Taught By:
Ayesha Ghazi Edwin
Assistant Clinical Professor
School of Social Work
University of Michigan
Read profile here.
Motivation to Teach Social Action:
I both teach and create a variety of experiential, community-engaged courses. Last semester, I had students investigate policy issues in the City of Ann Arbor, and propose policy solutions to the Mayor, City Council, and City staff. Two of the projects led to policy changes - including the introduction and passage of a resolution that designated $1 million dollars of funding to a variety of emergency social service needs in our community that were created by federal administration cuts: https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/2025/05/trumps-impact-on-community-has-ann-arbor-tapping-into-1m-contingency-fund.html
Course Description:
The course focuses on engaging students in social action through community-based projects. Students will explore topics such as voter suppression, ableism, and voter inaccessibility while conducting audits of polling locations in Michigan. Their findings will contribute to actionable reports and policy discussions with local clerks and state officials, aiming to improve voting access. The course emphasizes experiential learning and equips students with skills to address social justice issues.
