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Letter from Staff
"There is a constant challenge that it seems we were created for." -Andrew Young
Dear friends,
For me, this time each year feels analogous to the cluster of Jewish high holy days, except that these are the high holy days of nonviolence. It's a sacred time for nonviolence. Once again, the many celebrations and remembrances for Dr. King's birthday are followed by the Season for Nonviolence, the annual 64 day international campaign that marks the anniversaries of the assassinations of Gandhi (January 30) and King (April 4).This is a perfect time to strengthen your lived practice of nonviolence through daily quiet time, continued inspiration through learning, and taking action. Check out the Be the Change site for specific ideas, and keep reading below.We were reminded last week during civil rights icon Andrew Young's visit to Rochester that our responses to challenges not only define us, they can become the best, most meaningful moments of our lives. Please join King, Gandhi, Andrew Young and countless others in applying nonviolence to your lives this Season and see what happens.
This comes with love from all of us,
Kit Miller
For the Gandhi Institute
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 Transforming Conflicts: Nonviolence 101Sun., Feb. 14th
Sat., Mar. 5th
9:30 am-1:00 pm
Gandhi Institute
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Maintaining a compassionate, respectful stance toward others supports conflict resolution and peace within, between and among groups of people. Join Gandhi staff for this monthly orientation to resolving your conflicts with more confidence and skill, using the philosophy of Nonviolent Communication and other nonviolence skills. Students free. Donations requested, no one turned away for lack of funds.
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UR Student Workshops
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Recently, Kit and Shannon facilitated a workshop for 116 University of Rochester Resident Assistants on anger, conflict and empathy. During the workshop, students made themselves into sculptures to represent their internal experiences of anger.
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On Martin Luther King Day, Gandhi Institute staff and volunteers celebrated the great nonviolent thinker and civil rights activist by lining South Plymouth with luminaries in his honor.
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Gandhi Service Fellows Update
Karan Arul (junior), Rachel Casper (sophomore), Siri Chillara, Michael Gulston (senior), Varun Mehta (sophomore), Jacob Tyson (sophomore), Rahul Upadhya (junior), and LaRon White (junior) are each developing their own project through the Gandhi Service Fellowship program. Every one of these students possesses a willingness to make an impact on lives in the Rochester community, and is choosing to do so in their own unique way. The goal for these projects is to showcase the enormous impact that college students can have in a community, and the passion they have for their respective projects.
By April, each Fellow will have completed their project. Assignments range from youth mentorship--preparing elementary kids for high school and beyond--to raising awareness about public health and food waste. Others have focused on getting the University of Rochester campus community actively involved and educated in nonviolence, as well as informing more people about underrepresented groups and ending the stigmatization surrounding the LGBT community.
If you are a Rochester area high school student or college undergrad interested in a Gandhi Service Fellowship for the 2016-2017 school year, please email Evan at evanburnett18@gmail.com
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Wish List
Gandhi Institute staff members work together to keep the Gandhi House clean and welcoming for all visitors and workshops. We greatly appreciate your donations which support our work.
We are especially in need of the following items:
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- New Socks
- 150 ft medium outdoor extension cord with standing cord storage reel
- 1 gallon exterior oil based primer
- 2 gallons exterior latex paint
- Floor-standing presentation easels (portable, able to hold poster board and flip chart paper pads)
- Meditation cushions (round ones)
- Recent model Apple laptop
- Earth-friendly all-purpose cleaner
- Earth-friendly dish soap
- Brita water filters
- Postage stamps
- Copy paper
- Toilet paper
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FR
Thursday, Feb. 4th
6:30 PM
The Little Theatre
240 East Ave.
The Mask You Live In is an award-winning documentary about young men struggling to negotiate America's narrow definition of masculinity. The film challenges our assumptions about how to raise boys into good men.
Purchase tickets here! All proceeds benefit the Institute.
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Facilitator Skill Share Day
Saturday, Feb. 13th
9:30 am-2:00 pm
University of Rochester
Interfaith Chapel-River Level
Join members of the Gandhi Institute and the National Coalition Building Institute of Rochester to improve your capacity to facilitate difficult or uncomfortable conversations! Includes free breakfast and lunch.
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Entering Discomfort
John Engels
Leadership Workshop
Fri., April 22
8:00 am to 1:00 pm
Memorial Art Gallery
500 University Ave.
Most of us avoid difficult conversations and heavy decisions. As a result, relationships become superficial and critical initiatives sit stagnant. Trust in leaders, a critical resource for getting things done, is lost. Join us to receive support to address these challenges.
Business Per Person: $125
Nonprofit Per Person: $95
All proceeds benefit the Institute.
To register or become a sponsor, contact Meghan at meghank130@gmail.com
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Conversations on Race and Poverty
Free, facilitated conversations to promote understanding of the intersections of race and poverty. Every conversation is unique, and everyone participates in whole-group and small-group discussions.
Thursday, Feb. 11
6:30-8:30 pm
Penfield Public Library
1985 Baird Rd., Penfield
Thursday, Feb. 18th
6:30-8:30 pm
Brighton Memorial Library
2300 Elmwood Ave., Brighton
Monday, Feb. 22nd
6:00-8:00 pm
Pittsford Community Library
24 State St., Pittsford
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Fundraising Party Successes!
This past weekend, the Institute was lucky enough to have not one but two benefit parties in its honor!
On Saturday afternoon, a generous group of friends in Irondequoit put on a horseshoe tournament to raise money for the Institute.
On Saturday night, the Institute kicked off the Season for Nonviolence with a benefit party at Richmond's. Shout out to DJ Alykhan for keeping everyone up and dancing!
Thanks to all those who put so much time and effort into organizing these events, as well as everyone who came out to support us!
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Learn more about our Gandhi & Nonviolence cards and order a deck of your own here.
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