Unique Features of Walk Up the Hill

• Focus on young activists by highlighting relatable examples for college students.
• Connect past to present with historical examples relevant to contemporary movements.
• Provide practical tools for planning events, leveraging media, and sustaining activism.
• Balance optimism with realism by acknowledging challenges and rewards.
• Emphasize relationships to sustain long-term efforts through solidarity and community.
• Encourage learning from history with a Sankofa perspective to inform future action.
• Promote personal well-being by balancing self-care and collective care in activism.
• Ground ideas in evidence through academic rigor and accessible writing.
• Encourage collaborative action by framing activism as a community-centered effort.
• Expand definitions of activism beyond protests to include co-creating knowledge and influencing systems.

Scholar Activism: Why Should Students Care? (Chapter 2)

• Connect academic learning with real-world impact, bridging theory and practice.
• Empower students to address systemic issues such as racial injustice, economic inequality, and climate change.
• Leverage unique perspectives to become change agents in their communities.
• Shape lifelong leadership and problem-solving skills through activism during college.
• Learn from history by seeing how young adults have driven transformative movements.
• Enhance critical thinking and cultivate empathy for diverse perspectives.
• Influence policies and practices by addressing local and global issues.
• Collaborate across disciplines to create richer and more diverse learning experiences.
• Find purpose by making academic work feel more meaningful and relevant.
• Clarify career goals through activism that highlights passion and purpose.

Who is a Scholar Activist? (Compelling Examples from Chapters 3 & 4)

• Tommie Smith and John Carlos: Used their 1968 Olympic protest to highlight systemic injustice.
• Fannie Lou Hamer: Demonstrated the power of persistence in voter registration campaigns.
• CS1950 Movement: College students at the University of Missouri drove systemic change on campus.
• Ja’Nai Harris: Inspired activism at Gettysburg College to combat micro- and macroaggressions.
• Veronica Moeller: Mobilized a thousand-person march in her hometown, showing grassroots impact.
• Anyone can be a scholar activist by bridging knowledge and action for societal benefit.
• Showcase diverse strategies that work both within and outside academic settings.

Nuts & Bolts of Being a Scholar Activist (Chapter 5)

• Co-produce knowledge by working collaboratively with your community.
• Use analytical empathy to understand diverse perspectives and respond effectively to criticism.
• Create clear mission statements to align group efforts and maintain focus.
• Develop sustainable relationships with community members, mentors, and allies.
• Avoid jargon to ensure clarity and inclusivity when communicating with others.
• Plan events effectively by setting specific goals, concise messaging, and clear leadership.
• Prepare for open mics by setting boundaries to maintain purpose and energy.
• Establish measurable outcomes to assess progress and provide direction for future efforts.
• Embrace grunt work like attending meetings or organizing logistics to achieve long-term goals.
• Build solidarity by fostering mutual support and avoiding divisive dynamics.

Using Social & Traditional Media (Chapter 6)

• Leverage social media to amplify activism and expand your community.
• Be precise and accurate in posts to avoid providing ammunition for critics.
• Use platforms strategically to connect activism with scholarship and evidence-based goals.
• Engage diverse audiences by tailoring content for multiple social media platforms.
• Build relationships with journalists to ensure accurate representation in traditional media.
• Tailor your message to the audience of each media outlet for maximum impact.
• Correct misinformation quickly and address distortions about your cause.
• Share knowledge by using media to promote co-creation and critical thinking.
• Create specific calls to action to encourage measurable engagement from your audience.
• Vet online contributions to maintain focus and credibility in your activism.