What Does Activism Look Like at PEA?

For the final question of the Exonian Encounter Committee’s Martin Luther King (MLK) Day morning workshop, Track and Field coach Olutoyin Augustus gazed out at the 80 Exonians assembled and said, “Walk the line if you consider yourself an activist.” While many peered around the room or shifted their feet, only one student, a member of Exonian Encounters, stepped forward.

For many in the Exeter community, the word “activism” is a charged, complex term that carries multiple definitions and connotations.

“Sometimes, I feel like activism at Exeter is pretty limited in that it doesn’t have a large impact,” [Matsumoto] said. “I’ve heard people identify as activists who do not act on this aspect of their identity.”

Augustus believes that activism can take many forms and derives her own definition of the word from GenZ activist Anjali Appadurai. “We defined activism as ‘the practice of addressing an issue by challenging those in power,’” Augustus said, recalling the MLK Day workshop. Augustus takes her own interpretation a step further from Appadurai’s, extending the definition to “the practice of addressing an issue by challenging those in power and those who have power,” she said. “I believe everyone has some sort of power, so challenging each other is also a form of activism.”

According to Augustus, the nuances and lofty connotations of the term “activist” can discourage students from identifying as one. “I think some people are challenged with identifying with this term because it carries with it the weight of expectation,” she said. “Perhaps, if someone can’t see the direct and immediate results of their activism, they may not feel like they are good at it or that it is worth doing. Also, some may believe that an activist or ally can make no mistakes or fall short in any way, for fear of being seen as a fraud or fake.”

MLK Committee Co-chair and Religion Instructor Hannah Hofheinz offered an alternative definition. “Activism is ultimately a central part of the work that we do to make a better world for ourselves and others,” he said.

Hofheinz articulated that true activism extends beyond good deeds—that it must promote positive change. “The key is that activism is about actively changing the world, not simply bringing good into it,” he said. “For instance, this is why charities can be immensely important for their good works, but they are not necessarily activist organizations unless they are also seeking to change the structures of the world to make it better.”

Senior Nkemjika Emenike identified awareness and conversation as important aspects of activism. “Activism is more than just protesting, it’s having the conversations no one else is willing to have,” she said. “It’s standing up when you know something isn’t right or fair and making sure that the voices of a cause are heard, even when others are trying to silence them.”

Emenike has been interested in social justice from a young age and has long considered herself an activist. “Ever since I was young, I [have] always been interested in movements that have sparked changes within society,” she said, adding that her years at Exeter have honed her convictions. “I think coming to Exeter has definitely helped identify what it is exactly I am passionate about and what I can do to help out the causes I feel are worth raising awareness about.”

While Hofheinz has also dedicated his time and energy to activist initiatives, especially through the MLK Committee, he does not consider himself an activist. “Activism is important to me, and I continually seek and embrace opportunities to participate in the work,” he said. “I do not, however, consider ‘activist’ integral to my identity. I do not believe that you have to be an ‘activist’ per se to be deeply committed to the work of activism.”

Senior and Divest Exeter co-head Hillary Davis believes that, for many Exonians, clubs like Divest Exeter that promote agendas for societal change serve as an outlet for activism. “By doing extensive research, developing a proposal, creating a petition and designing a website, [Divest Exeter] has proved our commitment to taking steps toward fossil fuel divestment,” Davis said. “Activism is about passion and commitment. Those you are trying to get the message across to, those who matter the most, need to be able to see the drive behind activism for it to make a difference.”

Alternatively, senior and Democratic Club co-head Bryce Morales does not believe involvement in a political club, despite the passion and dedication of its members, necessarily makes them activists. Morales deems activists to be individuals who engage in meaningful protest without ulterior motives—a description that does not align with the typical politician. “I think, generally, a difference between the role of a politician and an activist is that the politician is paid,” he said. “There is a salary if they win their election. Activism tends to be a bit more organic and just outside the political process.”

Morales noted that there is a clear distinction between activism and the realm of politics. “When people say activism, you think of marches, you think of rallies or specific special interest groups. I usually think of March for our Lives, for example, [which is] not really within the political process. They're trying to make change from [the] outside,” he said.

On the other hand, senior and Feminist Club co-head Reina Matsumoto voiced that honest discussions about societal issues alone can be an integral part of activism. “It comes down to whether you consider learning as activism,” she said. “Hopefully, after discussing, [students] will do more research and take action outside of our discussions.”

According to senior and Exonian Encounter member Adrian Venzon, some Exonians tend to doubt or question their peers who identify as activists. “I think that there's a sentiment of skepticism around people who are self-described activists,” Venzon said. “People sometimes wonder ‘what are you really doing?’ I’m guilty of this judgement as well.”

Matsumoto agreed and expressed how liberally the term “activist” is used at the Academy. “Sometimes, I feel like activism at Exeter is pretty limited in that it doesn’t have a large impact,” she said. “I’ve heard people identify as activists who do not act on this aspect of their identity.”

English Instructor and self-described activist Mercedes Carbonell further elaborated on this skepticism and its nuances. “I see stigma and hear stigma in the associations people make and the words people use when they talk about activism, primarily in the use of ‘angry,’ ‘militant,’ ‘radical,’ ” she said. “At the root of so much of this is fear, on all sides, in all realms. We need to get to that fear, to talk about it, to be vulnerable with one another about those fears.”

Emenike agreed with Carbonell and suggested common misconceptions about activism. “I think many people see activism as this very violent, dangerous thing, that activists are going around attacking people for their differing beliefs and their opinions,” Emenike said. “Dr. King had a target on his back because he believed in what, at the time, was considered a radical idea: racial equality. This didn’t happen three hundred years ago, it happened fifty years ago, and this idea of violent radicalism has followed activists, the same way that it followed Martin Luther King Jr.”

Augustus believes that, regardless of varying definitions, many Exonians are interested in activism but struggle to identify suitable outlets or opportunities. “I heard many voices saying they don’t know what to do or how to do it and, even if they started doing some things, they might not identify as an activist,” she said. “I’m not sure that we need to use this term to encourage action, but there is a level of commitment to the action that is necessary to ‘move the needle,’ if that is the purpose.”

Upper Helen Xiu agreed, recalling her own hesitation to identify as an activist before she became involved with Exonian Encounter. “Before joining Exeter Encounter, I didn't identify myself as an activist just because I felt like to label myself with that term meant that I had to commit my life to activism,” she said. “But after Walk the Line, I realized that even the smallest work of activism can make you an activist.”

Augustus believes many Exonians are committed activists, even if the individuals themselves do not identify as such. “I see activism living in scattered, disconnected places throughout campus,” she said, citing posters, social media posts, difficult conversations and attire as different forms of expression that embody activism. “I’m sure it also exists in obscure places that are blind to the teacher’s eye and yet still as powerful as a thousand signs,” she added.

Augustus concluded that, going forward, individual Exonian activists should seek to combine their efforts in a stronger, more coherent movement. “I think we need connectors to bring all these scattered acts together into something more cohesive,” she said. “We are much stronger together than apart.”