Urban Action Institute
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The Urban Action Institute is the outreach and community action arm of Worcester State University’s Urban Studies Department. We promote student development and collaboratively address social, political, and economic injustices in our society through collective transformative action that bridges lines of difference and forges community.
We aim to enable students and community-members of all ages and backgrounds to work for an equitable world. Specifically, we work on:
- Social Justice. Students work with community partners on initiatives that defend human rights and the struggle for equity across the greater Worcester area, including on issues of racial and economic justice, LGBTQ rights, and diversity.
- Inclusive Communities. Initiatives that support refugee and immigrant communities' efforts to find a sense of place and belonging in the city. This involves work with Worcester community organizations and institutions to further the city’s efforts to be a welcoming place for immigrants.
- Collective Good. Builds off of the idea of “the commons”; efforts focused on the expansion and protection of collective resources that are maintained by engaged urban residents for the benefit of communities.
- Global Citizenship. Forging connections between WSU students and the greater Worcester community to address global issues locally as well as abroad through advocacy, outreach, and transformative action.
- Intergenerational Solidarity. Bringing younger and older students and community members together on a range of social-change efforts while fostering personal and professional development.
- Educational Collaboration. Working with students from across the education system to identify pathways to academic success in which they can build leadership and active citizenship skills through mentorship initiatives that emphasize inclusive communities, social justice, collective good, global citizenship, and intergenerational solidarity.
The work of Urban Action Institute is conducted in different formats: practica, events, speakers and workshops. We also oversee and manage the WSU Teaching Garden and Older Student Registration.