This section summarizes the student’s data-gathering process and key findings from survey, interview, or other inquiry methods.
This month I decided to do an in-person survey that focused on students' use and perception of AI and their perception of its social impacts. During the in person survey I led, the questions focused first on their perception of the participants' AI use and efficiency in use. Then the question shifted into the students' perception of the social impacts of AI. This data was gathered during the months of February and March 2026. I chose this topic because I was concerned about the lack of students who utilized AI while understanding the larger social impact. I felt that social impact was not in the larger cultural conversation in regard to AI use. Instead I have seen a large push for AI utilization without a paralleled pushback. Some students I surveyed had used AI extensively but did not understand the social impact of AI use. While a decent amount of students knew about the energy concerns regarding AI few knew about the copyright implications or privacy implications. With the emergency of AI, deepfakes are more prominent than ever. These deepfakes, while consuming copious amounts of energy, can impersonate real individuals. Violating their personal privacy. The landscape of legally copyrighted material is now currently unknown. Since all LLM’s at some point have been trained with copyrighted material, copyright law is now in limbo. Courts have yet to respond. This lack of response has let AI companies run wild, using as much copyrighted material as they can.
I asked students if they had a concern for copyright law in the U.S after the precedent that AI had made. Many students replied that copyright law was a lower concern; with many stating that there were other negative social impacts that were higher priority for them. I did find that many Arts and Humanity majors had a larger care for this social impact than Business students or Engineering Students. In regards to deepfakes, many students voiced their concern. While AI deepfakes are currently in their infancy, they can still convince vulnerable populations. Some students commented that they were concerned about their elderly family members. These family members believed they were more susceptible to these deepfakes.
Many students primarily voiced their concern about the energy use of AI. Some mentioned how the creation of data centers has had an impact on housing markets and the price of electricity. While others mentioned how the use of energy is draining the amount of clean, drinkable water. One student was concerned about how a data center in Utah could affect the Great Salt Lake. They theorized that a data center in Utah would lead to the Salt Lake quickly drying up before even the most recent projections.
Overall many students are concerned about the social impacts that AI and data centers will have. However, many students say they will continue to use these products and hope that they will become more energy efficient. I believe it would be valuable to focus on the ways that AI and data centers affect students' living conditions. While this research is a helpful start it is limited to a small undergraduate student demographic. This limitation leads to a sample size that is not generalizable.
Community Partner Discussion
This section shares insights from a community partner interview, connecting their perspective to the Pathway theme.
I had the great fortune to speak to with a few different community practitioners during my time leading the Seattle, Washington Alternative break. I found some helpful insights that I am excited to share. One of the insights that I had been thinking about for a while now is one that was mentioned on our first day in Seattle. The insight was about how the social impact work we do is forever ongoing. Once you begin this work you will be hooked. It will become a lifetime endeavor. Because there is nothing else like it. And there is never a moment when the world will not need someone to make some social impact. Never a moment where the work will end. And because of this truth it is always valuable to maintain your health before working toward social impact. Because social impact starts with the self before it branches out to the interpersonal, communal, and systemic.
Another major insight is that your frameworks and time are worth something. When you care so deeply about the work you are doing it can be easy to work for free. But one of the community practitioners I spoke with said that working for free has a time and place. It can be rather valuable to work for free. But if the group you are teaching has the ability and means to pay you for your time, they should. Because their funds help to continue the work you are doing. And without it, you would be unable to continue.
An insight that I have been thinking about for a while now is the way that now more than ever we need community informed and community led organizing. Organizing that starts through community members finding solutions to problems they’ve seen. We were lucky enough to meet with a community partner in Seattle called Casa Latina that did this very thing. Founded in 1994, their goal was to give the power back to immigrants through providing education and economic opportunities. They also started teaching English classes and gathered community input. Then they saw how many day laborers were working in unsafe conditions. So they made a worker center. Then in 1995 they received their non profit status. As a centralized 501(c)3 nonprofit they were able to facilitate the hiring of day laborers. This way their employer was accountable and their pay was collectively agreed on beforehand. Their focus as an organization is to help cultivate business connections so the center would not be needed by the day laborers. They then won the City of Seattle Human Rights Award in 2007. After fundraising they built their new three building campus. Then in 2018 fight for and won the. Domestic Workers Bill of Rights. In July 2018, the mayor signed the Seattle Domestic Workers Ordinance. Today they now have a worker center, english classes, spanish classes, and job skill training. The change this organization made to its local community can not be understated. Casa Latina is an amazing organization that helps showcase the power in grassroots organizing. Finding a way to make an impact.
This section summarizes readings and research related to a relevant topic within the student’s Pathway and connects them to larger patterns or themes.
Currently within UVU many students have organized and ran for public office in the form of UVUSA. These students who are running, brought together friends and family to help put together campaigns that showcase who they are and why they deserve a students vote. I believe the most powerful thing that was built during these elections was the communities. I was lucky enough to be able to table with a friend who was running and watch her. During her tabling she worked to build a stronger community here on UVU campus. She cared less about political talking points and more about hearing what other students had to say. While this UVUSA election year was a competitive one, it was a collaborative one. There were moments where I saw friends trade treats they were handing out to students. I saw the way that these candidates prioritized building relationships over a chance to quickly win over some students votes. With the most competitive position being the role of Vice-President of Academics. There being four students who ran for this position. I was surprised at the amount of collaboration and compassion that each candidate gave to one another.
While they wanted to win, they also wanted to help UVU. I was happily able to talk to some of the candidates who ran for the UVUSA executive council. And they were able to share some strategies. The first strategy was to give their platform a comfortable feeling. By making social media posts that were low energy and comfortable they were able to bring in people who did not usually vote. They were also able to create a community that had shared the values of cozyness. But they also ran on policy. They cared about what the Students at UVU were saying and wanted to help represent them the best they could. Some held forums where they would ask students what they thought about the university. And many asked about what valuable changes could be done to improve their education. And they worked with students around the campus to get a good range of input. Talking to students from every major. Voting for UVUSA closed on Thursday March 5th. But while that voting ended the movements that these student leaders created did not. These students still remember the issues they rallied against. By making students think about how UVU could be improved they were inspiring students to make the next step in social impact.
Before the results were counted up all of the candidates came together to remove the posters that they had plastered all over class. They came together all as students who wished to make UVU a better place. As they were removing the posters, it made me think about the importance of community. By building a coalition of students who care about similar issues, it doesn’t matter if one candidate is chosen over the other. The important thing is that more students will work toward the social impact that they are passionate about.
Community Resources
This section highlights helpful tools or guides that support real-world application of the Pathway.
Comunidades Unidas Family Emergency Plan
It is always valuable to have an Emergency Plan. Comunidades Unidas has many helpful family emergency plans that can be utilized. These plans can help with many family emergencies.
The American War Against Cuba - Mini-Doc
The American War Against Cuba is a short documentary about the ongoing crisis within Cuba. Hasan Piker, an online media personality, provides aid to the country. Cuba currently struggles from an energy crisis and an oil crisis. This doc showcases the causes and effects of this crisis.
How to recover from activism burnout | Yana Buhrer Tavanier
How to recover from activism burnout is a Ted Talk given by Yana Buhrer about the power of creativity. She talks about how interdisciplinary activism can help lead to creative solutions. These creative solutions help to change minds and hearts.
This section reflects on a firsthand or immersive experience related to the Pathway topic.
For my Immersive Experience I was able to lead an Alternative Break to Seattle, Washington. I had led summer camps but this was my first time leading an Alternative break; So I was apprehensive but excited. I had heard wonderful things about the city and was excited to visit for the first time. Our focus on the trip was Immigrants and Refugees. Me and my co-lead for the trip Josie Sorcia had spent months planning and reaching out to community partners. We were searching for community partners who could provide helpful insights into the work being done to help the Immigrant and Refugee community within the Seattle area.
We were lucky to have found such amazing community partners who helped showcase the different pathways and approaches to social impact. Before we ventured on the trips we had three prep meetings. During these meetings the cohort of students going on the trips were introduced to some of the frameworks here at the Center. We were also able to do some improv-games in order to help break the ice between the students.
The first community partner we met with was the organization Their Story is Our Story. They connect people through their stories and lives. Their mission:
“Collect and share the experiences of refugees and allies to encourage understanding and empathy, advance public policy supporting refugees, and help individuals and communities welcome people forcibly displaced from their homes due to violence, persecution and other events outside their control.” - Their Story is Our Story
During our meeting we were able to have a dialogue about what it means to be an immigrant. The fears, joys, and surprises that accompany immigration and its long process. We also talked about the ways that immigrants are being villainized. And the ways in which we can negate these agendas through sharing the real stories of Refugees and Immigrants. Because at the end of the day immigrants are people who hope for a better tomorrow. People who see a better future for themselves and strive for it. Same as you and me. After meeting with our community partner we were able to enjoy China town and eat some delicious food. After eating we went back to our airbnb and prepared some delicious food. Since it was international women's day we spent the rest of the night celebrating.
During the next day we met with the University of Washington, El Centro de la Raza, The Northwestern Immigrants Rights Project, and the Seattle Office of Immigrants Rights and Affairs. All of these community partners helped us better understand the different avenues that social impact can take place. We were able to see the place lawyers had in impact legislation. As well as the ways that local and state governments can work for social impact. And El Centro helped highlight the ways that community centers can make a social impact; One of the many programs they have is a Esl, Ssl, and Csl program. In this program they provide classes that teach English, Spanish, and Chinese language classes. After meeting with these community partners we went to the space needle. It was wonderful to see Seattle through a different lens. We had been walking and driving through the city all day. So it was wonderful to see the city from above. We then went back to the airbnb and cooked some delicious dinner before retiring for the night.
During our final day in Seattle we met with Casa Latina, Kandelia, and Dr. Volo. We were able to learn more about how these amazing community partners are working to make Seattle a more welcoming place for Immigrants and Refugees. It was wonderful to see all of the efforts to help Immigrants and Refugees feel at home in a new place. After meeting with these partners we had a delicious dinner and dessert before we packed to head home. This trip was an amazing chance to learn about the great work being done in Seattle; And bring back some of the best practices to UVU.
Call to Action
This section offers closing reflections and invites readers to consider how they can apply the insights in their own lives and communities.
Activism & Community Organizing isn’t a one time thing. It isn't a one and done. It is a conscious choice we make every day. It is a consistent effort we make to better ourselves, our community, and our society. And we make that effort because we know that the fruit of our labor will be worth it. But sometimes our efforts won’t be as large as they were yesterday. And whatever amount of effort you give is valuable. As Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King once said “If you can't fly then run, if you can't run then walk, if you can't walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward.”
If we keep moving forward, no matter how big each step, at the end when we look back we will see how far we’ve come.
