Ryan Sorrell isn’t just any ordinary Rambler. He was one of the main members of the Loyola community involved in organizing a protest on campus against racism. The protest not only got a lot of attention on campus but also from local news media such as the Chicago Tribune, NBC Chicago, the Chicago Sun-Times and more.
Ryan is currently a senior at Loyola studying journalism and advocacy/social change. As the “Black Lives Matter” movement continues to sweep the nation, Ryan’s involvement in social justice becomes more prominent on campus. While he has been involved in social justice matters on campus in many ways, one of Ryan’s most notable experiences is his key involvement in the protest that found its way to Loyola’s campus not long ago.
This past November, an incident at the University of Missouri sparked controversy (use of racist slurs, rumors about the KKK being on campus, etc.) all around the nation. Sorrell got involved and drove up to Missouri to break the story. Ryan’s report on the Mizzou controversy received a lot of attention–around 40,000 shares on Facebook.
“We were out there and we asked them,
‘what can we do to stand in solidarity with you guys’?”
-Ryan Sorrell
Upon Sorrell’s return to campus, he helped organize a protest at Loyola to address the issue of racism and to stand in solidarity with Missouri as well. An impressive number of 900 students showed up to the demonstration.
Sorrell’s story is truly inspiring and serves as a prime example of what it’s like to be a student leader of Loyola. His experience as a student activist shows his compassion for social justice and provides Loyola students with more exposure to the “Black Lives Matter” movement as well.
As university students, it is important to invest your time and passion towards activities that show your involvement on campus. Follow Sorrell’s example and get more involved on campus!
To get more involved, contact us at uncoveringloyola@gmail.com and follow us on Twitter @UncoveringLUC!
Writers: Michelle Song & Emma Nyssen