Okembe-RA Imani is chair and professor of the Department of Black Studies at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. He is also a veteran of more than 27聽years of activism in Black nationalist and Pan-Africanist movements, dealing with race, class, gender, nationality, language and religion. He is ordained as a minister in both the Southern Baptist and African Orthodox churches and is also a consecrated African traditional priest of Amen-RA.

Okembe-RA Imani is the author of two books, The Agony of Education: Black Students at White Colleges and Universities (Routledge, 1996) and Head Games: De-Colonizing the Psychotherapeutic Process (University Press of America, 2010).

He previously taught sociology and Africana studies at James Madison University.

Schedule of events

Thursday, Jan. 15
8 p.m.: Movie and talk back 鈥� 鈥淭o Kill a Mockingbird鈥� (Common Grounds Coffeehouse)

Friday, Jan. 16
10-10:30 a.m.: Reading circles of MLK Jr. sermons and speeches. (Parkwoods Apartments Community Room, Cedarwood 2nd floor lounge, Northlawn Great Lounge, Campus Center Brunk Maust lounge, Seminary main lounge, Hartzler Library, Science Center rm. 104, University Commons student life lounge, Roselawn 200)

11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.: Mix-it up at lunch. (Northlawn Dining Hall)

7-9 p.m.: Evening of service and visit to Tyrone Sprague鈥檚 barbershop. (Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church, John Wesley United Methodist Church and Tyrone鈥檚 Barbershop) Vans depart from the University Commons main entrance at 6:30 p.m.聽To sign up for service, email Y-Serve or the Black Student Union at y-serve@emu.edu or emubsu1@gmail.com.

Saturday, Jan. 17
10 a.m. – 12 p.m., or 12-2 p.m.: Day of service and visit to Tyrone Sprague鈥檚 barbershop. (Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church, John Wesley United Methodist Church, Blacks Run and Tyrone鈥檚 Barbershop) Vans depart from the University Commons main entrance at 9:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. To sign up for service, email Y-Serve or the Black Student Union at y-serve@emu.edu or emubsu1@gmail.com.

Sunday, Jan. 18
11 a.m.: Community church service with Rev. Dr. Nikitah Okembe-RA Imani. (Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church, 184 Kelley Street, Harrisonburg) Vans depart from the University Commons main entrance at 10:30 a.m.

1 p.m.: Community lunch for church attendees. (John Wesley United Methodist Church, 425 Effinger Street, Harrisonburg)

Monday, Jan. 19
9:50-10 a.m.: 鈥淥ne Dream鈥� Solidarity March
10-10:40 a.m.: MLK, Jr. Celebration Chapel with Rev. Dr. Nikitah Okembe-RA Imani, the 91短视频 Gospel Choir and the Alpha Omega Dancers for Christ. (Lehman Auditorium)

10:45-11:30 a.m.: After chapel talk-back on dynamics of the prison industrial complex (Common Grounds Coffeehouse)

Tuesday, Jan. 20
7 p.m.: Food Drive for The Salvation Army, Our Community Place and Patchwork Pantry. Bring non-perishable food items to the men鈥檚 volleyball game at Yoder Arena in University Commons.

More info

Admission to all programs is free. For more information on activities related to Dr. King observances, or for a full schedule of events, visit聽emu.edu/mlk/聽or call campus ministries at 540-432-4115.

The theme of the conference is “Peace in practice: What does it look like when our theories become action?”

“Lisa’s example of聽field work with local, international, and systems-based conflicts is inspirational for college students,” says Christine Baer, a conference co-organizer and a senior and major.

Schirch and other speakers will focus on building peace at all levels, from local to international, and integrating this work into art and other forms of community engagement.

91短视频 Lisa Schirch

In her role at the Alliance for Peacebuildling, Schirch connects policymakers with global civil society networks, facilitates civil-military dialogue, and provides a conflict prevention and peacebuilding lens on current policy issues.

Schirch is also a research professor at .

She has conducted conflict assessments and participated in peacebuilding planning alongside local colleagues in more than 20 countries, including Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Kenya, Ghana, and Fiji.

Schirch works primarily with small local NGOs and civil society organizations. Schirch also has worked as a consultant on conflict assessment and peacebuilding planning for large entities, such as the , the World Bank, several branches of the U.S. government, the U.S. Foreign Service Institute, and many other international organizations.

She holds a BA in international relations from the University of Waterloo in Canada and an MS and a PhD in conflict analysis and resolution from George Mason University.

Drama that entertains and informs

“I’d Like to Buy an Enemy” will be performed by on Friday, Jan. 31, at 8 p.m., in the MainStage Theater in University Commons.

The play, starring Ted Swartz, MDiv ’92, and Tim Ruebke MA ’99 (), allows audiences to laugh at themselves while raising important questions about the place of the United States in the world, confronting the fear that is such a large part of contemporary culture, and exploring ways to honestly work for peace and justice in this country.

Tickets are $8 for general audience and $5 for 91短视频 faculty and staff. 91短视频 students and conference attendees are free, if they show their identifications.

Ted and Company will also host university chapel on Friday at 10 a.m.

Organizers

The Intercollegiate Peace Fellowship Conference is sponsored and organized by , a student organization that organizes campus-wide activities, regular space to share meals and discussions, and special speakers to spark meaningful dialogue. For more information about the conference or Peace Fellowship, contact the applied social sciences department.

Conference details

The program will open on Friday, Jan. 31, at 7 p.m., and end on Sunday, Feb. 2, at 1 p.m. Participating schools include Bluffton University in Ohio; Conrad Grebel College in Canada; Elizabethtown College in Pennsylvania; Goshen College in Indiana; Hesston College in Kansas; and Messiah College in Pennsylvania.

Workshops will be offered on a wide range of topics, including 鈥淎 Subversive Shalom: Enacting Radical Peace” with and ; “Home Front: the Untold History of Radical Veteran Peacemaking” with ; and “: Promoting Personal Growth and Community Well-Being” with Philip Fisher Rhodes and Ron Copeland.

Other topics to be covered range from “The Relationship Between Islam and Peace” and “Restorative Justice in Our Schools” to “Arts, Theater, and Peacebuilding.”

Most sessions will be held in of the seminary building and seminary classrooms.

Creating connections

“We expect this conference to be a time of sharing stories and experiences at all levels, with many practical applications of peacebuilding,” said Krista Nyce, an 91短视频 senior major and conference co-organizer. “We have heard a lot in the classroom about theories and have debated concepts; thus we hope this can be a time to build on those with realistic accounts of speakers鈥� varied involvements from local organizations to experiences of national organizing, from art to restorative justice to education.”

and a is available . is also available.

For more information on the conference visit or email: emupeacefellowship@gmail.com.

“The goal of this year’s celebration at 91短视频 is to reflect on the strong faith commitments that kindled Martin Luther King’s passion for social justice,” said Marvin Lorenzana, director of .

“It’s important to remember that Dr. King not only was a civil rights activist but also a dedicated Christian minister.

I invite our community to participate in this year’s events as we celebrate together the legacy of a man that motivates us to faith and action,” Lorenzana added.

Thursday, Jan. 13

Activities will open Thursday evening, Jan. 13, with a MLK coffeehouse that features a panel of seminary and undergraduate faculty members – Peter Dula, Kent D. Sensenig and Mark Thiessen Nation – discussing Dr. King’s role in the context of the kingdom of God, with a focus on King’s efforts to bridge the social and spiritual dimensions of the gospel message.

The program will take place 8-9:30 p.m. in the Common Grounds Coffeehouse of the University Commons. Snacks will be served.

Friday, Jan. 14

Ron Copeland of Harrisonburg will speak in university chapel 10 a.m. Friday, Jan. 14, in Lehman Auditorium, reflecting on the late civil rights worker’s and pastor’s role as a servant of God.

Nick Melaz, a local worship leader and singer, will provide special music.

Copeland, a graduate of Eastern Mennonite Seminary, is senior pastor of Early Church and director of Our Community Place, a grass-roots center on N. Main St. that promotes personal and spiritual growth and well-being through a variety of activities and projects.

Monday, Jan. 17

On Monday, Jan. 17, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, a multi-media presentation-tribute to King’s life and legacy will be shown in the Campus Center Greeting Hall along with photo displays and a “response wall” for persons to offer personal comments.

Activities will take place 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m. along the second floor corridor of the University Commons.

More info

Admission to all programs is free. For more information on activities related to Dr. King observances at 91短视频, call the office of multicultural programs at 540-432-4458.

This was not the scene of some elaborate dining-hall heist orchestrated by starving college students. It is the bi-weekly routine of sophomore James Souder, often joined by first-year Brandon Waggy and others from the Sustainable Food Initiative, to donate untouched cafeteria leftovers to Our Community Place.

This effort, now down to smooth routine, is the result of continued collaboration between students of SFI, dining hall director Bruce Emmerson, and staff at OCP. At the end of last fall semester, junior Rebekah* [last name omitted on request] approached Emmerson about the possibility of donating unused food to those who need it.

Rebekah said that her Walking Disciples dorm hall, and previous involvement with OCP, are what inspired her and others to become more aware of the excess food in the cafeteria. 鈥淪o often, we think about going abroad to 鈥榟elp those in need,鈥� but there are people going hungry in the country and in this community.鈥�

Last year, she and former student Lucas Schrock-Hurst protested wastefulness by taking plates from students in the cafeteria, and eating the leftovers before they could hit the trash. Emmerson stopped their demonstration for health reasons, but their passion made an impact, especially when they offered OCP donations as an alternative.

鈥淎nyone that just criticizes without suggestion is not helpful, but almost every initiative we鈥檝e done here has been student-driven, or at least a student idea,鈥� said Emmerson over the sound of a floor cleaner whirring around the cafeteria. 鈥淎nd so when they come to me, it might be a little critical, but if they have an idea, I鈥檓 more than happy to try it.鈥�

Back in Souder鈥檚 car, the food does not even have a chance to get cold before it arrives at OCP. Souder and Waggy quickly unload the pans into a large outdoor cooler, and head back to campus before their next classes.

Reflecting on the beginnings of this initiative, Souder said, 鈥淲e didn鈥檛 have the right connections made yet.鈥� Emmerson echoed this uncertainty in the planning stage. 鈥淚 thought it was a good idea; we just needed to work out logistics.鈥� Rebekah had a vision for what could happen. Emmerson had the resources. OCP had the need. Souder stepped up to provide the legwork.

鈥淪ometimes when they come to me with an idea, it sounds a little overwhelming,鈥� said Emmerson. Eventually, though, it can and often does become a reality. 鈥淚 think it鈥檚 great that the students care, that they want to see change, and change in the right direction.鈥�

Current environmental practices in 91短视频鈥檚 food services include trash sorting for composting, eliminating tray use, biodegradable paper products, and the Den鈥檚 reusable take-out containers. Even changes as small as replacing paper waffle-batter cups with reusable plastic ones, make a difference. Evidence of these changes is the few garbage cans now behind the cafeteria, compared to the large dumpster that once rested there.

This passion for change is what drives students such as Rebekah and Souder to be involved with challenging the university to think more carefully about what sustainability means.

鈥淭his is a meaningful use of our leftovers because we use the abundant resources and use them wisely,鈥� said Rebekah. 鈥淲e follow God鈥檚 teachings. Give to the poor. Hang out with the poor.鈥� She sees this as impactful not only to those at the OCP supper table, but in her personal life as well, as connections are made throughout the community. 鈥淚 think it is great to be a sustainable campus, but we should not get too caught up in it,鈥� she continued. 鈥淲e could make this entire campus sustainable, but there are still people hungry in our community.鈥�

Both SFI and the dining hall have future plans for continuing to realize 91短视频鈥檚 sustainability commitment in tangible ways. The Sustainable Food Initiative hopes to plant at least ten donated apple trees on the hill behind campus. They are also in need of students to fill Souder and Waggy鈥檚 places next semester, as they leave for cross-cultural. Emmerson would like to incorporate more local foods in the cafeteria, but logistics pose a challenge. He mentioned that having a work-study student work on local food distribution would open up opportunities for local produce.

Rebekah recalled a statement made by Schrock-Hurst during their day of eating others鈥� leftovers. 鈥淭he point is not whether us eating your leftovers is right or wrong or gross,鈥� said Schrock-Hurst, 鈥渢he point is, it is grossly unjust for our university to be throwing out large quantities of food when there are people just a few miles from here struggling to put food on the table. Let鈥檚 change.鈥�

Reprinted from , 91短视频’s student newspaper. Preliminary interview by Timothy Hartman.

*Rebekah’s first name is used by request.

Investment club member Kaleb Wyse presents the club’s contribution to Ron Copeland Director of Our Community Place.

In Spring 2009 91短视频 business students, under the direction of Professor Jim Leaman, formed an investment club.

91短视频 the investment club

The club is offered every semester for one credit hour.

Students of all majors and investment experience join the club to gain further investing knowledge and gain real life experience with trading stocks while keeping a socially conscious mind.

Students who join the group receive education on the stock market and investment options with various speakers and texts.

The first investments in 2009

The first members were allotted $10,000 and given freedom to pick investments. Spring 2009 offered an optimal time to enter the markets as the economy was nearing the bottom of a recession.

The students picked a variety of stocks and funds by researching possibilities and discussing them in class.

Throughout the following year, the fund grew to a peak of $14,368.

At the end of the fiscal year a new group of students followed the fund and were given the chance to do their own research to decide what stocks to hold and if any should be sold. The Fall 2009 group traded four holdings.

‘Our Community Place’ receives first check

The group bylaws, approved by each semester’s club members, ask that 10% of the gain each year be given to a charity.

, a non-profit community center in Harrisonburg, was the recipient of $436, and this was accepted by Director Ron Copeland, a graduate of Eastern Mennonite Seminary.

When presented with the check, Ron shared with the club members what his charity does for the community and his future aspirations for Our Community Place.

People gather at 91短视频

]]> /now/news/2004/students-offer-service-to-local-community/ Mon, 30 Aug 2004 04:00:00 +0000 http://www.emu.edu/blog/news/?p=699
Miranda Shirk (l.), Ephrata, Pa., and Terianne Kauffman, Paradise, Pa., stack wood at the Valley Brethren-Mennonite Heritage Center.
Photo by Jim Bishop

First-year students set foot on campus one day, and the next, they stepped out in service to the local community.

For the first time, as part of their orientation program, some 300 91短视频 students with their orientation leaders spent Saturday, Aug. 28, volunteering at 17 non-profit organizations in and around Harrisonburg.

“It makes sense to me,” said student Terianne Kauffman from Paradise, Pa. “Mennonites believe that service is an important part of being a Christian, so why not start off the year [at 91短视频] with an experience like this.”

Debbie Keiser, Pioneer, Ohio, slices bagels for serving at the Our Community Place “fun festival.”
Photo by Jim Bishop

Ms. Kauffman and some 14 fellow students spent the afternoon stacking wood, pulling weeds and leveling gravel on a parking lot at the Valley Brethren-Mennonite Heritage Center west of the city as part of the “Community Learning Day of Service.”

Before the students swarmed to area non-profits, they were hosted by and treated to lunch at a number of locally-owned restaurants. Transportation to and from assignments was provided by Harrisonburg Transit and 91短视频 vans.

At Booksavers, student volunteers looked up donated books on the Internet to determine prices for the used volumes that in turn are sold at discount prices to raise funds for relief programs.

“I’ve never done this before, but it’s kinda fun,” said student Jason Hostetter of Harrisonburg, working next to fellow student Maggie Parker from Wichita, Kan. “I’m amazed at how many books they have here.”

Another student group assisted at a “fun festival” sponsored by Our Community Place on N. Main Street across from The Little Grill, a unique restaurant that operates as a worker-owned collective. The group helped make and serve food, did face painting, played volleyball and interacted with festival participants.

(L. to r.): Marc Yoder, Belleville, Pa.; Paul Rutt, Luray, Va.; and Chris Lehman, Chambersburg, Pa., sort donated housewares at the Thrift Shop.
Photo by Jim Bishop

Some 15 students sorted through contributed toys and clothing at Mercy House’s thrift store, which helps raise money to support the homeless shelter.

Other students unloaded donated merchandise and sorted and priced clothing at the local Thrift Shop.

“I’ve never done this before (sorting clothes),” said student Kristi Kolb from Spring City, Pa. “I think it’s cool to help out in this way, and it benefits a lot of people in need. It’s interesting to see what people bring in,” she added.

“I think this gives freshman a better idea of the many different opportunities for service available in the local community,” said sophomore orientation leader Shannon Yoder from Harrisonburg. “If they are interested in getting involved in a certain project, they’ll know how to get in touch with the right people.”

The day began with welcoming speeches from Harrisonburg Vice-Mayor Rodney Eagle; Ron Copland, an Eastern Mennonite Seminary student and founder of The Little Grill restaurant; Adam Starks, a 2003 91短视频 graduate and manager of Panera Bread, which donated food to the event; and Sylvia Romero of the Shenandoah Valley Migrant Education Agency.

Deanna Durham
Photo by Jim Bishop

, community learning coordinator at 91短视频, felt that the event was “successful,” adding: “We wanted students to realize from when they first arrive on campus that they are not coming just to a college campus, but to a real community that has both needs and opportunities for learning.”