Socialists of Caltech
Outreach Working Group
Mission
Science is and has always been political. Its discourse is distilled through societal norms, its funding is connected to political entities, and its knowledge is defined and guarded behind ivory towers. With a history of affiliation with the military-industrial complex, scientific institutions have been complicit in imperialism, racism, eugenics, and more. The relationship of science with power lies in dialectical balance with the advances it makes possible; this balance highlights the importance of connecting scientists with socialism, particularly at an influential and connected institution like Caltech.
Solidarity with Our Community
The outreach working group focuses on programming for the Caltech community and on SoC’s presence on campus. In addition, we are committed to connecting Caltech to the greater community in Pasadena and beyond, building solidarity as a foundation for effective organizing. Often Outreach will collaborate with other working groups or even other Caltech organizations to put on events, such as: movie nights, educational workshops, flyering, and social gatherings. Examples of workshops include “Socialism 101” in collaboration with the Education working group, and “A People’s History of Science” in collaboration with Free Radicals, an LA based activist collective. In addition, Outreach also organizes in response to developments in current events, particularly those impacting the local community. For example, last November in response to proposed taxes on graduate tuition, Outreach organized a student protest in coordination with other universities across the country.
Outreach to Local Schools
SoC’s Outreach working group has been developing lessons on science, politics, and society for young students in local schools. We have also gone to local schools to run demos about topics like climate change and clean water.
“science must be understood as a social phenomenon, a gutsy, human enterprise, not the work of robots programed to collect pure information.“
– Stephen Jay Gould
“My revolution is born out of love for my people, not hatred for others.”
– Felipe Andres Coronel (Immortal Technique)
“A people’s art is the genesis of their freedom.”
– Claudia Jones
Current Projects
- Black Lives Matter Protests. SoC has coordinated its members attending local protests against police violence in wake of the police murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Anthony McClain, and the countless examples of police terror in our communities. SoC has also platformed various fundraisers to support our comrades protesting in the streets and to honor the people taken from us by white supremacy and police terror.
- In response to the wave of protests, the Black Scientists and Engineers of Caltech (BSEC) drafted a petition to fight white supremacy on campus and demand that Caltech commit to making the Institute more inclusive. Many SoC members are involved with Caltech for Black Lives, a campus group formed to organize around the BSEC petition demands and coordinate anti-racist efforts on campus. Email us at socialistsofcaltech.com to get involved.
- Outreach to local schools.
To get involved, please use the contact form at the bottom of the page.
Past Projects
- Demos at local PUSD schools’ Science Nights and Science for March.
- SoC support of striking UTLA teachers on the picket line at Eagle Rock High School. (Jan 2019)
- Queerying Gaypril, chalking campaign on campus to bring attention to housing, homelessness, policing and mass incarceration as LGBT issues. (April 2018)
- Grad Student Walkout in protest of the Federal Government’s proposal to tax grad student tuition waivers as income. (Nov 2017)
#QueeryingGaypril chalking 
Picketing with striking UTLA teachers, Jan 2019 
Grad Tax Walkout, Nov 2017