Minho Choi says that before he took Professor Bob Huish鈥檚 Development & Activism course, he had some 鈥渂iases鈥� about how activism worked and what it could accomplish. Now, the third-year International Development Studies student says, he understands not only what goes into a successful activism initiative, but the meaningful change that can result.
鈥淭he course really opened my mind about how complex activism is and how change can come through activism,鈥� says Choi. 鈥淏ut I also learned that activism is not easy 鈥� it requires a lot of time and dedication and collaboration and planning.鈥�
This past fall, students in Dr. Huish鈥檚 class focused their efforts on raising awareness and funds to support human rights in North Korea. Choi joined the four-person committee responsible for producing songs and music videos for the initiative.
Choi and his group-mates weren鈥檛 experts on music, so they reached out to collaborators in the Dal community.
鈥淣one of us had a strong musical background in terms of writing the chords or playing guitar,鈥� he says. 鈥淲e contacted (a Dal student society based on musical collaboration) and asked four guitarists if they鈥檇 like to help us play.鈥�
A focus on solidarity
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With the help of the musicians, Choi and his team produced three songs 鈥� one original, one with new lyrics grafted onto an existing instrumental and a cover of the tune created by students in the 2013 Development & Activism class.
鈥淲e practiced three or four times a week. Dr. Huish told us to focus on solidarity (with the victims of North Korea鈥檚 oppressive regime), so that鈥檚 what we wrote the lyrics about.鈥�
The songs were sung during the Activism class鈥檚 march to the Halifax International Security Forum late last November, as the students sought to bring North Korea鈥檚 human rights abuses and the plight of its refugees to the attention of some of the world鈥檚 security experts and decision-makers.
鈥淚t certainly created noise in Halifax and awareness among the students,鈥� says Choi.
To amplify the message to a broader audience, a camera crew made a video to accompany one of the songs sung by Choi鈥檚 group. The video, which can be seen on YouTube, features footage shot before, during and after the march.
In addition to raising awareness, Choi鈥檚 classmates raised funds to support (LINK), an organization that aids refugees escaping the regime. Bake sales and special events earned more than $2,000 in donations.
Activism students need look no further than efforts students in the course made in previous years. The was established in 2012 and in 2013, students in the course successfully helped to bring North Korean refugee Shin Dong-hyuk to 91短视频 for a visit (Shin was subsequently awarded an by the university in 2014).
For Choi, Dr. Huish鈥檚 class was a musical, collaborative and educational experience.
鈥淚t was one of my favourite classes.鈥�