A Hidden Campus Gem: The Civic Leadership Summit
Words by Oscar Flores Pavon.
Image courtesy of Janko Ferlic.
“I decided to host the reading club because I wanted to discuss topics that I found interesting and relevant to our everyday lives, such as police brutality, the American education system, immigration, and civil rights.” said Antonio Rodriguez, a City College of New York junior. He and I are co-hosting a new reading club called the Civic Leadership Summit. We are an invite-only group and want to serve people of color.
Back in 2019, Antonio and I worked on a civic rights campaign called Freedom and Citizenship at Columbia University. The campaign was devoted to the advancement of high school juniors, seniors, and college undergraduates. It focused on education reforms, environmental awareness, domestic violence, and a detailed breakdown of the school-to-prison pipeline. It also allowed us to read excerpts about many exceptional authors and philosophers including John Dewey, James Baldwin, and Frederick Douglas.
At the Civic Leadership Summit, we use the same ideas that we learned at Freedom and Citizenship. When we first established this club, we thought about our favorite writers and texts. Then we decided to create it and share it with City College students. “I enjoy the reading club as we take texts and talk about the philosophical ideas behind them and their relevance to society today.” Rodriguez said.
The reading club is comprised of six juniors. We meet every evening on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday via Zoom. We discuss politics, cultural differences, social issues, and entertainment. We emphasize what it takes to spark change and activism.
At the reading club, current events are very important. In a recent meeting, students talked about police brutality and the effects of racism in the judiciary system. They listened to an audio recording of Malcolm X demanding justice after police shot at a Muslim mosque in 1962. Jason Paglinawan, a club member, said, “I was able to give my take on many topics and the readings gave me context on problems that are occurring in the United States today. Police brutality was an example of this. Listening to Malcolm X talk about the police shooting at the mosque made me realize that these problems are still present many years later.”
The club has also helped students make friends. All students have had a hard time making new connections because of the pandemic. The Civic Leadership Summit serves as a platform to make up for what was lost. “Not only has it helped expand my knowledge but it’s also made me meet new people,. said Swakshar Roy, a member of the club.
While 109 reading clubs exist at the City College of New York, the Civic Leadership Summit stands out because it is very low-key. It caters to students that care about community organizing across New York City. As hosts of the reading club, we want our conversations to attract students to study and act upon social change.
