Throughout history, religious communities have served as important innovators when confronting social problems and dynamics such as poverty, racism, homelessness, and more. During the Fall 2019 semester, student teams learned more about one student organization at the University of San Diego that seeks to address a specific social issue or problem in their work. Ultimately, this project situates religious organizations on our campus in the context of broader power relationships and issues pertaining to social justice.

University Ministry: Rachel’s Night Shelter

This interview features student leaders from USD University Ministry, who discuss their work with Rachel’s Night Shelter. Rachel’s Night Shelter is a site in downtown San Diego that provides shelter and means to women experiencing housing insecurity or homelessness. You can read more about UM’s program here.

Muslim Student Association

The Muslim Student Association at USD works to provide a space and voice for Muslim students on campus as well as opportunities for non-Muslims to learn more about Islam. This film features an interview with a member of the MSA in which she discusses this group’s work to combat misconceptions about Islam. Learn more about the MSA here.

USD Hillel

This film features a leader from USD Hillel, a campus organization that works to deepen the connection that Jewish students feel to their faith. This interview discusses how Jewish holidays express core Jewish values and visions of social justice. Learn more about USD Hillel here.

InterVarsity Christian Fellowship

InterVarsity Christian Fellowship is an inter-denominational, evangelical Christian ministry group that exists across college campuses in the U.S., including at the University of San Diego. This film features members of InterVarsity who speak about their work to combat racial injustice in our society today. You can read more about InterVarsity Christian Fellowship here.

Students for Life

Students for Life is a Catholic student organization at USD that is dedicated to preserving the dignity of human life at all stages. Every year, they host activities and educational programs designed to call attention to major life issues such as human trafficking, immigration, poverty, and more. This video features two students leaders speaking about their organization’s work to address homelessness. You can read more about Students for Life here.

You may also all of the videos created for this class on our YouTube playlist.