The DIY Issue

DIY, or “do-it-yourself,” is a concept often relegated to home remodeling, car maintenance and craft projects. For many, “DIY” conjures the image of “how-to” YouTube videos or the “For Dummies” series of instructional books.

But that version of DIY is for dummies. DIY means so much more. DIY means community.

What happens when there are no resources for tenants who face abusive or hostile landlords? The community comes together to create those resources.

What happens when corporate farms push out smaller, family-owned farms across the state? The remaining family-owned farms come together to stand up for themselves and ensure they have the resources to not just survive but to thrive and prosper.

What happens when there are no affordable, quick, healthy vegetarian options for students near campus? Two parents start their own food truck to provide students with the food they deserve.

DIY is passion. DIY is when a person engages in an activity they love without expecting anything in return. Other times, someone is able to turn a passion project into a profitable business.

DIY is when none of the venues in town book local bands, so a household turns their basement into a local music venue. It’s when a local band books their own shows and produces their own music. It’s when a community comes together to create a music scene where none existed before. 

It’s when someone with a passion for sports volunteers as a coach for a youth athletics league in order to keep their passion alive in future generations. And it’s coming together to stand up for yourselves when no one else will.

The Daily Cardinal itself stands as a monument to the DIY ethos. We are a student-run, student-owned, student-operated paper. For many of us, the newspaper is a passion. We report because our community deserves it, not because we expect something in return.

DIY is more than a home remodel. It’s standing up for yourself and giving back to your community.