The quote “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”, said by African American civil rights leader, Martin Luther King JR, comes from the famous “letter from a Birmingham jail”, a letter written by Dr. King while being held as a political prisoner in Birmingham Alabama. This quote served to call upon others: arguing that as people we have a moral responsibility to take action against injustice. In simplest words, social justice is the advocacy for the equality of all people and the betterment of a society. Social justice is a broad term that can refer to a span of global and local issues. Whenever someone is fighting for a cause; whether it be, racial equality, gender equality, queer rights, economic justice, human rights, so on and so forth, that is social justice advocacy. I see social justice all the time: in my community, on the news, television, social media, and at school among my peers. People all throughout history have made their voices heard, often through organizing and protesting. Just like Dr. King, I believe that as people we have a duty, not just to ourselves but to each other, to eradicate injustice to make the world a better place.

As previously stated Social justice is present all over the world, and almost always in the midst of crises. In my lifetime one of the biggest humanitarian crises is going on in the country of Sudan. Although there had been for decades numerous issues and human right violations allegations, the current conflict started in April of 2023, when shooting broke out between the Sudanese armed forces and the Rapid support forces. Since then 10.83 million Sudanese people have been displaced, according to the International organization for migration, with so many people losing their homes and their lives to this war. This was first brought to my attention via social media; I saw videos of people speaking out of what was happening there, educating people, and promoting organizations or direct ways to help the people of sudan. When I scoured the internet for more information, I found more articles speaking out about it and resources to help. Not only did this remind me of my privilege of being in a position not to worry about war, but showed me how I can use my power to help. Just by having access to resources and tools to help, even if it was just educating myself and spreading the word, I made an impact. That little action is social justice, and with thousands of people acting, organizing, and banding together, we have made a difference.

Of course, there are also issues in the U.S and as I’ve gotten older, I’ve found myself becoming increasingly aware of it all. As most children are, I have always been somewhat aware of social issues; such as racial or gender inequality. However as I’ve grown up and learned more about the society we live in, my knowledge of these issues has grown deeper. I can partly contribute this to my family. I grew up in a family that always tried to be informed and conscious of systems of oppressions. My grandmother grew up as a black woman during the civil rights movement and always encouraged my mom to be informed about the bias of society, to fight against injustice, and my mom passed this idea down to me. So I’ve always been passionate about social justice and educating myself. A similar sentiment appears through a book called “Why are all the Black kids sitting together”. This book I recently read explores themes of inequality, systemic oppression, particularly when it comes to racism in the United States. This book spoke to me because it was another example of social justice; providing examples on how race has cemented itself in our society and cultures, the author explains the effects of these race based systems and how harmful they are to minority groups. Its purpose was to educate the reader on social justice issues and specifically how to properly fight against systemic racism and discrimination. The book identified a prevalent issue and our society and educated people on ways to fight against it, pushing others to do the same. It provided the first step of understanding, with the intention to radicalize the reader to support their cause: key steps of social justice.

To summarize, social justice can be found wherever injustice is present. repeatedly throughout history, whenever a group of people face or witness an injustice, someone has always taken action. That is the foundation for a social justice movement; action in the face of injustice. Human society is inherently flawed and at times it may feel like it is “every man for himself”, but the only way we can truly be free is if we fight for those liberties, not as individuals, but as people. We have seen how banding together and advocating for a cause can make a difference and how educating social issues and how to solve them is key to movements. Social justice is a tool for change and no matter where or who you are, you have an obligation to humanity to try and make this world a better place.