April 2020 |
IN THIS ISSUE
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Volunteers may tutor resettled refugees A variety of remote service-learning and other civic engagement opportunities have been offered to students, faculty, and staff as the From raising awareness about domestic violence and advocating “a just hunger policy” to tutoring resettled refugees, opportunities for civic engagement from a distance are available. The Center for Community Service Initiatives (CCSI) has posted many of the opportunities to a webpage. Rather than waiting to see what civic engagement opportunities the CCSI would offer in response to the stay-at-home imperative, one of its student leaders got going by translating informational materials about COVID-19 from English to Haitian Creole. (See separate story below.) Another student – one of Barry’s emerging entrepreneurs – has been raising funds to help feed residents of Students are participating in the College Brides Walk Memorial Project, raising awareness about domestic violence. The project requires students to conduct secondary research to capture the stories of homicides resulting from domestic violence and dating violence in the Through the project, students are putting a face to this startling statistic from the National Domestic Violence Hotline: “1 in 4 women (24.3%) and 1 in 7 men (13.8%) aged 18 and older in the United States have been the victims of severe physical violence by an intimate partner.” Furthermore, says Stephanie Wong, the project coordinator, “students will be able to motivate others to promote healthy relationships.” Meanwhile, the CCSI is partnering with Bread for the World to offer students the opportunity to advocate “a just hunger policy.” Bread for the World emphasizes that access to good nutrition for mothers and children should not be a partisan issue. Another community partner, Church World Service South Florida, is seeking support to help resettled refugees develop English proficiency and attain academic success through remote tutoring. As part of the resettlement process, refugees are required to take classes if they arrive not knowing how to speak English. Because of COVID-19, these individuals need to adhere to social distancing rules but remain in need of the language lessons. Volunteers will be paired with individuals or households and will be asked to commit to providing at least two hours of video-based tutoring service each week. One of the notable projects offered by the CCSI involves support for Miami-Dade’s PACT (People Acting for Community Together). Another involves the promotion of women’s breast and heart health. “We here at Barry value our partnerships with local community organizations and will do our best to maintain, if not strengthen, our collaboration during this crisis,” said Dr. Glenn Bowen, executive director of the CCSI. “Of course, we are mindful that most of our community partners are not able to keep any part of their operations open and will undoubtedly experience immense challenge when this crisis is behind us. As the situation allows, we will find creative ways to continue our work together for mutual benefit, and for the greater good.” Advancing PACT’s “Action from Afar” Agenda Students have created a campaign on social media to promote support for an initiative by Miami-Dade’s PACT (People Acting for Community Together) aimed at pressing for a reduction in gun violence and “unnecessary arrests.” The campaign helps to advance PACT’s “Action from Afar” agenda. This year, for the first time in its 32-year history, PACT did not hold its largest annual assembly, Nehemiah Action. Originally scheduled for March 16, the event was cancelled because of the COVID-19 outbreak. The interfaith coalition launched “Action from Afar” to engage members and supporters in addressing the issues of affordable housing, gun violence, immigration, and unnecessary arrests. Students are supporting this campaign in a number of ways, noted Liz James, experiential learning coordinator in the CCSI. Regarding gun violence, James said, PACT is working with the City of Miami Gardens in a continued push for the municipality to fully adopt Group Violence Intervention (GVI), a “proven strategy” to reduce gun violence in metropolitan areas. Recently, students joined PACT organizers and congregation members for a discussion with Miami Gardens Mayor Oliver Gilbert regarding the GVI strategy. Regarding unnecessary arrests, PACT is working with several other Florida DART (Direct Action and Research Training Center) affiliates to seek “increased transparency” when youth are arrested instead of receiving civil citations. “There were over 4,000 children arrested last year [when they] could have been given a civil citation and avoided a lifelong arrest record,” PACT notes at its website. “The reason listed as to why these children did not receive a civil citation is ‘No Reason Available.’ This is not acceptable. We want the Department of Juvenile Justice to … follow the law and require a legitimate reason be given when a child is not offered a civil citation for a first-time, misdemeanor offense.” The CCSI’s Liz James said the students’ social media campaign is focused on the need to cease unnecessary arrests. The students have also urged their peers and community members to send email messages to the state’s secretary of juvenile justice, Simone Marstiller. The email messages are expected to recommend that if law enforcement officers or those entering data into a computer system do not know the reason for the arrest of a juvenile, the arrest should automatically be changed to a civil citation. “This will ensure that children face sanctions for misbehavior without receiving a life-long criminal record,” the email messages are also expected to say. Promoting Women’s Breast and Heart Health The CCSI has asked students to participate in the Women’s Breast & Heart Initiative’s (WBHI) Virtual Breast Cancer and Heart Disease Advocate Program. Interested students are required to attend a 30-minute online orientation, take an online quiz, and create social media posts. Barry distinguished alumna Andrea Ivory is the founder and executive director of the Miami Lakes-based WBHI. |
Student Leader Johania Charles Focusing Efforts on Migrant Farmworker Community Barry student leader Johania Charles has been assisting Haitian residents of Immokalee in coping with the coronavirus, COVID-19. She has translated flyers and other informational materials about COVID-19 from English to Haitian Creole for posting and distribution throughout the community. The flyers and other materials contain information on the hours that stores in the community are open, community events and gatherings to avoid, the importance of washing hands after arriving home, and social distancing guidelines. Charles is also helping to raise awareness about how the farmworker community is uniquely impacted by COVID-19. The farmworkers provide essential food service and therefore need to go to work, she says. Because of the nature of their work and the housing situation in Immokalee, “there is no way for farmworkers to isolate,” she explains. Immokalee is an unincorporated community of mostly migrant farmworkers in A Barry Service Corps Fellow with the Center for Community Service Initiatives (CCSI), Charles is urging people in the Miami area to sign a CIW petition asking Florida Governor Ron DeSantis to protect farmworkers during the COVID-19 crisis by providing a field hospital and protective gear for community residents. Anyone may sign the petition, which is available via this web link: <https://www.change.org/p/florida-governor-ron-desantis-governor-desantis-protect-florida-farmworkers-during-the-covid-19-crisis> Charles is a member of the Student/Farmworker Alliance (SFA) Steering Committee. The SFA is a national organization that supports the work of the CIW. |
Emerging Entrepreneur Raising Funds to Help Ensure that Emerging entrepreneur Armando Berrios has been raising funds to help feed residents of Berrios is a Barry sports management major engaged in the Barry Entrepreneurship Lab (BE Lab) and the Barry Management Consulting firm. Earlier this month, while working with his BE Lab advisor, Dr. Dale Hartz, they discussed the current hunger crisis and the “heart-breaking long lines of unemployed people seeking food assistance.” That discussion prompted Berrios to commit his personal fitness venture to facilitating fund-raising that would help to alleviate hunger. At the same time, Hartz – a management faculty member in the School of Business and current service-learning faculty fellow – made a commitment to lend his support to the fund-raising effort. And so, the Caliber Fitness Food Bank Challenge was conceived, designed, and implemented. On Saturday mornings at 10 o’clock, Berrios hosts a virtual boot camp via Zoom. Each participant registers and pays $15, of which 40% is donated to Feeding South Florida, the nonprofit organization that operates the region’s food bank in Based on data from Feeding South Florida, in the kickoff week of the project, boot camp participants raised enough money to provide 427 meals. Since then, a social work faculty member has joined the effort as both an advisor and a contributor. Dr. Sheila McMahon, an assistant professor and service-learning faculty fellow, is helping to build awareness of what she considers “a worthy cause.” According to Hartz, “One of the primary concepts that we want our BE Lab students to not only learn but also to design into their organizations is “triple bottom line leadership.” As he explains it, “leaders that are triple bottom line-focused are not just concerned about financial performance as traditional entrepreneurs and business owners but are additionally concerned about the societal and environmental impact their organizations are making.” To learn more about the Caliber Fitness Food Bank Challenge, follow Berrios on Instagram @caliberfitnessfl. To support the project, email Berrios at armando.berrios@mymail.barry.edu, or contact both Hartz, dhartz@barry.edu, and McMahon, smcmahon@barry.edu. |
Two Barry Nursing Educators Help Refine COVID-19 Prevention Plan for Northwestern Haiti When a grassroots social service organization in the northwestern region of Haiti wanted to refine its COVID-19 prevention plan, the organization turned to two Barry nursing educators. Dr. Mureen Shaw and Tamara LaCroix advised Caritas Port-de-Paix on its proposed strategy. They offered specific suggestions to Caritas Director Pere Phechner Julmisse regarding elements of the strategy to prevent or contain the spread of the deadly disease. The Caritas prevention plan includes installing public hand-washing stations, making public service announcements by radio and loudspeakers, and delivering food to people who are ill. While acknowledging that self-isolation orders were not realistic in a community where people lived in cramped conditions and must leave their homes almost every day to seek food, Shaw recommended that plans for any large public gathering be cancelled, without exception. LaCroix emphasized that the community should be provided with accurate information, in Haitian Creole, about COVID-19 symptoms, how the disease spreads, and how its spread can be prevented. Shaw, an assistant professor of nursing, and LaCroix, an adjunct professor and doctoral student, are also scheduled to participate in discussions with the president of the Port-de-Paix-based coffee and cacao cooperative. The co-op named COCANO assisted with public health education during recent outbreaks of cholera, noted Semilfort St. Hubert, the president. COCANO is expected to deliver coronavirus-related public health information to the mountain villages of the remote region. More than 500,000 people live in Since 2016 – as part of an international partnership involving the CCSI Associate Director Courtney Berrien took part in the COVID-19-related discussions with Caritas Port-de-Paix. Anthony Vinciguerra, representing the Archdiocese of Miami’s Global Solidarity Partnership, facilitated the meeting. |
Students, Faculty, and Staff Asked to Report Involvement in Civic Engagement Activities The CCSI is documenting remote service-learning and other civic engagement activities as well as their outcomes and impacts. Students, faculty, and staff are asked to report their involvement in such activities. Students may use a form to report activities to faculty teaching service-learning courses. In a statement, CCSI Executive Director Dr. Glenn Bowen has expressed gratitude to students, faculty, and staff for their continued community-engaged work. “Thank you for your participation and support as the University continues its service-learning and other civic engagement activities in the face of the challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic,” the statement says. “Even as we practice physical distancing, your service has been contributing to the enrichment of student learning and the improvement of community life.” Information about service-learning projects may be emailed to QEP Project Assistant Dr. Heather Johnson-Desiral at hjohnsondesiral@barry.edu. Experiential Learning Coordinator Liz James <ljames@barry.edu> is gathering information about co-curricular/volunteer involvement amid the crisis. |
CCSI Looking for Students Interested in Civic Learning and Leadership Development The CCSI is accepting applications from undergraduates interestedin becoming Barry Service Corps Fellows. The select group of students willparticipate in a yearlong program designed to foster civic-mindedness. In this civic learning and leadership program, the CCSI’s CourtneyBerrien explains, “Fellows work directly with community organizations toaddress social justice issues, including food insecurity, education inequity,economic injustices tied to globalization, community violence, and discriminationagainst marginalized populations.” For program and application details, visit the Barry Service Corps webpage or contact Berrien at cberrien@barry.edu. |
Students Urged to Get Counted in the Census as Part of Democratic Engagement As part of their engagement in the nation’s democratic processes, students are being urged to get counted in this year’s census. College students living in on-campus housing are counted through their university as part of the U.S. Census Bureau’s “Group Quarters Operation,” which counts all students living in university-owned housing (residence halls). In general, students in colleges and universities temporarily closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic will still be counted as part of this process. “No matter where you were on Census Day, April 1, you should be counted where you live and sleep most of the time,” students are being reminded. “In most cases, students living away from home – at school, that is – should be counted at school, even if you are now temporarily elsewhere due to COVID-19." Between May 27 and August 14, census takers will interview householders who have not responded to the 2020 Census to help make sure everyone is counted. On its webpage, Barry’s Campus Democracy Project (CDP) has provided links to two videos about Census 2020. |
Former Student Leader Now Helping to Institutionalize Democratic Engagement Nationally Former Barry student leader Dominique McMillan was recently hired as program coordinator for the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge at Civic Nation. According to its mission statement, “The ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge strives to change civic culture and institutionalize democratic engagement activities and programs on college campuses, making them a defining feature of campus life.” A 2018 graduate who majored in history with a minor in political science, McMillan was a Barry Service Corps Fellow. Her post-graduation experience includes a fellowship with the Food Recovery Network, championing collegiate-based food recovery programs to build community and combat climate change. |
Course Instructors Invited 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. For additional information on the service-learning designation, contact the CCSI’s Dr. Glenn Bowen at gbowen@barry.edu. |
Literature Available in Community Engagement Management System A variety of community engagement literature is available through the Community Engagement Management System (CEMS). Among the literature are books and book chapters, journals and journal articles, manuals, and fact sheets. The literature may be accessed directly from the “Resources” section of CEMS. |
Save Box Tops Labels to Assist Two Schools with Fundraising Please save your Box Tops labels to assist two elementary schools meet their fundraising goals. That’s a request from the coordinators of Barry’s Box Tops for Proceeds of Barry’s Box Tops for After the university campuses reopen, Box Tops clips from various products may be dropped in the labeled box in the CCSI, Adrian 208. Contributors should note that changes to Box Tops for Education are being made. Participating brands are starting to change their packaging from a traditional Box Tops clip to a Box Tops label that contributors should scan. “Box Tops is changing to fit today’s families,” the program organizers announced a few months ago. “The new and improved Box Tops mobile app uses state-of-the-art technology to scan your store receipt, find participating products and instantly add Box Tops to your school’s earnings online.” While traditional Box Tops clips are being phased out of production, they may still be found on many products and will continue to be accepted for the Box Tops for Education program. Eventually, it will become a digital-only program. 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>. After the coronavirus-forced university closure ends, Box Tops clips may be dropped off in the CCSI or sent via interoffice mail to Dr. Stephanie Bingham, the MAPS advisor, in the Department of Biology, For further information on Barry’s Box Tops for |
Community Engagement News
Posted On : April 28, 2020
