Deliberative Dialogue Participants Urge Support for Proposed Constitutional Amendment Next Deliberative Dialogue Forum Will Draw Attention to U.S. Hunger Policy Barry Volunteers Clean up Shoreline at Miami’s Historic Virginia Key Beach Women’s Basketball Team Helps Hand-Pack Meals for Starving Children St. Rose of Lima Girls Watch Bucs Volleyball Practice, Participate in Drills Miami-Dade Special Olympics Looking for Volunteers for October 30 Events Impact America Announces Availability of Fulltime and AmeriCorps Positions
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Voting Rights Restoration for Felons Deliberative Dialogue Participants Urge Support for Proposed Constitutional Amendment
By Glenn Bowen The need to restore the voting rights of Florida residents convicted of felonies is on the minds of students, as well as faculty and staff members, at Barry.
Some students argue that denying felons who have paid their debt to society the right to vote amounts to punishment not only for the ex-felons but also for their children. Besides, they assert, disenfranchising them hurts American democracy.
More than 1.5 million Florida residents have been stripped of the right to vote for the rest of their lives, because of a law that permanently revokes voting rights for anyone convicted of a felony. Under a proposed constitutional amendment that will go before voters next month, the voting rights of former felons could be stored automatically.
The Voting Rights Restoration for Felons Initiative will appear on the November 6 ballot as Amendment 4. If the proposed amendment passes, voting rights will automatically be restored to felons who have served their sentences, completed parole or probation, and paid restitution. Murderers and sex offenders would be excluded.
Amendment 4 was the subject of the first forum in this academic year’s Deliberative Dialogue Series. The forum focused on the implications of disenfranchisement as well as the need for reform of the criminal justice system.
Dr. Karen Callaghan, professor of sociology, noted that Florida practices permanent disenfranchisement, and currently 10 percent of the state’s population is disenfranchised.
Callaghan pointed out that disenfranchisement has been a longstanding practice. Referring to Article 1, Section 2 of the U.S. Constitution, she said there have been disenfranchisement laws since the founding of the United States.
“When someone’s prison term ends, shouldn’t we consider that the person has paid the debt to society?” Callaghan asked. “Maybe we need more of a restorative justice process if we believe in rehabilitation. … We should be reengaging and reintegrating people in civic life.”
“Disenfranchising people really hurts our democracy,” said Antonio “Toni” Rodriguez, a third-year political science major and state federation president of Florida College Democrats. “We need to give people the tools to change their lives. They need opportunities.”
Dr. Sean Foreman, professor of political science, noted that in Florida, felons have to petition the state Clemency Board – composed of the governor, attorney general, agriculture commissioner, and chief financial officer – to have their voting rights restored.
Callaghan told the forum that Florida has a backlog of clemency petitions. There are over 10,000 applications before the Clemency Board, she said.
Foreman, who moderated the 90-minute forum on September 20, said the system has been criticized by many people, even by a federal judge.
Rodriguez spoke about difficulty people face when seeking to regain their voting rights. He referred to a recent news media report of a woman who lost her right to vote more than two decades ago when she was convicted of selling drugs. According to the report, the woman took three days off work without pay, then took a 10-hour bus ride to Tallahassee, and spent $450 for travel and hotel to be in state capital for less than 24 hours so she could appear before the Clemency Board. She returned home as one of the lucky few.
Callaghan criticized the “underlying racism” in the U.S. criminal justice system, which she said has shaped the extent and form of disenfranchisement practices in different states.
“We need to start demanding improvements to the criminal justice system,” she said.
Calling the system “broken,” Rodriquez blamed the for-profit prison industry for its vested interest in not rehabilitating inmates. Also, he said studies have shown that when ex-felons are given the right to vote, they are less likely to commit crimes.
Serena Perez, organizing director for the New Florida Majority, said people who complete their sentences should not be punished for life. “It should be about redemption, about second chances,” she added.
Earlier, Paola Montenegro, gender justice organizer for the New Florida Majority, said the organization was particularly interested in the impact of mass incarceration on women. The Barry alumna called for support of Amendment 4, which she said would help to increase in the voting and political power of marginalized and excluded communities. Suggestions for Addressing the Voting Rights Issue • Educate people, especially in marginalized communities, about their civil rights. • Educate people about the criminal justice system. • Share information within networks and on social media – present facts; be nonpartisan. • Write letters to newspaper editors. • Canvass with organizations such as the New Florida Majority and Dream Defenders; assist with the New Florida Majority phone bank. • Support Amendment 4 – vote! Governor Rick Scott’s administration made the process of restoring Florida citizens’ voting rights more difficult by establishing long waiting periods and not allowing the automatic restoration of voting rights. Only 2,488 petitions were granted during Scott’s first six years in office. By contrast, Gov. Charlie Crist’s administration restored rights to 155,315 people during his four years in office.
The Voting Rights Restoration for Felons Initiative is on the ballot as an initiated constitutional amendment. A “yes" vote will support this amendment to automatically restore the right to vote for people with prior felony convictions, except those convicted of murder or a felony sexual offense, upon completion of their sentences, including prison, parole, and probation. A "no" vote will oppose the amendment.
In Florida, a constitutional amendment requires a 60 percent affirmative vote to be approved.
Florida is one of four states – the three others being Iowa, Kentucky, and Virginia – where convicted felons do not regain the right to vote, “until and unless a state officer or board restores an individual's voting rights.” If Amendment 4 passes, Florida will join 19 other states that restore the right to vote after the completion of prison time, parole, and probation.
Social work students taking courses with Dr. Jill Levenson, professor, and Dr. Fabio Naranjo, assistant professor, were among the participants in the Deliberative Dialogue forum. Levenson called it “an informative, enlightening, and thought-provoking session.”
Organized by the Center for Community Service Initiatives, the forum generated several suggestions for addressing the voting rights issue. Suggestions included voting in support of Amendment 4.
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Next Deliberative Dialogue Forum Will Draw Attention to U.S. Hunger Policy
The next form in this academic year’s Deliberative Dialogue Series will draw attention to U.S. hunger policy.
Scheduled for October 30, the forum is titled “Hunger Policy in America and the Politics of Nutrition Assistance.” The 90-minute forum will be held in the Andreas 112 conference room, beginning at 4 p.m.
The CCSI organizes the Deliberative Dialogue Series as an approach to civic learning and engagement. The series brings together campus and community stakeholders to weigh perspectives on current social issues of shared concern and to work toward practical solutions.
For further information, contact CCSI Associate Director Courtney Berrien at cberrien@barry.edu or 305-899-4017.
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Barry Volunteers Clean up Shoreline at Miami’s Historic Virginia Key Beach
Just over 100 Barry University volunteers participated in an International Coastal Cleanup project in Miami last month. It was all hands on deck, so to speak, as the volunteers got to work, removing discarded items and debris from much of the mile-long shoreline adjacent to Historic Virginia Key Beach.
The volunteers recorded numbers of trash items collected and provided the data to the project organizers. The main items they picked up were cigarette butts, plastic beverage bottles, metal and plastic bottle caps, food wrappers, straws and stirrers, and shards of glass.
In all, about 180 volunteers collected more than 5,000 pieces of trash weighing 226 pounds, the Virginia Key Beach Park Trust reported. The report was later submitted for Ocean Conservancy’s Ocean Trash Index.
In partnership with volunteer organizations and individuals, Ocean Conservancy sponsors International Coastal Cleanup, an annual effort to engage people in removing trash from the world’s beaches and waterways and to identify sources of debris. VolunteerCleanup.org coordinated projects at dozens of sites in Miami-Dade County on September 15.
Volunteers gathered at the park’s main picnic pavilion for the orientation conducted by Guy Forchion, executive director, and Charlie Weyman, education and outreach coordinator, of the Virginia Key Beach Park Trust. Barry Service Corps fellows facilitated post-service reflection.
Academic success coach Joyce Varela, an AmeriCorps VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America) member based in the Office of Mission Engagement, and Experiential Learning Coordinator Liz James, with husband Chris James, took part in the community service project. Asha Starks, an AmeriCorps VISTA member based in the CCSI, coordinated Barry’s participation in the project.
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Women’s Basketball Team Helps Hand-Pack Meals for Starving Children
The Barry women’s basketball team volunteered with Feed My Starving Children recently, helping the organization pack some of the 100,000-plus meals prepared in Miami.
"It's always satisfying to see our players working together in an effort to help others," Barry head coach Bill Sullivan said. “By preparing meals to be sent to starving families around the world, our student-athletes are fulfilling Barry's mission of serving our local and global communities."
Donations from people all over the world fund the meal ingredients. Volunteers, like the Bucs, hand-pack the meals, which are then donated to Feed My Starving Children’s food partners around the world for distribution.
"Being able to help out and make a difference packing food for starving children was a great experience," senior guard Ida Andersson said. "Since basketball and school are a big part of my life and take up a lot of time, it was very cool to spend a few hours with my teammates assisting the community."
"I had a wonderful experience participating," senior guard Melanie Jordan said. “It was nice to see how many people take the time to contribute. It's a small difference that can help make a big change in a child's life and give them hope."
Intercollegiate Athletics has provided a video of the community service project. Founded in 1987, Feed My Starving Children is a Christian nonprofit organization that provides nutritionally complete meals formulated specifically for malnourished children. Its mission is simply “Feeding God’s starving children in body and spirit.”
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St. Rose of
The volleyball team at St. Rose of Lima Catholic School came to campus for the Buccaneers practice on September 13 and watched how a collegiate volleyball team structures its practice.
Bucs head coach Steve Hendricks enjoyed having the St. Rose players interact with his team. "St. Rose is a great program," Hendricks said. "Their kids are very respectful, and I'm glad our student-athletes had the chance to work with them and teach them a few things.”
The St. Rose players joined the Bucs after practice inside the Health and Sports Center to participate together in some drills.
St. Rose coach AnnMarie Indorf understands how beneficial this can be for both the St. Rose students as well as the Buccaneer players. "It's a great opportunity for St. Rose of Lima to come to Barry University," said Indorf. "For the kids to be able to see what volleyball players at the next level look like and [identify] someone that you would want to be like and play like is awesome. Also, I think it's awesome for a college player to be able to participate in a camp/clinic setting like this and show a kid what it's like to play [collegiately] and have fun."
St. Rose is a K-8 private school in Miami Shores. Barry University volunteer assistant coach April Sicam is a St. Rose graduate.
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Miami-Dade Special Olympics Looking for Volunteers for October 30 Events
Special Olympics Florida – Miami-Dade County is seeking volunteers for two events on October 30.
For its Area Bowling Games, the organization needs 80 volunteers to assist with set-up, registration, score-keeping, awards presentation, cheerleading, and other activities. The event will take place at SpareZ Bowling from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.
For its South FL Flag Football Invitational, Special Olympics Florida – Miami-Dade needs 30 volunteers to help with registration, escorting of athletes, scorekeeping, awards presentation, and other activities. The event is scheduled for 3–7 p.m. at Moore Park.
To volunteer, visit the Special Olympics Florida – Miami-Dade volunteer calendar page <https://specialolympicsflorida.org/miami-dade/volunteer/volunteer-calendar/>.
For further information, contact Nicole Koretsky at nicolekoretsky@sofl.org.
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Impact America Announces Availability of Fulltime and AmeriCorps Positions
Impact America is inviting current college seniors and recent graduates to apply for full-time and AmeriCorps positions, some of which may become available as early as this December.
The nationally recognized nonprofit organization has announced that a limited number of positions will be available in December 2018 or January 2019 in Alabama, Tennessee, and South Carolina. The application deadline is November 1.
AmeriCorps member positions at Impact America combine service with Impact America’s “nationally unique initiatives,” including FocusFirst, a high-tech vision-care initiative for preschool children; SaveFirst, a tax-preparation initiative serving low-income families; and SpeakFirst, a debate initiative for talented and motivated middle- and high-school students in Alabama. Additional initiatives are CollegeFirst, a summer advanced placement institute focused on high-school math and science in Alabama, and Stories from the Line, “an initiative that navigates the complexities of poverty through the development of a series of short films.”
AmeriCorps member positions will be available in Alabama, Tennessee, South Carolina, and Florida in July 2019. The priority deadline for applications is November 28.
To apply: <https://impactamerica.com/corps-program-application/>
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