to gain popularity rather than address issues.

Multiple Choice

How is activism different from advocacy?

• Activism is about creating art, while advocacy is about protesting.

• Activism is peaceful, while advocacy always involves conflict.

• Activism involves direct, public action, while advocacy is more about raising awareness and influencing decisions.

• Activism happens only online, while advocacy happens in person.

Multiple Choice

What is the main difference between activism and advocacy?

• Activism is always peaceful, while advocacy involves breaking the law.

• Activism is only done online, while advocacy happens in person

• Activism includes actions like protests and boycotts, while advocacy focuses on speaking up and educating others.

• Activism and advocacy mean the same thing and can be used interchangeably.

Advocacy vs. Activism

•Key Differences:

•- Advocacy is often behind-the-scenes (e.g., writing letters, lobbying).

•- Activism is more public-facing (e.g., protests, rallies).

•- Both are important for change.

What are Social Issues?

Social issues are problems that affect many people in a society. They can be local, national, or global.

​Examples of Social Issues:

• Racial and Gender Equality

• Immigration and Refugee Rights

• Climate Change

• Mental Health Awareness

• Education Access

• Gun Violence and Public Safety

• Poverty and Homelessness

Why should we care about social issues?

• They affect our daily lives and communities.

• We can take action to make a difference.

• Understanding them helps us become informed citizens.

Examples:

Social Issue	How It Affects Our School / Community
Racial & Gender Equality	Some schools receive more funding than others, making bilingual programs underfunded.
Immigration & Refugee Rights	Some students struggle with legal status issues, making it hard to access education and jobs.
Climate Change	Hotter summers and bad air quality make it harder to enjoy outdoor activities or walk to school.
Mental Health Awareness	Our school has limited counselors, making it hard for students to get support.
Education Access	College is expensive, and some students face barriers due to tuition costs or language requirements.
Gun Violence & Public Safety	Some students feel unsafe in their own neighborhoods or at school.
Poverty & Homelessness	Some students worry about where they will sleep or if they will have food at home.

Multiple Choice

What is the key difference between advocacy and activism?

• Advocacy is about raising awareness and influencing decisions, while activism involves direct public action.

• Activism is only done online, while advocacy happens in person.

• Advocacy is always peaceful, but activism is aggressive.

• Activism is about helping people privately, while advocacy is about protesting.

Multiple Choice

Which of the following is an example of a social issue?

• The release of a new video game.

• A debate about which school is the best one

• Unequal school funding for bilingual programs.

• The latest fashion trend.

Multiple Choice

Why should we care about social issues?

• They don’t affect us, so we shouldn’t spend so much time on them

• Understanding them helps us become informed citizens.

• Only people with power need to care about social issues.

• Social issues are only important if they are on the news.

Multiple Choice

How can climate change affect students in their community?

• It makes the vegetables in school lunches taste worse.

• It only affects the rich class, not students.

• It makes video games more expensive.

• Hotter summers and bad air quality make it harder to enjoy outdoor activities or walk to school.

Multiple Choice

A student’s school has limited counselors, making it hard for students to get support. This is an example of which social issue?

• Immigration & Refugee Rights

• Gun Violence & Public Safety

• Mental Health Awareness

• Climate Change

Multiple Choice

What is one way students can take action on a social issue?

• Ignore it because they can't do anything about it.

• Complain without doing anything.

• Expect someone else to fix it.

• Raise awareness by posting about it or sharing information.