Raise a Buzz on Campus With Your SOS Hub

Whether you’re in high school or college, your school campus is a perfect place to raise awareness of animal rights issues among students, faculty, and community members. Think of it this way: When else will you have the opportunity to be surrounded by hundreds (sometimes thousands) of open-minded future leaders who are ready to make a positive difference in the world every day? 📢👊

So grab your Students Opposing Speciesism (SOS) hub members and follow these tips from some of our most active SOS organizers on raising a buzz on campus!

Host a Tabling Event

Tabling is an effective way to get information out to lots of people at once. Find a high-traffic area like a cafeteria or dining hall, a hallway between classes, a library, or outside the student union, and set up a table with resources about animal issues. Contact [email protected] to order free animal rights leaflets and stickers.

SOS organizer Anna M. from New York says,

“When I was first seeking people to join my hub, I set up an information table. I was even able to get my table announced on my school’s student website. My primary goal was gathering students’ e-mails to create an e-mail list. After that, I sent out e-mails about my agenda for the hub and what it will look like on and off campus.”

Host Eye-Catching Outreach Events

Whether it’s a protest, a vegan food giveaway, or something else, an eye-catching outreach event is sure to create a buzz on campus!

A post shared by SOS Hub at UC Davis (@davisxsos)

SOS organizer Alexis C. from Orlando, Florida, says,

“The most important thing is to spread awareness about your hub and make it fun and inviting to join by hosting engaging events that impact animals and introduce veganism in a positive way! There are so many students who would want to join and just don’t know there is an animal rights organization they can be a part of or what they can do to help.”

Alexis also says,

“Our hub loves hosting ‘Change My Mind’ tabling events in the middle of campus to spark conversation and plant seeds in students passing by. Once we draw students in, we make sure to always have news about our upcoming events, animal rights literature, stickers, vegan samples, and other free items that they can take home to learn more and share with friends.”

Have a big idea for an eye-catching event to speak up against speciesism but need funds? Apply for the SOS Activism Grant!

Hang Informational Posters

Have you ever stopped to read an informational flyer on campus? SOS organizer Alex N. from Pittsburgh (below) encourages his school to be speciesism-free by hanging posters with QR codes about joining SOS! E-mail [email protected] to order some to put up around your school.

You can also create your own posters similar to those by the Cambridge, Massachusetts, SOS hub (below), which spreads the word about speciesism by hanging flyers in Harvard Square and at Harvard University.

Look for community boards in coffee shops, libraries, student unions, and other places!

Host Social Meetups

Protests and outreach events dedicated to speaking up for animals are important, but meetups focused on getting to know your hub members and recruiting new members are also vital to maintaining a strong, active SOS hub.

Building community through hub meetups gives SOS members an opportunity to spend time with like-minded individuals and learn more about the issues. Set up a social event, like a meeting at a local park or a vegan-friendly lunch spot, before or after protests or between events so your hub members can get to know each other better.

Connect With Supportive Teachers and Professors

Finding supportive teachers to help endorse campaigns and gather support from other staff members can help build a bridge between students and faculty. Many teachers enjoy helping their students speak up for what they believe in, so don’t hesitate to reach out to teachers you have a positive relationship with, even if they aren’t yet vegan or involved with animal rights. SOS organizer Anna M. offers some advice:

“My number one tip would be to work hard to find as many vegan professors and faculty staff as possible. Chances are, if you find one vegan processor, they’ll be able to tell you who all of the others are. Even if you can’t find a vegan professor, your favorite professor may know some other vegan students they can connect you with. It’s well worth the ask! When you have professors and staff who are passionate about your mission to start an SOS hub, they’ll most likely be more than willing to help you find locations on campus for events and help spread the word about your hub. I’ve also typed up e-mails for a few of my vegan professors to send out to their students to get the word out.”

SOS Is Here to Help!

Have questions or need more personalized help getting your SOS hub up and running? E-mail us at [email protected] for additional tools and resources!

Don’t forget to have fun, and remember why you’re there: to help end speciesism!