Students for a Just Society, a new student organization at Cleveland State University focused on political education, community outreach and organized action, met for the first time on campus on Thursday, Feb. 26.

Students for a Just Society (SJS) is part of a broader effort to establish chapters at colleges and high schools across the region. Similar groups are forming or active at John Carroll University and Case Western Reserve University, with outreach extending to local high schools.

Students for a Just Society at Cleveland State is part of a broader collective of school-based SJS chapters focused on student organizing and political education. The Cleveland State SJS chapter operates as a regional branch connected to local efforts, particularly through relationships with community groups and the Cleveland Liberation Center.

CSU SJS President Audrey Menner said the goal is to connect students with meaningful community involvement while building a foundation for future organizing on campus.

“We would start with people, not just ideas,” Menner said. “You can have all these wonderful ideas about what you want the world to look like, but you’ve got to go talk to people.”

SJS emphasizes civic engagement, leadership development and monthly involvement in community actions, encouraging students to build organizing skills, collaborate with local organizations and host events aimed at strengthening student-led political engagement in the region.
 

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Menner emphasized that SJS is not structured around mandatory participation quotas, but encourages members to engage in at least one community effort each month. That involvement could include attending local meetings, supporting mutual aid efforts or even speaking with community members at neighborhood libraries and small businesses about the challenges they face.

“It’s to start conversations and build connections,” Menner said. “Building these connections within your community strengthens solidarity and increases the chances that your efforts and actions will make a significant impact.”

The organization is also connected to other Cleveland State student groups through what members described as a progressive coalition, encouraging collaboration with cultural and advocacy-based organizations across campus.

Faculty advisor Amanda Yurick, who has taught at Cleveland State for 20 years, said the chapter continues a long tradition of student activism in the United States. Yurick referenced the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee during the Civil Rights Movement, the 1964 Free Speech Movement at the University of California, Berkeley and nationwide anti-war student strikes in the 1970s.

“Politics is an everyday activity,” Yurick said. “It is not voting once every four years. It’s not even singular one-off opportunities of mutual aid. We need energized individuals moving in a cohesive political direction.”

Yurick said SJS Cleveland State is connected to the Cleveland Liberation Center and the Party for Socialism and Liberation, offering students access to educational programming, book studies and organizing training.

As part of that collaboration, students are invited to attend a regional meeting March 7 from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Liberation Center, 9801 Denison Ave., where members from different SJS chapters will discuss organizing strategies and political education.
 

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Vice President Henry Clay proposed hosting a bake sale in March to collect hygiene products and raise funds for Food Not Bombs, a mutual aid organization that has contacted the group about potential collaboration. 

Clay, who works at the West Side Market, also said recent cuts to SNAP benefits have highlighted growing food insecurity in Cleveland.

“I love Cleveland,” Clay said. “You get to hear about people’s struggles. Especially recently when SNAP benefits were cut, you saw a lot less traction. People just being like, ‘I can’t afford this as much.’”

Treasurer Jude Ouma said members are also interested in volunteering regularly, including with Habitat for Humanity. Secretary Olivia Stein was introduced during the meeting, alongside the rest of the executive board.

Menner said outreach to underclassmen is a priority to ensure the organization continues to grow after current leadership graduates next year. Students are encouraged to follow the group on Instagram and join via VikesConnect for updates on meetings, community events and educational resources.

“We intend to go out and make fundamental, tangible change in our communities,” Yurick said. “This is a marathon, not a sprint.”

The group plans to host future meetings featuring local organizers and leaders to further develop members’ skills in community engagement and activism.