Renee Darbonne
North Bureau Chief
The North Campus Student Government Association hosted a Pizza and Politics event on Feb 4. The purpose of this event was to create an environment that promotes a free-flowing discussion led by either a professor, student or prominent political figure. The pizza is complimentary to create a comfortable space within the coffeehouse for students to voice their opinions.
By hosting this event, and many others like it, the North Campus Student Government aims to equip each student at Broward with the capacities needed to effectively engage in a democracy. The ability for students to be educated voters matters and so the Director of Events for Student Government hopes to raise awareness and increase the number of students who vote in local, state and national elections.
The event commenced with each participant being asked whether or not they follow politics and to explain why they may or may not choose to do so. As was expected, the answers varied. Some students believed that politics are important to everyone’s everyday life and so it is something that students have to engage in. On the contrary, other students did not see the need to follow politics at all and if they did it was only for monumental decisions or moments like presidential elections.
Throughout the discussion, which covered political issues pertaining to immigration, the presence of religion in politics, race and family life, students were able to raise their voices and have a civil debate on the state of government.
Broward College is inherently diverse and so the topic of immigration was unavoidable. The campus and volunteer coordinator for the Honors Student Committee, Bobby Curran, thought the event was a great opportunity where he got to listen to interesting perspectives he never considered before. “I never really considered that some people might have this internalized view that even though they’re citizens they should not voice their opinions on how their country should be run,” said Curran.
With the upcoming election, voting was a hot topic during the event. Many students at the event expressed that voting is one of the most basic civil rights allotted to American citizens. It is the foundation of the nation and plays a key role in contemporary politics. However, it is a right that often goes unappreciated with many young people choosing not to vote or keep themselves informed about the candidates or issues at hand.
Students like Stanley Santana and Klinferson Oliveira, both part of Broward volunteers, want to see more events like this at Broward College because as Klinferson said “it opens your mind to different opinions.”
Social Science Club Treasurer, Harry Bonilla Ramirez, said “the Pizza and Politics event was an amazing experience to hear the various political views of my college peers. In a time of huge political division in our country, it’s important that we can sit and debate our opinions civically. It would be great to have more events like pizza and politics.”It is clear that colleges should focus on student’s understanding of the democracy and the inner-workings of democratic institutions because the interest is there. The North Campus Student Government is hoping to make this event a semesterly occurrence.
If you have any questions, contact the North Campus Student Life Director, Leo Dearaujo, at his email ldearauj@broward.edu.
darbr4@mail.broward.edu
