WHO WE ARE
Vanderbilt Students of Nonviolence (VSN) is a student activist group based out of Vanderbilt University in Nashville, TN. The goal of VSN is to to create a sustained activist infrastructure capable of responding to violence on Vanderbilt’s campus and in the greater Nashville community. VSN is committed to organizing direct resistance to injustice, while bringing forth a complete vision of a just and equitable society.
WHAT WE DO
Organize for CHANGE
Our main role is to bring together networks of students in Nashville to resist any injustice in our community. Of course we organize protests, but mass assembly is only one tactic that we utilize. We also write articles, lobby community leaders, conduct research projects, among other creative forms of nonviolent resistance.
Build an ACTIVIST INFRASTRUCTURE
VSN strives to create a sustained structure of resistance so that we are prepared to address any and all examples of social injustice. Although we have a ways to go, we are already well on way to building the resources and coalitions necessary to tackle the multitude of problems that we face as a community
Raise CONSCIOUSNESS
The first step in any struggle for justice is to raise awareness. Only when people learn about the extent of oppression in their community, can they become motivated to do something about it. VSN will always be committed to learning from others and sharing our knowledge and experiences.
WHAT IS NONVIOLENCE?
Mahatma Gandhi described nonviolence as satyagraha or “soul-force,” an active expression of love that directly resists violence, in all its forms. The goal of nonviolence is not to defeat an enemy, but rather to overcome the evil that creates the enemy. Hardly a passive concept, nonviolence is inherently active, as it demands direct resistance and requires deep sacrifice and commitment from its practitioners. Nonviolence is the most effective tool for social change in the 21st century and we hope that our actions will prove just that.