Devoting so much emotional energy into anything is daunting, especially as the obstacles begin to mount.
For others, passion naturally comes to them, as is the case with criminal justice and psychology senior Kara England
England said she has always been opinionated and passionate about topics related to feminism.
“I’ve always been a feminist, but it wasn’t until college that I learned what feminism was and was able to identify as one,” she said. “So looking back in retrospect I can go, ‘Oh I was always a feminist, I’ve always wanted equality, I’ve always stood for awareness of sexual assault and learning about consent,’ but it wasn’t until recently that I was able to put a label on it.”
England’s transformation, as she calls it, into an advocate for women’s rights began when she conducted research for the community psychology department.
Shortly after her research position ended, England started to volunteer with the Sexual Assault Crisis Intervention, or SACI, team, a volunteer group of students overseen by MSU’s Sexual Assault Program, which works as an entity within the MSU Counseling Center.
Along with manning SACI’s 24-hour crisis line, England has also undergone additional training to become a medical advocate. Advocates stay with victims of sexual assault who choose to admit themselves to Sparrow Hospital in Lansing in order to relay legal and medical information, provide a sense of safety to victims and support to the victim’s friends and family.
“We get to raise awareness together, I get to facilitate discussions, help set up panels, a lot of cool things and I love being a part of it but more than anything I love working with sexual assault survivors and community members who want to know more about what they can do,” England said.
Though surrounded by equally supportive and passionate individuals at SACI, England is still beset by daily by issues all women face.
Be it catcalling, harmful jokes or hearing myths peddled as fact, England has had numerous instances where she has had to put her training and beliefs into practice.
“I try to approach it with respect but I don’t believe that I have to act like a lady, I don’t like that saying and so I think that if I feel a little unsafe or basically unsafe then I have a right to say something,” she said.
Acknowledging the difficulty of remaining calm and respectful on an emotional topic, England keeps a single bit of wisdom present in her mind.
“It’s about holding people accountable and it’s also about making sure that I am also responsible for not doing things like that. ... That’s the thing that if I want equality than I have to be practicing what I’m saying,” England said.
One way England put her beliefs into practice was a recent modeling gig she did for Curvaceous Lingerie, a boutique women’s apparel shop located in Lansing’s Old Town. The store’s stated goal is to empower women of all sizes by offering nightwear that can fit anyone from a size 00 to 24.
Approaching the end of her undergraduate career, England is in the process of deciding what to do in the near future. Doctoral programs have factored heavily into England’s plans, though her real goal is to help chart advocacy programs herself.
“I really want to see change. ... Like as an advocate I provide a lot of resources for survivors and I want to be the person that helps with those resources, that makes them better, that just gives survivors, close survivors, community members a better experience overall,” she said.
