• OVC Social Justice Resource Page | #OVCforChange Engagement Series Archive
As part of the
#OVCforChange initiative, OVC student-athletes, coaches and administrators will engage in dialogue to help shape a course of action and invoke change on a variety of social issues impacting their lives.
This week's feature is with
Sarah Martin, assistant volleyball coach at Morehead State. She works with both the indoor and beach volleyball programs. She played collegiately at Transylvania, where she set the school's all-time digs record and was the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference Defensive Most Valuable Player in 2010.
Why is it important to be an advocate for social change/justice?
"I believe it is important to be an advocate for social change and social justice because we are all influencers in some way. Whether we are influencing our players, our co-workers, our friends, our family, or even just people in the community, everyone has a voice and everyone has the ability to make an impact. If we can all learn to use our voice to advocate for equal rights and treatment for everyone, we are going to make the world a better place."
What are the responsibilities of the individual in regard to issues of social justice?
"One of the biggest responsibilities in regards to issues of social justice is to educate yourself. Mainstream media and social media do not always represent all the information or even the correct information at times. It is important to take time to educate yourself beyond what we see in ads, on TV or on social media. It’s also extremely important to educate yourself about history to establish the foundation for the need for change in the future."
What should we be doing as a society to combat social inequality?
"As a society I believe we can focus on two things: education and communication. Educating ourselves beyond what is “comfortable” will open our views and challenge our thinking. Having open dialogue and respectful communication is also important and can be most beneficial when both sides can communicate effectively."
What other emotions would you like to express about the current state of our society?
"I believe it’s safe to say that a common emotion to feel right now is sadness. The issues of social justice themselves are sad, and the divisiveness in general is sad as well. It is sad to see people practicing hate, and to see people capitalizing on the hate and using it for personal gain. But I believe there are also people and causes that are creating hope that there is a path for improvement."