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July 2020 |
IN THIS ISSUE
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Students Demonstrate Civic Learning and Leadership Throughout Academic Year
Successful year for Barry Service Corps Fellows
By Courtney Berrien
Barry Service Corps (BSC) Fellows worked closely with community partners during the 2019–2020 academic year to address injustices such as the exploitation of farmworkers, abuse of incarcerated women, hunger, and prejudice toward refugees and immigrants. Other members of the civic leadership cohort expanded social entrepreneurship projects and voter education initiatives.
Antonio “Toni” Rodriguez, Isaly Ortiz, and Stephanie Torres went all out in their efforts to foster greater voter awareness and engagement on Barry’s main campus and beyond through their support of the university’s Campus Democracy Project (CDP) and the related BucsVote initiative.
A senior who served as co-chair of the CDP, Rodriguez also held a national position with the Democratic Party after serving as the first Latino president of Florida’s College Democrats in 2018–2019. As the national political director for the College Democrats of America in 2019–2020, Rodriguez was critical in shaping the Democrats’ strategy to engage young voters.
Ortiz also held leadership positions with the Florida College Democrats. A junior majoring in political science, she served as the president of Barry’s chapter of the College Democrats as well as the secretary for the statewide organization. Ortiz recently assumed a new state-level position, as the Florida College Democrats chief of staff for 2020–2021.
For her part, Torres played a key role in reviving Barry’s chapter of the Florida College Republicans. She will begin her third year as that organization’s president and her second year as the southern regional director for Florida College Republicans.
Working across the aisle through BucsVote, Rodriguez, Ortiz, and Torres raised awareness about the importance of voting and voter education through a series of media spotlights and events on campus.
Rodriguez was quoted in a story in The Chronicle of Higher Education commenting on student access to voting in Florida. In October, the South Florida NBC affiliate featured Rodriguez, Ortiz, and Torres in a story about their voter engagement efforts.
Working with faculty, staff, and other student leaders, the bipartisan team organized two legislative forums that brought State Senator Jason Pizzo (D–38) and State Representative Dotie Joseph (D–108) to Barry’s Miami Shores campus. During the forums, the lawmakers discussed the interests of Barry’s broader community with students, faculty, and staff.
Martina Muñoz Chalan is a BSC Fellow who applied her academic learning to create community impact. A junior majoring in finance and international business, Muñoz Chalan assisted the Atelye Thevenet Artisan Cooperative in northwestern Haiti, managing aspects of its U.S.-based business operations and accounting processes, and coordinating its sales at Barry.
The Atelye Thevenet co-op trains women in traditional artisan craftwork such as sewing, painting, and woodwork and provides them with steady work in a region of Haiti that has few other employment opportunities for women. Over the past two years – through the BSC Fellows component of the Barry Service Corps program – Muñoz Chalan has achieved success as shown by the nearly $7,000 in direct-trade sales of artisan goods.
She was instrumental in a recently launched initiative to sell custom-made tote bags to Catholic schools and other educational institutions.
In recognition of her commitment to the community, Muñoz Chalan is one of only 10 college students in Florida to be named a Newman Civic Fellow for 2020–2021 by Campus Compact.
Pa-Sheikh Ngom, also an international business major, played a significant role in supporting the Atelye Thevenet artisan sales that took place on campus. Ngom traveled to Haiti with Barry’s community partner Amor en Acción in early spring to support the university’s partnership with the co-op.
Senior Johania Charles continued the tradition of BSC Fellows supporting farmworker rights by serving on the national steering committee for the Student/Farmworker Alliance (SFA). An ally organization of the Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW), the SFA identifies strategies for expanding awareness about the CIW’s Fair Food Program and standing against abuses within the industrial agricultural system.
Charles and two other BSC Fellows, Melissa Tumbeiro and Anel Ramirez, organized the fifth annual intercollegiate “Fair Food Action” in October. The demonstration drew more than 100 people to support a boycott of the Wendy’s fast-food chain.
After COVID-19 struck the farmworker community, Charles, a Haitian Creole speaker, used her knowledge of culture and language to help Haitians in the community. Working with the CIW, she translated disease-prevention materials into Creole. The CIW made those materials available to the wider Haitian community in Immokalee.
Charles has since graduated from Barry. She plans to become a Fair Food Alliance staff member next spring.
BSC Fellow Minani Joseph drew upon his personal experience to promote social justice. Joseph spent his year in the Barry Service Corps helping to build awareness about the value refugees provide to American society. Joseph also assisted refugee families living near Barry’s campus.
Working closely with community partner Church World Service (CWS), Joseph coordinated aspects of Barry’s CWS Welcome Day. The event brought refugee families to campus to build community and learn about the American education system. Joseph also supported the organization’s annual Thanksgiving Celebration for refugee families living in South Florida.
Seniors Paola Lopez-Hernandez and Samantha Ternelus devoted their energies to advocate policy change in order to end hunger in the United States and other countries. They traveled to Washington, D.C., for Bread for the World’s Advocacy Summit, where they participated in training activities and met with lawmakers to promote legislation designed to mitigate and eventually end hunger.
Lopez-Hernandez and Ternelus made use of their training when supporting service-learning students in the fall semester. They facilitated Bread for the World’s Racial Wealth Gap Simulation and led the process of writing letters to members of Congress. The letters requested support from Congress through the funding of SNAP – the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, and WIC – the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children. The letters also were in support of House Resolution 189, “Recognizing the importance of sustained United States leadership to accelerating global progress against maternal and child malnutrition and supporting United States Agency for International Development’s commitment to global nutrition through its multi-sectoral nutrition strategy.”
Several BSC Fellows also tackled racial justice issues. Playing a key role was Joulinsa Jean Charles, who traveled to Tallahassee for a second year in partnership with The New Florida Majority. Jean Charles participated in Dignity Day, a collaborative effort to draw attention to the rights of incarcerated women.
A forensic psychology major, Jean Charles participated in a press conference in support of the passage of the Tammy Jackson Act. While in Tallahassee, she also met with lawmakers and contributed to a formal statement that was delivered to a legislative committee. The bipartisan legislation, which protects pregnant incarcerated women and their unborn children, passed unanimously.
Alexis Alexander, Javier Bracho Muñoz, Lise-Berthe Laurent, and Cindy Luc supported Miami PACT’s (People Acting for Community Together) efforts to increase affordable housing and advocate local criminal justice policies that avoid disproportionately punishing members of the undocumented community.
The Fellows facilitated parts of PACT’s Team Assembly, which Barry hosted. At the assembly, leaders from PACT’s 40 participating congregations prepared to organize their members to hold elected officials accountable for their actions relating to affordable housing and criminal justice reform.
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Doreen Noel Does Double Duty – Make That Triple Duty – as a Service Corps Member
Three months into her civic engagement at St. Mary’s Cathedral School, Doreen Noel started wearing three hats: tutor, translator, and receptionist.
“As a tutor, I worked with … 20 to 25 students a week,” she said. “Usually, I worked with third graders. As a translator, I was able to not only help children with their homework, but I also assisted parents. … As a receptionist, I got to give our guests a warm greeting and whatever help they needed.”
A member of the Barry Service Corps (BSC), Noel has contributed her talents to positively impact the community through her service at St. Mary’s Cathedral.
St. Mary Cathedral is a pre-k through 8th grade Catholic school within the Archdiocese of Miami. Providing high-quality education, the school has been “A Harbor of Hope and a Beacon of Light” to the community it serves.
A pre-med in her junior year at Barry, Noel originally applied to the BSC because she was interested in having two more academic enrichment experiences before she graduated. The first was to hold a student leadership position and the second was to work with kids while giving back to the community.
Doreen had noticed how energized two of her friends were, every time they talked about the work they did through the CCSI. So, she needed to know more.
“If you want to represent Barry and give back to the community, then you definitely want to be in the Barry Service Corps,” Tatiana Wimbley, a BSC fellow, told her. John Sem Victor, a BSC program assistant, agreed completely.
A proud BSC member today, Noel shared: “I like to help the kids with their math homework most. And what truly makes me proud is that even in my brief time of working with them, I have seen improvement in their math work, already.”
As a translator, Noel offered a trilingual skill set – her language fluency in English, Haitian Creole, and French. Many of the children who attend St. Mary’s Cathedral are from homes where everyone speaks Haitian Creole.
“Sometimes parents would come to fill out documents in English but may not feel fully comfortable in the language,” she said. “I provided the necessary support in this area, at the front desk.”
Noel reflected: “As a result of working with St. Mary’s Cathedral, I’ve come to realize the [various] roles [I can play] and to really enjoy the relationships I am able to form with members of the community. …Best of all, I got the chance to give back while working with children. I know this experience will contribute to my ability to be a successful pediatrician one day soon.”
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Community Partners Provide Civic Engagement Opportunities for Barry Service Corps
Twenty-five community partners provided civic engagement opportunities for Barry Service Corps (BSC) members during the 2019–2020 academic year. The program engaged more than 60 students in providing support to community partners addressing a variety of social issues – from housing discrimination to human trafficking.
Managed by the Center for Community Service Initiatives (CCSI), the BSC is designed to foster civic-mindedness. The civic engagement program supports students in addressing real-world social issues.
The following community partners were among those taking part in the BSC program this past year: A New Start; All Ages Tutoring; Amor en Acción; Breakthrough Miami; Doctors Charter School; Dream Defenders; Easter Seals South Florida; Gratigny Elementary School; HOPE, Inc.; Hubert O. Sibley K–8 Academy; Jewish Community Services of South Florida; the Peace Education Foundation; Sant La Haitian Neighborhood Center; Prosperity Social Community Development Group, Inc.; Sinai Plaza Rehabilitation and Nursing Center; St. Mary’s Cathedral School; The New Florida Majority, and UrbanPromise Miami.
Seventeen community partners provided opportunities for students as part of Federal Work-Study Community Service. Most of the students participated in the BSC through FWS Community Service placements.
The Carnival Arts program, the Barry Green Team, and the College of Arts and Sciences’ Community Science Academy also provided civic engagement opportunities for BSC members. Through the BSC, Carnival Arts received assistance with the preparation of a culturally relevant art and theater production for sheltered youth.
To learn more about the BSC and how its members have contributed to community impact, click here.
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CCSI Registers Three More Organizations as Community Partners
The Center for Community Service Initiatives (CCSI) has added three names to its list of registered community partners. The recently registered community partners are 611 Outreach, the Miami-Dade Branch of the NAACP, and South Florida People of Color.
An anti-human trafficking organization, 611 Outreach offers complimentary training and other services. By deploying teams around Miami-Dade, Monroe, and Broward counties, 611 spreads awareness about human trafficking, empowering the community to respond appropriately, and directly engaging those caught in the sex trade to offer hope and resources.
The Miami-Dade Branch of the NAACP is the local chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People founded in 1909. The organization works to ensure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights of all persons and to eliminate race-based discrimination.
South Florida People of Color is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, racial-healing organization dedicated to disrupting racism and bigotry by providing creative programs for open dialogue and personal interaction across the racial, ethnic, and cultural divides. Such encounters break down biases and stereotypes and help participants build empathetic relationships as the powerhouse of disrupting racism on a personal level and eventually a systemic level.
The CCSI is charged with coordinating community partnerships as part of ongoing efforts to “ensure that Barry will be recognized as a responsive community leader – a reliable resource for expertise, knowledge dissemination and public service to the diverse communities we serve.”
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Barry University Hosts Virtual Forum on Race and Social Justice
By Meredith Amor
Barry University, in partnership with South Florida community organizations, hosted a powerful, productive student conversation about race, social justice, and a path forward for creating meaningful change through collaborative service.
The virtual event, “Working for Racial Justice: How to Engage with Community Organizations,” provided a safe space for frank and open dialogue between students and community organizers, with a focus on race relations and the criminal justice system.
Hosted by Barry’s Center for Community Service Initiatives and Student Government Association, the panel included representatives from Dream Defenders, The New Florida Majority, People Acting for Community Together, and the City of Hollywood African American Advisory Council.
A majority-minority institution, Barry University emphasizes fostering a truly inclusive community and fighting for social justice, two pillars of the university’s long-standing mission and core commitments.
In a recent message, Barry University President Dr. Michael Allen called upon all university community members to reaffirm their personal commitment to accepting social responsibility, fostering peace and nonviolence, striving for equality, and leading toward meaningful change through collaborative service.
“At Barry we stand with victims of the most flagrant abuses of power and privilege as well as those marginalized by centuries of systematic discrimination. Our power lies in education. We must continue to foster critical dialogue and shift the paradigm by shining a light on past and present injustice,” Allen wrote in his charge.
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Campus Democracy Project Provides Online Tools to Promote Voting
Through Barry’s Campus Democracy Project (CDP), students have been provided with a number of online tools that will help them register to vote, check their registration, vote by mail, find their in-person polling place, and get election reminders.
Powered by Vote.org, the new suite of online tools facilitates voting in the age of COVID-19.
The CDP’s voter registration and voter education efforts are supported by the national Campus Election Engagement Project.
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Dr. Mureen Shaw Presents at International Nursing Research Congress
Dr. Mureen Shaw had planned to head for Abu Dhabi, UAE, in late July for Sigma’s 31st International Nursing Research Congress. Instead, thanks to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, she participated in a virtual event.
On July, 23, the assistant professor of nursing made a presentation on “Interprofessional Collaboration Between a U.S. University and Community Partners in Haiti to Improve Health Outcomes.”
Shaw is a 2019–2020 service-learning faculty fellow in the Center for Community Service Initiatives (CCSI).
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CCSI Invites Faculty Members to Apply for Service-Learning Designation
The Center for Community Service Initiatives (CCSI) is inviting faculty members whose courses include a service-learning component to apply for the service-learning designation.
Sections of courses, internships, practicum assignments, field education, capstones, community-based research, and similar community-focused or community-based work also may be designated as service-learning.
“Designating courses as service-learning promotes deep integration of thoughtfully organized community service into the curriculum and high standards of service-learning practice,” according to a statement from the CCSI. “Service-learning courses demonstrate the value of applied learning, student engagement with the community, and critical reflection.”
For additional information on the service-learning designation, contact Dr. Glenn Bowen at gbowen@barry.edu.
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Continue Saving Box Tops Labels to Help Two Schools Raise Funds
Please continue to save your Box Tops labels to assist two elementary schools meet their fundraising goals. The coordinators of Barry’s Box Tops for Education Drive have renewed that request.
Proceeds of Barry’s Box Tops for Education Drive benefit North Miami Elementary School in Miami-Dade County and Sheridan Hills Elementary in Broward. The Minority Association of Pre-Health Students (MAPS), in association with the Center for Community Service Initiatives (CCSI), organizes the drive.
After the university campuses reopen, Box Tops clips from various products may be dropped in the labeled box in the CCSI, Adrian 208. Cereals, household-cleaning supplies, paper products, and school supplies are on the list of eligible products found at the following site: <http://www.boxtops4education.com/earn/participating-products>.
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Next Issue of Community Engagement News Slated for August 31
This is the final issue of Community Engagement News for the summer. Regular weekly issues of the newsletter will return on August 31.
Community Engagement News is one of two newsletters published regularly by the Center for Community Service Initiatives (CCSI). The other is Community Connections, the newsletter for community partners.
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