Heading into 2021, young people have continued to see and face plenty of issues that plague our campuses and communities. We have continued strong in our mission of #BuildingPower and #Organizing, fulfilling a vision of young people centered as independent leaders of meaningful and transformative change.
For OSA, the spring semester has been about continuing our fight against the criminal injustice system and working to make college more equitable and accessible. In March, we held a Higher Ed Livestream series in coalition with our partner organizations, Policy Matters Ohio, College Now Greater Cleveland, the Ohio Federation of Teachers, and the Ohio Poverty Law Center. The series included personally impacted storytellers and policy experts who discussed why we should end the transcript trap (watch here), the importance of expanding OCOG or the Ohio College Opportunity Grant (watch here), and how debt navigators can help students (watch here).
Earlier this month, Cleveland State and Case Western Reserve University OSA chapter members helped launch the Citizens for a Safer Cleveland ballot initiative campaign, which seeks to implement a charter amendment that would mean fair, independent investigations with real accountability for officers who commit misconduct. Students will be collecting signatures for the ballot initiative throughout the spring, and will be helping to get out the vote come the fall (follow the campaign on Facebook here).
Moving forward in 2021, our members, chapters, and teams are continuing their work in reimaging campus policing and reinvesting in student services, sharing our stories and voices around the student debt crisis to pressure our policymakers, and fighting for state-level policies that make college accessible to everyone, regardless of our race or income.
Check out our staff
We are proud to announce that Akii and Sammi have joined the OSA team as student organizers for Columbus and Cincinnati respectively. They will be helping #BuildPower in campuses and communities across Ohio, empowering young people to organize around the issues that matter most to us.
Sammi Mathew (She/Her)
Sammi Mathew was raised in Cincinnati, OH, where she continues to operate as a Student Organizer for OSA. Within the past five years, Sammi has utilized communications, social media, campaigns and community organizing to advance women’s rights, immigrant rights, animal rights, and tenant rights. Sammi believes organizing is key to obtaining community-based solutions which break the patterns of systemic injustice, and achieving a just and liberating society for all people with power in the collective. In her free time, Sammi enjoys vegan food blogging, studying cooperatives and abolitionist approaches to injustice, unlearning and relearning, and assisting the Kentucky Anti-Eviction Network.
What do you hope to accomplish at OSA?
As a Student Organizer with OSA, I plan to assist students in realizing their potential to organize for collective community power, and work towards a society that goes beyond the confines of the world that capitalism, white supremacy and misogyny have constructed in front of us. In this pursuit, I hope to help students work on strategic actions which result in the defunding of campus police, building out student worker unions, advocacy for national debt cancellation, and/or anything else students feel would create a more just campus for all students.
Akii Butler (He/Him)
Akii was born in Virginia Beach, VA and raised in Youngstown, OH. He is the OSA’s student organizer for the Columbus area as well as Kent State University. Before joining the OSA, Akii spent his time organizing during his time as a student for Kent State University, and after with a local organization. During his time with the OSA, Akii hopes to make an impact and bring together emerging and unique college students to help make the change that they want to see. One of his goals to bring change within the Higher Education system with the help of his peers and colleagues.
What do you hope to accomplish at OSA?
During my time with OSA, I hope to make an impact on many of the students I’ll be working with. I want to show them that through organizing you can create change, no matter what the issue is.
HEY OSU STUDENTS! GET INVOLVED WITH THE OSA OSU CHAPTER!
OSA IS RELAUNCHING ITS OSU CHAPTER! IF YOU ARE INTERESTED AND WOULD LIKE TO GET INVOLVED WITH THE NEW CHAPTER, PLEASE CONTACT AKII BUTLER VIA EMAIL AT AKII@OHORGANIZING.ORG
TAKE ACTION FOR HIGHER EDUCATION!
In order to make Ohio a state where everyone can thrive and reach their full potential, higher education must be accessible and affordable. OSA is actively working to fight punitive policies such as the transcript trap and fighting for student debt cancellation, which will help decrease the racial wealth gap in the country.
Student Debt & Transcript Trap Survey
Impacted by student debt or the transcript trap? Did you leave your university with outstanding student debt, and has it impacted your ability to graduate (i.e., was your transcript withheld)? Whether your college plans were disrupted due to the cost of higher education or because you had to take time off, your story matters to us. And if you’re currently struggling to navigate the crushing maze of paying off student debt, we hear you. Share your story below to help make change!
Student Debt Petition
It is imperative we use our voices as students to advocate and fight for more accessible and affordable education. We are calling on President Biden and Ohio lawmakers to implement policy to end the student debt crisis and ensure every Ohioan can graduate and fulfill their dreams, regardless of race or income. Sign this petition and show your support for education debt cancellation.