bummer timing.

i'm graduating a month from today. i am glad to be done--i've only been a student in the technical sense this term, seeing as i finished my classes in december--and i'm ready to move on to the next thing in life.

however, i got an email today from the department of chicano and latino studies (my minor) at my university that really makes me wish i was still a student in the fall. they're offering a course that sounds like it was designed with me in mind (emphasis is my own):

Dear Certificate Students,

The Chican@ & Latin@ Studies Program is excited and pleased to offer Course # 330--Community-based Action Research on Health Justice and Social Justice Issues in Madison to our certificate students this fall.

Course objectives and description: This is a community-based action research course grounded in social justice education. In partnership with local grassroots organizations, students will explore and document the root causes of health disparities in Madison, including issues of racial and economic justice. Students will learn action research methods and work on group projects that support the community organizing work of partner organizations.

About the community partner(s):
Freedom, Inc. is a people of color-led organization that does anti-violence and youth organizing work within low-income communities of color in Madison. Freedom, Inc. is participating in a nationwide health and environmental justice organizing project: Communities Creating Healthy Environments, led by the Praxis Project (http://ccheonline.org).

Dignidad Sin Fronteras (Dignity Without Borders) is a community theater group based in Madison, led by Latin@ immigrants. DSF uses theater as a popular education tool to build community consciousness about and mobilization around immigrant rights and other social justice issues. (www.operationwelceomhome.info)

Operation Welcome Home is a collective of people affected by homelessness and allies, who are organizing around the root causes of homelessness—racism, economic injustice, and the criminalization of poverty.

The ideal participant is a student with a commitment to social justice, and a willingness to work in ally-ship to low-income communities of color that are affected by health justice issues.

this sounds awesome. a service-learning/academic-seminar version of what i want to do in my life. too bad the timing is off...

however, now that i'm graduating, i suppose i have the opportunity to get involved in these kinds of efforts for real, rather than just 9-11 on MWF in the social sciences conference room 12C. =) anyone know of any leads in the san francisco bay area?