SURGE is an online publication created in the last decade. On the About page on the website the makers write,
“Surge is a student blog at Gettysburg College where systematic issues of justice matter. Through stories and reflection, these blog entries relate personal experiences to larger issues of equity, demonstrating that –isms are structural problems, not actions defined by individual prejudice. We intend to popularize justice, helping each other to recognize our biases and unlearn the untruths”
The topics that you may browse under include race, sexuality, education, gender, religion, and lookism. The stories are often very personal in nature and the authors may choose to publish their work anonymously. There is also a submit button so that anyone in the community may share their story if they please. The requirements for this submission include, however, that the author must “demonstrate critical thought on an issue related to social justice” as well as “illustrate a relationship between a personal experience or event and a systematic issue.” These submissions are meant to “foster insightful and respectful conversation.”
While Surge is supported by the school and therefore is not a protest publication like many of the magazines sent out in the 1960s and 70s, it is focused on issues of social justice and creating dialogue and understanding. It is a place that encourages the telling of stories in order to incite change, and to foster growth. The importance of storytelling for change is something decidedly different from the modern or postmodern era, and it is an idea that is discussed further in the “where are we now?” section.
2016 Articles
2017 Articles
2018 Articles
April 2018 Protest Against Gun Violence
On April 20th, 2018, Gettysburg students gathered at the steps of Penn Hall to protest gun violence in the United States. Various students spoke at the event, reading personal stories and statements about the danger of guns. Below are the articles from this protest which where posted on SURGE.