Category: Social justice

Apply for the Mansfield’s 2022 Fellowship for Activism and Community Engagement (thru 3/2/22)

The Mansfield Institute Fellowship for Activism and Community Engagement (FACE) will fund a second cohort of 15 Roosevelt University undergraduate students from any college or discipline. The cohort-based summer fellowship includes funding for a 3-credit Social Justice in Action internship-based course in May 2022. In addition to tuition, fellows will receive a stipend of $2,500.

Following their course work in late May, Fellows will work in a social justice–focused community-based organization in Chicago for 10 hours per week, for 10 weeks over the summer starting in early June. Fellows will have an opportunity to work with past Fellows, attend University events together, and have opportunities to present work at conferences.

Eligibility:

  • Open to all Roosevelt University undergraduate students in any college or major
  • Students must have between 45 and 72 credit hours completed on March 2, 2022
  • GPA of at least a 2.0
  • Be able to participate fully in fellowship activities including course work, internship work, and ongoing cohort activities throughout the year

Deadlines:

  • The application process opens on February 1 and closes on March 2, 2022.
  • Applicants will be notified by March 16, 2022.

To apply, visit the Mansfield Institute Fellowship for Activism and Community Engagement (FACE) webpage. For questions or more information, please contact Prof. Heather Dalmage (hdalmage@roosevelt.edu), Director of the Mansfield Institute.

Mansfield Institute Kickoff Event on 2/1: Fellowship for Activism and Community Engagement

Join Roosevelt’s Mansfield Institute on 2/1/22 to recognize our current Fellows for Activism and Community Engagement and community partners. Attendees will hear about the program experience of current fellows, learn about the 2022 program, and meet our community partners. Register here! All Roosevelt students from any college or major with at least 45 credits are eligible to apply for the fellowship program. The selected 2022 fellows will take part in the Social Justice in Action internship-based course, a three-day seminar, and work with a social justice-focused, community-based organization for which they will receive a summer stipend. For more information, contact Prof. Heather Dalmage, Director of the Mansfield Institute (hdalmage@roosevelt.edu).

Eden Place Founder Michael Howard Addresses the Resilience Studies Consortium on Environmental Justice

Mr. Michael Howard, CEO and co-founder of Eden Place Farms and Nature Center in Chicago IL, will address the Roosevelt and Resilience Studies Consortium (RSC) communities on Tuesday, 26 Oct 2021, at 11am CST on the topic of “Sustaining Environmental Justice in a Pandemic.” Please join the faculty and students of SUST 350 Service & Sustainability at Roosevelt University and ENVS 397 Environmental Justice at Western Colorado University as they host Mr. Howard’s virtual presentation and a Q&A session. This presentation is made possible by the generous funding of the RSC — thank you!

Michael Howard’s life passion is to improve the quality of life for the citizens of the Fuller Park community on Chicago’s South Side, both financially and environmentally. As Founder and CEO of the Fuller Park Community Development (FPCD) organization in the 1990s, he has worked to address housing, education, and environmental issues that have kept this generally African American and low-income community in poverty and disrepair.

In the late 1990s, Michael and his wife Amelia Howard led the effort to clean up a three-acre vacant lot near their Fuller Park residence that was piled two stories high with illegally dumped waste. With help from many in the community, the site was cleared of debris and restored into a thriving green space called Eden Place — still the only nature center on the entire South Side of Chicago. In the early 2010s, Eden Place opened its farm operation about a half-mile south of the nature center. They host community events, market their produce to local restaurants and farmers markets, and provide ecology, urban farming, and nutrition workshops to citizens of Fuller Park and beyond.

Since 2014, students in Roosevelt University’s SUST 350 Service & Sustainability class have volunteered one morning a week in a multi-year service project at Eden Place, helping with farm chores, repairing and painting structures, building trails, planting and harvesting crops, and organizing events to support the organization’s mission. In return, Eden Place has taught them much about the process and importance of community organizing, the rigors of urban environmental conservation and farming, and the challenges of fostering sustainability and community resilience in this era of social and economic stress.

Zoom Login Info:

Topic: Michael Howard on Environmental Justice for RSC
Time: Oct 26, 2021 11:00 AM Central Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting
https://roosevelt.zoom.us/j/97714968242
Meeting ID: 977 1496 8242

For More Information:

Contact Mike Bryson (mbryson@roosevelt.edu), Professor & Director of Sustainability Studies, Roosevelt University

The Resilience Studies Consortium, of which Roosevelt is a charter member, is a network of small liberal arts Institutions dedicated to sustainability and community resilience, place-based educational experiences, and shared academic and co-curricular offerings in ways that empower students with the skills and knowledge needed to succeed in a rapidly evolving world.

SUST 350 Students Organize Concert & Fun Fest @ Eden Place Farm (Fri 10/15) & Nature Center (Sat 10/16)

Dear RU community — The students of Prof. Mike Bryson’s SUST 350 Service & Sustainability class have dedicated this past week to planning two pop-up events to help our longtime community partner non-profit org, Eden Place Nature Center and Farm, survive and thrive in these difficult pandemic times.

  • Friday 10/15 Music! “Farm Aid” benefit concert (6:30pm, doors open at 6pm) to save Eden Place Farms (live in person at 4911 S. Shields Ave., Chicago). Live concert is free to attend in person, with suggested donation and mandatory vax proof; make any online donation for livestream access.
  • Saturday 10/16 Family Fun! “Family Fun Fest” event at the Nature Center the following day, Sat 10/16, from 12-4pm to connect with the community and help raise funds. Details below.

Here’s how you can help with Saturday’s Fun Fest!

Where: Eden Place Nature Center (4417 S. Stewart Ave.) — 10min walk from the 47th St station on the Red Line, or EP staff can pick you up at the station if needed

When: Set up from 9:00am-12:00pm , event at 12:00pm-4:00pm , clean-up 4:00pm-5:00pm

What: Looking for at least 1-2 people to manage the raffle/pumpkin pick-up booth and a wristband seller at the entrance during 12-4pm event. Also looking for raffle donations from local businesses, saleable clothing items and/or plants in small pots.

Activities: Train ride and pumpkin/plant pot painting (wristband activities), bake sale, raffle, thrift and houseplant sale, and free games such as jumbo Jenga, basketball, cornhole, etc.

RU Contact People:

  • Alyssa Spleha (aspleha@mail.roosevelt.edu), SUST 350 student event organizer (main student contact for volunteering at event)
  • Gabriel Gonzalez (ggonzalez25@mail.roosevelt.edu), SUST 350 student thrift sale organizer (for dropping off gently used clothing @WB today or Friday)
  • Mike Bryson (mbryson@roosevelt.edu), SUST 350 prof (for general questions)

Eden Place Contact Person:

  • Michael Howard (michaelhow@msn.com), Eden Place executive director and co-founder

If you have some time this week to contribute to this effort, please get in touch with Alyssa or Gabriel to find out how you can help and discuss logistics. The most pressing need is for a couple extra people to help work the entrance and booths at the Fest. However, if you can bring some clean articles of clothing to WB for the thrift sale, that’d be great too. Sorry about the short notice, but we’re doing the best we can on a tight deadline!

All off-campus volunteers would need to complete the RU Travel Waiver Form. Return to me (mbryson@roosevelt.edu) prior to the event. 350-98 RU Waiver Forms 2021Fall.pdf

Peace and thanks to all,
The SUST 350 Service / Eden Place Team

Mansfield Fellowship for Activism and Community Engagement Application

The Mansfield Institute Fellowship for Activism and Community Engagement (FACE) will fund a cohort of 15 Roosevelt University undergraduate students from any college or discipline. The cohort-based summer fellowship includes funding for the 3-credit Social Justice in Action internship-based course in May 2021.  In addition to tuition, fellows will receive a stipend of $2,500.

Students will be placed in in social justice-focused community-based organizations in Chicago for 10 hours per week, for 10 weeks over the summer. Fellows will also attend University events together, including a recognition ceremony and will have opportunities to present work at conferences.

Eligibility:

  • Open to all Roosevelt University undergraduate students in any college or major.
  • Students must have between 45 and 72 credit hours completed on March 15, 2021.
  • GPA of at least a 2.0.
  • Be able to participate fully in fellowship activities including course work, internship work and ongoing cohort activities throughout the year.

Deadlines:

  • The application process opens on February 15 and closes on March 15.
  • The committee will meet on March 17 and applicants will be notified by March 17, 2021.

To apply, visit the Mansfield Institute Fellowship for Activism and Community Engagement (FACE) webpage. For questions or more information, please contact Prof. Heather Dalmage (hdalmage@roosevelt.edu), Director of the Mansfield Institute.

“Climate Warriors” Film & Discussion on Mon 12/7 with RU Green

The Roosevelt sustainability student organzation, RU Green, is hosting a showing of the documentary Climate Warriors on Monday, December 7th, at 5 pm. This film follows many stories of climate injustices around the world and shows what people are doing to combat these atrocities. Following the documentary will be a short discussion about the climate justice movement.

All RU community members are welcome to attend! To register for the event please go to https://linktr.ee/rugreen so RU Green organizers can get a rough headcount of attendees and work out final logistics. RU Green will email responders a link on the day of the event. For more info, contact RU Green president Sophia Gallo (sgallo01@mail.roosevelt.edu).


RU Green-Climate Warriors Event 2020-12-07 (Flier)

Chicago Youth Climate Strike: Fri 9/20/19 in Grant Park

Join members of RU Green, the Math Club, and others in an all-ages Chicago Youth Climate Strike march in Grant Park in downtown Chicago this Friday 9/20/19 in solidarity with climate strike marchers all over the world. Options for meeting:

  • 10:30am WB Lobby, 425 S. Wabash Ave., then walk with RU Green to Grant Park
  • 11:00am, south end of Grant Park (Roosevelt & Columbus)

RU students, want to help make signs? Join RU Green outside the CSI office (WB 3rd floor) on Wed 9/18 @5pm. Bring your own poster-making supplies if you have ’em (supplies limited).

Questions? Email RU Green prez Samantha Schultz (sschultz10@mail.roosevelt.edu).

FOIA Workshop Session @RU Monday 2/18

SUST and SOC majors, check out this excellent workshop at RU scheduled for tomorrow, Mon 2/18, at 11am in AUD 314. (See this pdf).

This workshop is ideal for students in my current SUST 340 Policy, Law, & Ethics course, as well as for all SUST and SOC majors. If you’re on campus tomorrow and free at 11, I highly recommend attending! However, if you’re unable to make it, no worries: there will be handouts available — and Prof. Cusac is a good colleague of mine who would be happy to speak with you individually about how FOIA requests could enhance your environmental/sociological research.