Feminists For Change: A Community Youth Collaborative
If there is anything Lincoln High School’s student led group, Feminists For Change, has learned over the past few years, it is to work intersectionally. We have made it our mission to work with students who are the most impacted in our society. This year, we combined two of our most important issues by renaming our club to Feminists For Change: A Community Youth Collaborative to address the systemic issues of poverty and lack of representation of grassroots organizing. Feminists For Change originated at Lincoln High School many years ago and in turn has become one of the largest clubs at LHS. We have led many successful community wide campaigns to address period poverty, women’s health, and LGBTQIA2+ inclusion by partnering with Planned Parenthood, as well as giving our support for ending domestic violence through Voices of Hope and Friendship Home's yearly fundraiser.
This year, our initiative has been the full inclusion of people of color and environmental stewardship. Through the LPS Foundation, we are raising $1,000 to eradicate period poverty at Lincoln High School by bringing awareness of the issue at hand and creating a culture of reusable period underwear products. We realize the environmental impact that plastic disposable period products have on our environment and we are ready to make the switch. Lastly, our club has transformed itself through Indigenizing our practices. Two years ago, we planted a Community Healing Garden at our school to address racial healing with Native American elders. Our students are learning about world issues and addressing poverty, systemic oppression, and healing through our holistic approach to civic engagement. We believe that the best way to end period poverty is by addressing the issue from a multi-faceted and intersectional approach. To donate to this cause please click on the following link: https://foundationgive.com/campaigns/6352/feminists-for-change-period-poverty
In the meantime, our club has placed a Little Free Pantry inside our classroom for any student to take what they need and leave what they can for other LHS’ families. The Little Free Pantry was a movement started by Michael Reinmiller, a community activist invested in eradicating poverty and hunger throughout our community. We first met Michael at LHS and we were inspired by his idea, just like students across our district are inspired to end period poverty within our district. These stations might not fully address poverty, but at least it is a good starting place in getting the conversations going that we have a ways to go to address systemic oppressions in our economy.
Lastly, Feminists For Change: A Community Youth Collaborative is in partnership with the LHS' Community Learning Center to put together a fundraiser to Nourish this November 10-15 families at Lincoln High School. Students were chosen this November to include representation from the 25 different CLC clubs at Lincoln High School to receive donations. Please join us this November to Nourish families by donating to the LPS foundation at this address: https://foundationgive.com/campaigns/6351/holiday-drive-for-families-in-need
