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Letter from Staff
Dear friends,
In this complex world, what do you think matters most? What feels most helpful? We're doing some soul searching to ensure that we can, within the limits of our resources, be as visionary and effective as can be. If you have any thoughts, will you share them with me?
Today we wrap up our 4th year of programming with School #19's Freedom School, the photo below is from one of the groups earlier this week. Our efforts were wonderfully enhanced by five Rochester teens who are learning and then teaching children, other youth, and adults about peace, justice and nonviolence. These five will be part of the team for the August Summer Intensive. Keep reading for more news about both.
We're delighted to host the Seedfolk youth employment program for a third summer; stop by the Westside Farmer's Market to buy their produce.
We're supporting important research on restorative practices in local schools. We're continuing support for racial dialogues in the community and local campuses. Stop by anytime to feel the good vibes and see some smiling faces.
This comes with love from everyone here,
Kit
for the Gandhi Institute
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Summer Nonviolence Intensive
Monday-Wednesday
August 8-10
10 am-5 pm each day
Join us for the 2016 Summer Intensive! A few spaces left!
Designed for social workers, students, teachers, activists, people of faith, and individuals interested in the principles and practices of social change through nonviolence.
Led by youth and Gandhi staff, this Intensive will be an introduction to applied nonviolence with time to practice these techniques. We are excited to welcome participants from the US and Japan too.
During the workshop, participants will learn: - how to shift conflicts by listening for underlying values of opposing parties;
- how to navigate the world with self-reflection upon one's rank and privilege;
- how to reconnect to energy for social change, in spite of challenges and burn out;
- how to mediate personal conflicts using Restorative Questions.
"Members stepped up during these three days to test out and talk about experiences at their service sites and in their personal lives, and to learn how to become more effective mediators in the face of conflict through the ease of nonviolent communication. There was a constant flow of new partners, groups, and therefore, ideas that required openness and honesty, and trust...I am very glad to have attended these three days"
-Maeve Willis, Rochester AmeriCorps, Spring 2016 Intensive participant
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Staff Changes
Evan at the Spring Nonviolence Intensive
This week the Gandhi Institute said goodbye to youth educator Evan Burnett, who is leaving to pursue his Master's degree at Stonybrook University. Over the past year, Evan staffed the STAR Room at Wilson Magnet High School, co-lead the Gandhi Service Fellowship, facilitated the Peace in the Garden program, and supported other initiatives. We are grateful for all he has done and wish him the best of luck at grad school!
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School Programming:
A Year in Review
 The Institute just completed compilation of program evaluations for the 2015-2016 school year. Here are some findings from middle school students at one of the five schools where we worked each day last year, Northwest/Northeast College Prep:
- 79% of social justice class students showed growth in their ability to use restorative questions to better understand conflict.
- More than half of social justice class students showed significant growth in:
- confidence in their ability to handle their anger in a positive way
- willingness to respond to conflict by talking it out rather than fighting
- willingness to "put themselves in others' shoes" to better understand them.
Here's one year-end reflections from social justice student Abraham H:
"I learned about how people try to use power over others. Also I learned the principles of nonviolence. I want to try to bring nonviolence and respect with me into the next few years. This is because if I use violence, I may get injured as well as the other person. I hope to use what I have learned in here to stop a fight and/or arguments. I think this class should be offered in the future to educate people on respect and nonviolence. This could be the answer to stopping murder and/or lessen the number of killings. I am grateful to have a respectful teacher."
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Upcoming Events
August
8/8-8/10 Summer Nonviolence Intensive
8/21 Garden Benefit Concert
October
10/2 Gandhi Institute Open House
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DANCE PERFORMACE
& PARTY
with DJ Alykhan & BIODANCE
Wednesday, August 10th
7pm-10:30pm
M.K. Gandhi Institute
929 South Plymouth Ave.
- Family Friendly
- Light Snacks
- 7pm BIODANCE performance followed by dance party ft. DJ Alykhan
Photo by Kevin Colton
About BIODANCE:
"BIODANCE performs repertory by a roster of internationally recognized choreographers including Missy Pfohl Smith, Bill Evans, Randy James, Ivy Baldwin and Jeanne Schickler Compisi. BIODANCE explores social, political and environmental issues through its works...
The company is dedicated to dance education and sharing the many facets of contemporary dance with a wide audience through traditional and alternative performance venues."
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Gandhi'S Birthday Celebration &
Open House
Sunday, October 2
2 PM-5 PM
Join us for music, dancing, games, and cupcakes to celebrate Gandhi's birthday and another year at the Institute! Family-friendly, all are welcome. This is a great time to introduce people to the Gandhi Institute, please come and bring friends.
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Trouble in Paradox: Which Lives Matter?
Check out Kit's latest editorial in the Democrat & Chronicle here! |
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SYFI Youth Review On...
Freedom School
"My experience at Freedom School was great. From the first day to the very last I feel like I had an amazing bond with every child I worked with. I'm very grateful that I got a chance to be a part of that program and I hope every kid I spoke to at Freedom School left there with a new sense on nonviolence and how to better themselves and their communities." -Shanell Bryant
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Summer Youth Facilitation Institute
My name is Shanell Bryant. I am a SYFI (Summer Youth Facilitation Institute) Youth Facilitator. As a youth facilitator I taught non-violent ways of communicating at School #19's Freedom School with other Gandhi Institute staff. At the school I co-facilitated games, learning activities, and meditations. At the Gandhi Institute our main focus is to better the community with the community. By us doing this we are able to give back to the community in the process. My experience here at the Gandhi Institute has been nothing less than amazing and I'm really thankful that I am one of the five kids chosen to be apart of this program. This program has been a great learning experience for me.
To read Shanell's bio and learn more about the SYFI program, visit the Gandhi Institute website in the link here.
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Wish List
Gandhi Institute staff and volunteers work together to keep the Gandhi House clean and welcoming for all its visitors. We greatly appreciate your donations which support our work.
We are especially in need of:
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- Garden hose
- Work gloves
- Dish towels
- Wegmans gift cards
- Bird bath
- Floor-standing presentation easels (portable, for poster board and flip chart paper pads)
- THANK YOU!
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Learn more about our Gandhi & Nonviolence cards and order a deck of your own here.
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