Nonviolence Teach-In Analysis

My discussion class chose to be part of the programming and logistics committee for the Nonviolence Teach-In and my group chose to perform a skit for our time slot. We knew we wanted to do something in honor of Reverend Lawson, but we also wanted to make sure that our performance would resonate with audiences and hopefully teach them a method of nonviolence that would be applicable for this day and age. We chose to perform a mock demonstration of what Reverend Lawson’s lunch counter sit-in trainings would look like, as well as a reenactment of a protest done by undocumented UCLA students on Wilshire Boulevard. In preparation of the Teach-In, my group and I met up several times in order to write a script that would be an accurate representation

The documentary that was shown was really informational about nonviolence and its utilization of it in different social movements, while still being entertaining. I was also amazed by the talent of some of the presenters, as well as one of the speakers. I enjoyed listening to the performance done by Nancy called “Welcome” because it told of an experience that not many individuals hear about unless they or someone close to them have experienced it. The pieces written by the third presenter were also enjoyable because they fit into what she was talking about and connected it back to a much larger picture. Something that really resonated with me about the Teach-In was a piece of advice that one of the presenters said, which went something along the lines of remembering to reach out when you need help. Whether in your own personal life, or when you're organizing for a social issue. She said that so many people can connect to a struggle and would be willing to help if only they knew about it. She said to reach out because people care, but that it is often that we forget because we get stuck in the mindset of ‘oh this doesn’t affect them, they won’t care’. I think that the piece of advice was really important because I myself forget that I can reach out to people because I think that the issue I’m struggling with will not matter to them. However, we have to stay hopeful and