Student Advisory Board: Meet Kenna Stephen

Name: Kenna Stephen
‍Hometown: Longmont, CO
‍School: University of Denver
‍Major: International Studies and Geography
‍Year: Senior

‍What’s on your bucket list? Have you checked anything off your bucket list?

I would love to visit all the continents, with the exception of Antarctica which is not exactly accessible! College has given me a lot of great opportunities to travel, so I will have visited Asia, Africa, Europe, and South America by the time I graduate. Being from North America, the last continent I need to visit is Australia/Oceania.
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What motivates you to help bridge divides and bring people with different perspectives together?

I have learned the most from people with different perspectives from me. Having hard discussions not only exposes you to alternative views, but forces you to understand and explain why you believe what you believe. This allows you to stand firmer in your convictions, but also allows for more nuance in your thinking. No one person can understand the experiences of all, so it is necessary to make the space to discuss and listen. This motivates me to bridge divides.
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What’s a common barrier to civic participation you’ve noticed among students, and how are you working to overcome it?

It is easy to become desensitized to politics and global crises when we are flooded with information online and on social media, but I also think this unprecedented access to other people’s experiences is a unique gift. It is incredible to not only be informed about what is going on in our world and country, but have the ability to get involved through donating, protesting, petitioning, etc. Reminding my friends and peers about our power to make change is one way I work to encourage civic participation. 

How do you maintain hope or optimism about the future of democracy?

I have to constantly remind myself that maintaining hope is vital in the midst of uncertainty and injustice. To stay optimistic, I like to volunteer with local non-profits. Becoming familiar with the many organizations in Denver doing work to support our local populations reminds me of the good we can achieve at the community level. It also helps me to feel more physically connected to my community in an increasingly online world. I have volunteered with various organizations working to combat food insecurity, support immigrants, etc. 
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What are one or two initiatives you want to highlight at the University of Denver?

I think some of the best initiatives on my campus come from student organizations!

This year, I founded a book club at my university to read and discuss critical theory in a fun way. Critical theory is a genre of book that discusses social systems, injustice, and the human experience. The goal is to understand socio-political structures so we can make positive change. As the only registered book club on campus, our inspiration was to create a space for discourse and disagreement, because each person brings a unique perspective to the books we discuss. We also host guest speakers and volunteering events each quarter to civically engage with the community. 

There are also a number of activism-based student orgs on campus who work together. Tackling issues such as fossil fuel divestment and university transparency, there is a strong coalition of student groups getting civically engaged on campus and demanding change where there are injustices. As both a participant in many of these initiatives, and a member of our campus community, it makes me proud to see so many students using their voices in this way.