Journalism Janice Collins, advising students in a meeting, said she started Hear My Voice to provide "a platform where we can all come together to learn." Photo by L. Brian Stauffer
The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is big and it's diverse, with students from many backgrounds and with many points of view. Students often find a home within that expanse, but can also easily feel marginalized, without a voice, not part of the culture. Stir in the tensions of polarized politics or the shouting on social media, and'a student can feel even more on the margins. So where might such students find a home? Janice Collins, a U. of I. journalism professor, thinks one place is in a news website where students can tell stories and find resources not common in other media. Another is in creating spaces and events for diverse, inclusive and respectful conversation. The idea arose from hearing about students "having more and more issues with depression, anxiety, feeling invisible - not really knowing where to have their voices heard in a way that will make positive change," Collins said. She'd heard similar things from an academic adviser.
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