By Tiffany Ayuda
The ONE Campaign, an organization dedicated to fighting poverty, announced on Oct. 12 that the University won the first weekly competition throughout colleges and universities all over the country. The first challenge was to gain support for the campaign and sign up as many students from the same college in one week. The University took first place from the College of Charleston by signing up more than 540 students in one week.
“Our ultimate goal is to inspire students to raise their voices on issues they are passionate about,” Kaytee Lozier, the president of the ONE Campaign at the University, said. “Whether it’s calling a congressman or telling a friend, keeping these issues alive through our communications with one another is the first step in a very difficult and complicated battle.”
The Hofstra ONE Campaign held events, held regular meetings, tabled at the Student Center and did outreach to local communities as a way to garner support and activism from the student body and community. As a result of their hard work and dedication to spreading awareness, the ONE Campaign won 140 tickets to the “Keep a Child Alive Black Ball,” featuring musicians and celebrities like Alicia Keys, Gwen Stefani, Jay-Z, David Bowie and other surprise guests.
Although winning challenges is fun for students involved in the campaign, they are dedicated to helping people. “It’s easy to get students excited about ONE because so many of them are actually looking to make the world a better place,” Lozier said. “ONE can be inspiring to anyone because it’s all about raising your voice and dedicating whatever time you have to raise awareness, be it once a month or every day.
“While winning prizes is fun, and the Black Ball is for a good cause, I don’t think that should be the underlying incentive for students joining the campaign. The points system of the Campus Challenge is fun, and the top ten schools get $10,000 grants to start a poverty-fighting program at their school, but you can’t start thinking of it as a game because then you forget what you’re fighting for,” Lozier said.
As president of the Hofstra ONE Campaign, Lozier has always been passionate about taking steps to eradicate extreme poverty, and as a print journalism major at Hofstra, she has always been interested in international news on a humanitarian level.
The ONE Campaign’s ultimate goal is to inspire students to raise their voices on issues that they are passionate about and keep those issues alive through communication.
Student activism across the United States is growing every day, and the University is becoming a place where activism has a strong presence.
“I highly doubt that one Hofstra student can single-handedly eradicate poverty, cure AIDS and provide education to everyone, but there are people who can make steps in that direction who should be listening to our voices,” Lozier said. “They need to know that we hold these matters close to our hearts and we want something done now.”
Editor’s Note: Kaytee Lozier is a Staff Writer for The Chronicle.
Student members of Hofstra One decorate a banner, one of several events that garnered outstanding membership.