Category Archives: Intentional Communities

Colombian American artist Yazmany Arboleda and Mary Lou Aleskie, executive director of the Hopkins Center for the Arts at Dartmouth, were among the speakers who met with the class throughout the semester.

Ritual of Breath is based on an eponymous opera written by poet Vievee Francis, responding to the death of Eric Garner, a 43-year-old Black man, during an arrest by New York City police. The hourlong performance examines the struggles faced by Garners daughter, Erica, who is thrust into the spotlight in the aftermath. His 2014 death and final words, I cant breathe, uttered as he was pinned to the ground by officers moved millions to join a national protest movement against the mounting numbers of deaths of Black Americans at the hands of police.

This work centers the life and murder of Eric Garner as a metaphor for how we can embrace healing, experience, and resistance through that breath and then ultimately transform that to activism, Aleskie said.

Aleskie first approached Bell with the Ritual of Breath project when the dancer-choreographer was a single mom pursuing her doctorate at the University of California, Los Angeles. At the time, Bell was deeply involved in the Black Lives Matter movement and had begun dancing as an act of radical joy and a form of resistance.

She joined the initiative as social impact co-director, along with Garners mother, Gwen Carr. The two were tasked with devising pre-opera rituals aimed at inspiring action and conversations about anti-Black violence. While the opera itself is an act of resistance, Bell said that the rituals help to ensure that it is more than just performative activism.

We were very much looking for a platform for how to put activism in the hands of artists, but also make sure that communities dont stop with this and actually embrace agency, Aleskie said.

Bell first taught Ritual of Breath at Dartmouth College. Education is a practice of freedom, Bell said, referring to hooks Teaching to Transgress: Education as the Practice of Freedom. She noted that the course she teaches is all about healing.

Now the responsibility of developing rituals falls on her students, who will reimagine the exercises and activities that will accompany the opera when it premieres for the Boston-Cambridge community. As part of their finals, students are required to develop a vision for their communities.

I want people to know that change is possible, and that the revolution is already here. As we make the decision to center love in our work, doors of possibility fling open, said Jenkins, who is working with fellow Divinity School students to build a multifaith, queer, BIPOC-led intentional living community.

We see experiments in living differently as a critical component of our spiritual education and our work to dismantle capitalism, racism, and all other forms of oppression that hinder our flourishing. The dream is big, but this class reminds me that the future is shaped by dreams like ours.

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Shamell Bell's new course transforms breath to activism - Harvard Gazette

A new campus effort aims to bring together UC Riversides Asian American and Pacific Islander communities to tackle the shared challenges they face as students, faculty, and staff members, and to explore new opportunities.

In May, which is also Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Awareness Month, UCRs Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institution committee is hosting multiple cultural and community-building events.

The committee is co-chaired by Associate Chancellor Christine Victorino and Mariam Lam, vice chancellor and chief diversity officer, and includes faculty, staff, and student representatives.

The initial focus will be on raising awareness and bringing together the communities so that they can identify the types of issues they face at UCR. The committee hopes to follow up by organizing and providing programming such as targeted recruitment and retention efforts for students, mental health support, leadership development, and mentoring.

There has been a long-standing desire across campus to build a sense of community among our AAPI employees and students but because theyre such a large and heterogenous group the idea of building a sense of community has been daunting and uncertain, Victorino said.

Since 2018, UCR has been recognized as an Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institution, or AANAPISI. The committee wants to build on that designation by offering more programs for that population with intentional strategic programming, looking to similar efforts among Black, Indigenous, and Latinx students and employees as a model.

All of these kinds of efforts and initiatives that you should more readily find for minority serving institutions can create for our students, staff, and faculty a space that is more hospitable to racial diversity where all members uplift one another, Lam said. We just want to use the opportunity to educate and make the campus more aware of the collective effect of this shared understanding.

Some issues that the committee has already heard from the AAPI community that they expect to explore include dealing with the model minority myth or the bamboo ceiling, where Asian Pacific Americans may take on less visible labor and leadership roles but do not advance to leadership positions.

The committee is also partnering with Counseling and Psychological Services on events, noting that May is Mental Health Awareness Month and AAPI communities have been historically underrepresented in seeking mental health services.

Lam said its also important to note the different experiences and issues within the individual AAPI communities, with some groups facing disparities in income, health outcomes, or representation. For instance, while UCR has a student population of more than 31% Asian American, the Pacific Islander community is less than 1%.

Part of the committees focus will be in seeking to increase the Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander representation among staff, faculty, and students, she said.

David Lo, a distinguished professor of biomedical sciences and a member of the committee, sees the effort as an opportunity to educate the campus. He noted that within the AAPI community there are about 80 groups with their own distinct histories, cultures, and traditions.

As students learn more about the distinctive communities, they may better understand how to think about identifying with their own Asian American communities, he said.

Asian Pacific Student Programs, which has played a big role in bringing together student groups, will be involved in student outreach as part of the effort. Its hosting several events including a food workshop, a speaker series, and cultural performances. The group will also be using social media to feature student profiles that explore what it means to be AAPI on campus.

Our hope is that we are able to bring various departments across campus together to create meaningful programs and fill any gaps that may have or currently exist in serving AAPI students, said Billy Caganap, director of Asian Pacific Student Programs and a member of the committee.

The months activities will begin with an Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Awareness Month lunch for staff and faculty on May 4.

The months activities are seen by the committee as the start of ongoing efforts to better serve the AAPI community and create new opportunities.

Theres so much we can do, Victorino said. The first step is coming together, getting to know each other, and just bringing that energy together.

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Bringing together UCR's Asian American and Pacific Islander ... - University of California, Riverside

A study using data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health revealed that if the number of fathers is low in a neighborhood, there is an increased risk of teen violence. The fourth Fatherhood Initiative Conference, held in Rochester, aims to reduce this risk by encouraging young men to be the mentors they need.

The Fatherhood Initiative Conference is a collaboration of Youth for Christ, Link Youth Mentorship and other area Christian ministries and churches aimed at encouraging young men to be mentors for youth in need of encouragement and to help show those without a father figure how to become one.

A healthy father, a secure father [is] one who understands his purpose and legacy, said Reggie Cox, the executive director for Fatherhood Connection. He seeks to be intentional about creating that shine for others. And thats what this conference is really all about.

Research from the Office of Justiceshows that the absence of fathers compromises a communitys ability to resist violence, and the impact can be seen in communities across the country and New York state.

One out of four homes have a father in the city of Rochester and its an alarming statistic that we have come in number one in the country, said Pastor Warren Meeks Jr., ministry coordinator for Link Mentorship. The increase in murder rates, the increase in crime, it all is because there is no father in the home.

This is why individuals like Meeks take the opportunity to share their story and help others learn.

"I grew up in a fatherless home and the outcomes of growing up in a fatherless home is drastic, Meeks said. It is what were seeing today in the communities today and how theyre being affected and with these types of outcomes we cant afford to continue this way so we need mentors.

And thats exactly what the conference aims to do -- create more mentors like Darius Walker, who attended the first Fatherhood Initiative conference several years ago.

And I was like why am I here, Im like the youngest, no kids, Im not married, none of that stuff, said Walker.

But he says it changed his outlook completely.

It really just encouraged me to stay on course but to also look at the bright side of what came to be as opposed to just the struggle, Walker said

[For] about nine years, I went with my father going back and forth about all this stuff, he said. But to see my father where he is now, accepting Jesus in his life, taking God seriously, loving his family better [and] learning how to be that father that he never had.

And now he is passing his knowledge on.

To step out and to show others, the youth, that guns aint everything [and] gangs aint everything, Walker said. Grace is everything. And the peace they long for. So thats what the fatherhood initiative brings to the table.

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Conference aims to make young men father figures - Spectrum News

Salamander Washington D.C.Washington, D.C.

THE VICE PRESIDENT: Hey, everybody. (Applause.) Well, first and foremost, I just wanted to come up after seeing everybody at the tables just to thank you all.

As the President said and I know you all know, which is why youre here there is so much at stake in this election. And so I just wanted to share with you a couple of thoughts as we all recommit ourselves to this, which, as Doug said, is a recommitment to our democracy. It is a recommitment to foundational principles.It is a recommitment to the ideals of our nation and the basis of the foundation of our nation, a belief in the importance of freedom and liberty, the importance of justice and equality, the importance of understanding that we want leadership in our country that understands that the true strength of leadership is not measured based on who you beat down, it is measured based on who you lift up. (Applause.)

These are the things that we stand for. And I firmly believe when you know what you stand for, you know what to fight for. And all of this is at stake.

As the President said, this is an inflection moment in the history of our country. And, dare I say, this is a moment where not only are the stakes high, but there is a full-on intentional attack on hard-won freedoms, where these supposed so-called and certainly extremist leaders have an agenda that, lets be clear, is not just about the people of Texas and Florida, its a national agenda that is about a full-on attack on hard-won freedoms the freedom to exercise your vote, which is an expression of your voice. And around our country, especially after our win in 2020, those supposed leaders who have been passing or proposing laws to make it more difficult for the people to vote.This is a national agenda that is at play.

I think part of it a backlash because of the progress we had in 2020 during the height of a pandemic, where more people turned out to vote than ever before because of the work of the people in this room. (Applause.) And that scared some people.

So you saw those laws being proposed and passed to attack voting rights.

Look at where we are. We thought so many things were settled in our country long settled like the right to vote. We passed the Voting Rights Act. We thought that all of that stuff had been done, and theyre turning back the clock.

Long settled that a woman would have the ability to make a decision about her own body and not her government telling her what to do. (Applause.)

For so many of us, because weve all I mean, we can you know, so many of us have been in these campaigns together for a long time. So many of us have just been seeing each other. Were kind of like perennial, right? (Laughs.) We see each other around this time every cycle.

And remember for years we would say that one of the most important reasons that people should care about elections and get out to vote is the United States Supreme Court? And remember how sometimes it would be a bit frustrating for some of us because we knew how important it is, and we thought it was really one of the most important reasons to vote, but it sometimes was the least persuasive? And then look what happened.

Were looking at a time in our country where so many of us were part of the movement to say that our value should be reflected, in terms of equality, when we fought through the states, and then through the United States Congress, through what we had to do in the courts to say that we would have marriage equality.

But yet, now we are seeing states that are proposing and passing laws that would attack LGBTQ rights. Look at what is happening in our country.

And so the stakes are very high. And, you know, sometimes, during the course of the work weve all been doing over the years, weve referred to a year such as 2023 as an off year. Well, I will say to the friends here, that is dated language. Every year is election year, in terms of what we have to do to turn out the votes. (Applause.)

So, theres so much at stake, and each one of these days leading up to the election will matter. And this is a group of extraordinary leaders who have always understood the importance of putting the resources, putting the thought, as the President said, putting your reputations, your networks, your friendships, in play, activating them to remind our neighbors and our friends about what is at stake and what is important and that we see them and we hear them, and that our motivation, as Doug just said, is based on love of country.

We love our country. Thats why we fight for it. Because we believe in these foundational principles. Because we believe in the importance of the integrity of our nation and our ability, as the President said, to walk in those rooms around the world and have the authority then to talk about issues like human rights and rule of law.

As Vice President, I have now met with over 100 world leaders presidents, prime ministers, chancellors, and kings. When we walk in those rooms, we still carry with us a certain authority to talk about the principles that are a foundation of a democracy.But lets be clear: In holding ourselves out as a role model this is a room of role models we know when youre a role model, people watch what you do to see if it matches what you say.

So when we think about what is at stake in this election, yes, it is our democracy. But let us also understand, and certainly it is my great fear, that one of the repercussions of this all is that in those places, led by dictators and and and autocracies, that those supposed leaders are looking at their people and saying, You want to fight for these freedoms? You want to hold that country out as a model? Well, look at what theyre doing. You be quiet.

So when we think about the stakes, it is, yes, the people of our country but, arguably, people around the world who will be impacted by the outcome of this election.

So thats on one side of the ledger. But the other part of this, which is why I am so darn excited (laughs) we got a lot of good material, guys. We got a lot of good material. (Applause.) We really do.

Because the President talked about it. What we have accomplished because of what you all in this room did in 2020 is extraordinary. The people said, when we asked them to vote, Hey, I need yall to deal with the fact that I have many members of my family who have diabetes. And for the seniors that I know who have diabetes, too many of them have to make a decision about whether they either buy their insulin, which is prescribed by their doctor to save their life, or pay for the rent or put food in the fridge. And because for years theyve been demanding something would be done about it, and because of your work in 2020, we were able to cap the cost of insulin for seniors at $35 a month. (Applause.) Its huge.

Im traveling our country. When I mention this, one of the things that I do is I ask the crowd, Raise your hand if you have a relative or a friend thats got diabetes. Almost every hand goes up.

Here, Ill ask this room: Raise your hand. And then when we talk about capping it at $35 a month, people get it.

We have now capped the cost prescription medication at $2,000 a year for our seniors. Has anybody heard about the issue of medical debt? Well, a whole lot of Americans have when theyre going through bankruptcy and being evicted and learn that thats what theyre in, is called medical debt. Weve been dealing with that.

I traveled around the country on the issue of lead pipes. Grandparents, for generations those grandmothers and grandfathers have been talking about the fact that theres lead in these pipes, and I may not have a medical degree, but I know that that water is causing health impacts to my child, including an impact on their ability to learn. (Applause.)

And heres an important thing that you have to understand about that issue in terms of how we, as Democrats, approach something like that. Of course thats a public health issue. Of course it is an issue that is also about public education when you understand the direct link in terms of how it affects learning ability.

But heres the thing: Lead pipes werent only installed in low-income communities and communities of color; they happened throughout the country. But if you were in a neighborhood that had high rates of homeownership, you could take some equity out of your home and replace those pipes.

In the low-income communities, in high-rent communities, folks couldnt afford to do it. And so they had then those impacts, those desperate impacts.

We, as Democrats, say, No, it shouldnt be on that individual to do it because its a public health issue. Its a public education issue. So we have now passed a law that within the next, now, eight years, well get rid of lead pipes throughout America because we took this issue on. (Applause.)

We took on the issue of broadband. Well, it was highlighted during the pandemic. Folks who live in rural America, folks who cannot afford high-speed Internet well, then they didnt have the ability for their kids to take advantage of online education. Theyd have to go in a car to a parking lot in a McDonalds to take advantage of public Wi-Fi.

Seniors who live in rural America who had no access to high-speed Internet couldnt take advantage of telemedicine without going to the public library and sitting in a public place to talk with their doctor.

You all did your work in 2020. We came in and said this has got to stop. Its an equity issue. Its an issue of dignity. And we have now put in place a policy where we are going to ensure the installation of high-speed, accessible, and affordable broadband throughout our country. Its because of the work you did.

The work that we have done together Im looking at Tom Steyer the work we have done together on climate. The clock is banging on this issue. We came in, and despite some of our opponents that for years have been denying the existence of the climate crisis, because of the work you all did, $1 trillion has now been dedicated to addressing this issue and the development of a clean energy economy. (Applause.)

So all that to say weve got a lot of good material. And weve just got to get the word out. And we need the resources and the friends to all come together so we can join together, as we have always done, to remind the people that their voices do matter and they get heard.

And heres the benefit of that: reminding people that when they are active, when they vote, things happen that uplift and improve the condition of lives.

What we have done also reminds people of what they have a right to demand of their leaders and their government. And when they stand in those lines for hours, even if so-called leaders deny them the ability to have food and water, that the outcome directly impacts their lives in a way that is responsive to what they demanded.

This is very exciting our ability to communicate with folks and let them know we heard you, we see you, and these things happened, and theres more to come.

Theres more to come in terms of what we need to do around affordable childcare, paid leave; what we need to do to extend the Child Tax Credit. Theres more work to come. Weve got a lot of good material.

And so my last point is this: When we fight, we win. (Applause.)

END

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Remarks by Vice President Harris at a Reception for the Democratic ... - The White House

Race and Hispanic ethnicity factor into emergency department (ED) visits for people with mental health disorders, concludes a recent study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Among the findings: Black adults visited EDs for mental health-related care almost twice as often as white adults.

Other data also indicate that Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) face disparities in mental healthcare. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), for example, therapy for a mental health diagnosis is received by:

Plenty of research supports the fact that mental healthcare inequities exist. The real question is: What can we do to address them?

Hopefully, healthcares collective experience with Covid-19 has taught us how to do things differently. Here are four opportunities to leverage our learnings to improve care for people with mental health disordersespecially within BIPOC communities that contend with racism, discrimination, and other unique mental health stressors.

Opportunity 1: Educate and destigmatize

The BIPOC acronym comprises many distinctly different races, ethnicities, and cultures. However, one common denominator among all BIPOC communities is the pressure and expectation to assimilate into a majority-White society. The desire to deal with it, fit in, and appear strong often causes BIPOC populations to tolerate and even normalize experiences that cause stress, anxiety, fear, and trauma. Stigma worsens the problem by preventing people from talking about mental health and learning the symptoms of mental illness.

Healthcare leaders have an ideal opportunity to educate BIPOC communities and encourage mental health conversations. First, they must understand precisely who comprises their local communities. While the census and other publicly available data provide a good snapshot on paper, a better appreciation of BIPOC communities comes from direct engagement.

For example, in-person occasions to educate BIPOC young peoplesuch as school festivals or health clinicssimultaneously teach about mental health and enable organizations to see communities needs firsthand. Those insights can then be used to ensure that ongoing education accurately reflects the communities served.

Healthcare organizations must invest in efforts to educate their communities about what mental health is, what healthy mental health choices are, and what mental health services are available. Targeted social media campaigns, for instance, could help call attention to mental health conditions and treatments, and explain where to go for mental health services. By explaining conditions such as anxiety, depression, and trauma, providers can help people identify what theyre experiencing.

Opportunity 2: Build trust

Trust is a complex, multilayered issue in healthcare. Within some Black communities, for example, general mistrust of the medical community remains due to injustices such as the unethical Tuskegee experiment and the use of Henrietta Lacks cancer cells without her consent.

No matter why someone distrusts healthcare, their suspicions intensify when their care experience doesnt align with their expectations. Conversely, doubts may ease, and trust may develop if patients fully understand what to expect. Therefore, healthcare organizations should offer a mental health orientation when patients walk through their doors. Patients must understand that the usual course of care for mental health and physical health is not the same.

Patients with physical ailments typically see a provider, get treatment, and get better within a relatively short time frame. In comparison, treatment for mental health conditions such as moderate depression may last many months. Some antidepressant medications take several weeks to begin working, with additional time needed to adjust the dose to achieve the best effect.

To build trust, busy providers must take time to reassure patients and manage their expectations by confirming that:

By setting appropriate expectations, providers can improve patients likelihood of staying in treatment and achieving a positive outcome. In turn, patients success may persuade others within the community to trust providers and seek treatment.

Opportunity 3: Nurture cultural curiosity

Its important to inspire cultural curiosity in everyoneincluding BIPOC providers. I know a lot about being Black, for example, but Ive had very little exposure to Native American communities. Thats why I tried to learn about their mental health needs during my residency.

Healthcare leaders can play a significant role in encouraging cultural curiosity by being intentional about making it an integral part of organizational culture. Some ideas for doing so:

Although many patients indeed want providers with whom they can relate, its also true that people across communities often deal with similar issues. As providers, we must sometimes step forward to put ourselves in other peoples shoes. We must learn about the different groups in our communities and show patients that were interested, curious, willing to learn, and ready to listen. I firmly believe that when we approach care that way, patients will connect with us and be comfortable with us even if we come from different backgrounds.

Opportunity 4: Explore new approaches

Traditional approaches to mental healthcare often fall shortespecially within BIPOC communities where access barriers may be high. Lack of insurance benefits or transportation, prohibitive treatment costs, and few available providers are among many well-known challenges.

Therefore, we must lean into lessons learned from the Covid-19 pandemic to make care easier to access. That may mean exploring continued or expanded partnerships with community organizations and providers, such as:

Finding solutions

Too often today, BIPOC communities must deal with mental health obstacles without the necessary education, support, and coping strategies. Fortunately, healthcare organizations have opportunities to start addressing these challenges by building cultural competency and by strengthening community education, trust, and access.

The situation requires us all to embrace active curiosity. We must be willing to listen, learn, and look honestly at challenges that may differ from our own lived experiences. If we do, we will find common ground. Solutions are out there, if we look.

Photo: Irina Devaeva, Getty Images

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4 Opportunities to Improve Mental Health in BIPOC Communities - MedCity News

Over the next several months, as the trial unfolds in connection with the Squirrel Hill synagogue shooting, Pittsburgh will be repeatedly reminded that it is home to the worst antisemitic attack in U.S. history.

Eleven people from three congregations Tree of Life-Or LSimcha, Dor Hadash and New Light died on Oct. 27, 2018, at the Tree of Life synagogue.

What likely wont be mentioned as prominently is the work being done to counter that narrative.

Antisemitism continues to rise in the United States and shows no signs of slowing worldwide, according to a report released by Tel Aviv Universitys Center for the Study of Contemporary European Jewry and the U.S.-based Anti-Defamation League.

Yet, in Pittsburgh, pockets of the population from the Jewish community at large to the greater metropolitan region have made it their mission to try to heal the community and spread love.

We need to acknowledge it exists and it happened, said Alyssa Rheingold, the director of preparedness, response and recovery at the National Mass Violence Victimization Resource Center. It will always be part of Pittsburghs history. A lot of people are forever changed. It will always be part of who they are.

The question, she said, is, How do you grow from the ashes? How do you take this awful, horrific event and build this better community, this greater sense of love?

In some respects, those who live here say, its already happening.

We will not allow it to define us

The day after the attack, thousands of people flocked to Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Hall and Museum in Oakland to honor those who were killed and show support for the Jewish community.

Every type of person, every walk of life, every age they were all, in a sense, victimized by this, said University of Pittsburgh law professor David A. Harris, who is working with the 10.27 Healing Partnership. This shall not be just, or only, remembered as the worst antisemitic attack in American history. This will be remembered as an attack on our city.

Because of that, and almost immediately, the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh and its community partners began working through physical acts and in thoughts and words to ensure that Pittsburgh and its Jewish community did not become synonymous with hate or violence, said Adam Hertzman, a spokesman for the federation.

All of that work, he said, has been purposeful.

Among the tangible things the Jewish community has focused on, Hertzman said, is programming through entities like the Jewish Community Centers Center for Loving Kindness, founded in 2017 to counter demoralizing rhetoric and to amplify values like Love your neighbor as yourself; Repair the World, which mobilizes Jews and their communities to take action to pursue a just world; and the 10.27 Healing Partnership, which opened in October 2019 at the Jewish Community Center in Squirrel Hill to provide counseling services, education and space to reflect and share.

On May 25, the federation will host its annual Tikkun Leil Shavuot, which is a night of Jewish learning. From 10 p.m. to 1 a.m., there will be 24 rabbis teaching about the Torah and current topics and how they relate to Judaism.

Just last Sunday, the synagogue hosted a Lhitraot ceremony to say see you later to the Tree of Life building as it evolves into a memorial, museum and worship center. About 75 people gathered to pray and share memories of the countless joyful events that occurred during the buildings 71 years.

Stephen Cohen, co-president of New Light Congregation, said they have focused on learning and advancing their small, older congregation.

What were doing is what were always doing, he said. But were still going strong and intend to be here for many decades to come.

Among the ways they have moved forward, he said, is by partnering with local churches to do joint Bible study based on Proverbs and Psalms and converting a garage at their cemetery in Shaler into a memorial chapel.

Its part of our psyche to do this, Cohen said. We learn, and they learn.

The congregation has worked to fill the roles that their members killed in the attack Mel Wax, Dan Stein and Richard Gottfried filled in their Saturday services.

They were the people who made the service work, Cohen said.

At Dor Hadash, members have made a renewed effort to focus on equal rights and inclusivity, said Jon Pushinsky, a member there.

Certainly, the shooting is a tragedy that will always be a part of us, he said. But the congregation decided early on we will not allow it to define us.

Instead, Pushinsky said, the congregation is committed to growing and expanding their values. He referenced the Jewish concept of Tikkun Olam, or repairing the world, which the congregation seeks to fulfill by protecting and expanding immigrant rights, as well as working with the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society.

They sponsored a refugee family now living independently and are considering sponsoring a second, Pushinsky said.

Members are advocating for stronger gun laws that could stop mass shootings. They started Squirrel Hill Stands Against Gun Violence following the synagogue attack and continue to support commonsense gun legislation, Pushinsky said.

Our congregation will continue to fight against toxic belief systems, white supremacy and demonization of non-whites and the LGBTQ community, he said. We believe in equal rights and justice for all.

We will get over what we experienced by recommitting to that work.

Be intentional

Part of that, Pushinsky said, is honoring the members of their congregation victimized in the shooting, including Dr. Jerry Rabinowitz, one of the 11 who were killed.

In Jewish tradition, when a person dies, it is customary to respond to their loved ones by saying, May his memory be a blessing.

Rheingold, of the National Mass Violence Victimization Resource Center, said the meaning of that sentiment is not that the individual be comforted by the memory of the deceased. Instead, they should honor their loved one through their own actions.

We have control over what we can do and bring to this Earth, she said. Foster kindness, advocate for change.

These are things we can do and take ownership of.

She reminds people that each day they should be intentional about reconnecting with their values and what gives them meaning and purpose.

Hertzman said even in how the federation refers to the attack, it is with purposeful language that promotes community resilience. Theyve consciously chosen to call it the Oct. 27 attack or the 2018 attack on three synagogues, he said.

It was a deliberate goal not to call it the Pittsburgh attack, Hertzman said. We never call it the Tree of Life attack.

That language matters for perception and long-term health of the community.

Hertzman said there continues to be a conscious effort to bring people together in the Jewish community, despite the time that has passed since the shooting.

The support in the year following the shooting and ever since has been tremendous, he said.

This is a special place

One of the things that has flourished, Hertzman said, is the support offered by other faith-based minority groups.

This is exactly what those who like to do harm would be sorry they have caused, he said. I have hope because I see the people-to-people connections that are being forged. I think theres a lot of potential for good to come out of that.

Pushinsky said he was deeply touched by the response of the Pittsburgh community after the attack.

To see the Stronger Than Hate signs all over the city in businesses and homes regardless of ethnic background, really proved this is a special place, he said. Pittsburgh has defined itself as a place of refuge that other places can aspire to be.

Maggie Feinstein, director of the 10.27 Healing Partnership, said, often in the wake of a mass shooting, people want to distance themselves from it because it feels heavy and dark.

But in Pittsburgh, which has a deeply rooted, intergenerational community, it gave the city a chance to show its character, she said.

The incident happening here is also the time we show in which relationships matter, she said. Solidarity matters, and the roots and sense of neighborliness matter.

As the trial evolves, Feinstein said, some community members may focus on it. But others will focus on doing good works.

We are going to shine a light on this horrific act. But we do it with a purpose that it cant be swept under the rug, she said. We have a choice to either really understand what happened that day so we never forget or really understand the people whose lives were taken in that act so we never forget.

Paula Reed Ward is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Paula by email at pward@triblive.com or via Twitter .

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Amid Pittsburgh synagogue shooting trial, Jewish community and ... - TribLIVE

On Wednesday April 26, Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta traveled to Uvalde, Texas, where she and members of the Critical Incident Review team from the Justice Departments Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) met with families and community members to hear from them and provide an update on the departments review of the law enforcement response to the horrific mass shooting that took place at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde last May. Earlier in the day, she also met with the mayor.

In the days following the tragedy in Uvalde, the mayor reached out to the Justice Department seeking an independent after-action review. In response to the mayors request and in order to provide the families and community members of Uvalde the full accounting they deserve, the department has been conducting a Critical Incident Review of the law enforcement, school, victim services, and other stakeholders response to the incident, which will culminate in a written report to be delivered in the next few months. The goal of the review is to provide (1) an independent account of law enforcement and other stakeholder actions and responses; (2) identify lessons learned and best practices to help first responders prepare for and respond to active shooter events; and (3) provide a roadmap for community safety before, during, and after such incidents. This review is consistent with the COPS Offices Collaborative Reform Initiative and is not a criminal or civil investigation.

Progress Made in the Departments Review

Since the department officially launched the review on June 8, 2022, a team from the departments COPS Office has been working closely with ten subject-matter experts with extensive experience in emergency management and active shooter response, school safety, incident command and management, tactical operations, officer safety and wellness, and victim and family support. The review team is examining policies, training, communications, deployment and incident command, tactics, and practices as they relate to preparing for and responding to active shooter events, as well as the post-incident response, including a review of survivor and victim and family support and resources.

In the course of their work thus far, the review team has visited Uvalde nine times, and has spent a total of 30 days there over the past 11 months. They have conducted, viewed, or participated in interviews of over 200 individuals, from more than 30 organizations and agencies, including personnel from the law enforcement agencies involved in the response to the mass shooting, as well as other first responders and medical personnel; family members; victim services providers; communications professionals and public information officers; school personnel; government officials; witnesses; and hospital staff. The team has collected and is analyzing almost 13,000 pieces of evidence, including policies, procedures and training materials from the responding agencies; manuals; many hours of video; photographs; interview transcripts; and other materials relevant to the review. The team has also conducted walkthroughs of Robb Elementary School and observed multiple active-shooter training sessions and meets regularly as a full group and in sub-teams on different topic areas in preparing the forthcoming written report.

Extensive, detailed reviews such as this one take time, and the department is committed to taking that time to provide an accurate and detailed examination of the events, as well as guidance to other agencies and communities moving forward. The department will make its full findings and recommendations publicly available at the completion of the review, which is expected in the coming months.

Resources to Support the Uvalde Community

During the Wednesday meeting, Department of Justice leadership also shared with families and community members that, in advance of the one-year commemoration next month, the Justice Department is offering additional technical assistance and support to the Uvalde community. These additional resources are designed to help the community and local government prepare for and manage the time around the one-year mark, including: (1) intentional and systematic trauma therapy for victims and families, school district staff, and first responders; (2) appropriate, victim-centered, trauma-informed crisis communications; and (3) assistance with operations and planning for large gatherings. The COPS Office will be coordinating with the departments Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) on counseling and trauma related services.

In addition to these new resources, OVC has been providing no cost expert mass violence training and technical assistance to the Uvalde community, and in October 2022, the COPS Office awarded the Uvalde Independent School District a grant through the School Violence Prevention Program, which includes funding for security training, secured doors and protective gear for law enforcement.

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Readout of Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta's Meeting with ... - Department of Justice

Attendees at a community forum on the search for the next Chicago police superintendent advocated for the next leader to be chosen from within the department.

The virtual forum earlier this week was hosted by the Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability, the civilian agency tasked with finding former Supt. David Browns replacement. The commission is conducting a nationwide search for his successor and will present three candidates to new Mayor Brandon Johnson by mid-July.

During Tuesdays forum, Anthony Driver Jr., interim president of the commission, said six applications have been submitted so far. The deadline to apply is May 7.

Several participants told the commission casting a nationwide net was a step in the wrong direction and the next superintendent should have a fundamental understanding of Chicago that can only come from years of experience in the city.

This nonsense of bringing in people from outside the city of Chicago and expecting them to understand the complications and things that our communities go through has been an abject failure, Will Powers said.

We see it time and time again, where individuals dont know the city of Chicago, dont know our diverse and culturally different communities, Powers said. We need someone from within the Chicago Police Department that is a proven leader that can bring these communities together.

Others echoed Powers comments, urging the commission to prioritize CPD candidates.

You should be looking for someone from the Chicago Police Department, someone whos been there for a good while, Walter Kindred said. Someone who has a good relationship with all the other commanders and lieutenants.

Kesha Williams put it simply, asking the commission, Why would we look nationwide for someone? I wouldnt want anyone to come inside my home that doesnt live here and start moving furniture and cooking in my kitchen. Chicago needs a Chicago commander.

Multiple speakers at the forum suggested 3rd District Cmdr. Roderick Watson be considered for the position. Watson, 56, has been with the department since 1996.

I want to give kudos to Commander Watson and everything hes done, said Donnell Williams of the Flourishing Community Initiative. Being intentional with good relationships in the community but also being intentional with meeting people where they are.

Residents will have more opportunities to weigh in on the search next month. The next community forum is scheduled for May 4 at Theodore Roosevelt High School. Another two will be held on May 10 at Kennedy High School and on May 22 at the Beverly Arts Center.

The head of the civilian commission has vowed to find a visionary who can shepherd the department through a time of great change.

After decades of calls for more civilian oversight of the police department, the City Council passed an ordinance in July 2021 creating both the commission and new councils covering each of the citys 22 police districts.

The commission also fills Police Board vacancies and has the power to select and remove the top official in the Civilian Office of Police Accountability, with City Council approval. It sets CPD policy and establishes goals for the department and those oversight agencies.

Contributing: Tom Schuba

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Next top cop should come from within CPD, residents say - Chicago Sun-Times

Bobby Fukumoto took this photo of the burned remnants of a LTBTQ flag at Pasadena Buddhist Temple on Tuesday.

By MIKEY HIRANO CULROSS, Rafu Shimpo

PASADENA An LGBTQ pride flag that hung at the Pasadena Buddhist Temple was burned on Monday evening, in what police investigators are saying is a possible hate crime.

Rev. Gregory Gibbs said the temples volunteer maintenance crew discovered the remnants of the burned flag on the ground early Tuesday morning. The hand-painted rainbow flag had been displayed at the temple for years.

A neighbor told us she saw the fire and put it out with a garden hose, Gibbs told The Rafu. It was already destroyed for the most part, but she was afraid the flames would spread to the trees next to the fence.

Gibbs told ABC7 that the temple never received complaints about the flag until a couple weeks ago when a man came in and objected to the flag. Surveillance video of the man has been shared with the police.

Pasadena Police sent their captain of arson investigations, and theyve been very helpful, said Gibbs. This is an act of hate. We try to open our house of worship to everyone and anyone. We recently organized our LGBTQ support center, along with the Gardena Buddhist Church. We want everyone to feel welcome here.

Gardena Buddhist Churchs Ichi-mi program provides a safe space for LGBTQ+ identifying people within the Sangha, their family members, and allies.

A Black Lives Matter flag and a similar rainbow flag hang outside the Pasadena temple. Gibbs said they will look to replace the one that was destroyed.

According to the latest L.A. County Human Relations Commission hate crimes report, religious and sexual orientation hate crimes have risen. Sexual orientation hate crimes rose in 2021 for the second year in a row, increasing 15% from 122 to 140.

The commission reported that after declining in 2020, religiously motivated crime rose 29% from 86 to 111. They represented 14% of all reported hate crimes in 2021, up from 13%.

The Japanese American National Museum issued a statement condemning the incident as an act of hate, noting other cases of vandalism at local houses of worship, including Islamic Center of Southern California in Los Angeles during Ramadan, one of the holiest months for Muslims; and two separate anti-semitic acts of violence outside two different synagogues in L.A.s Pico-Robertson neighborhood.

We are deeply troubled by these hateful acts and by the rise in hate crimes across the country, said Ann Burroughs, president and CEO of JANM. These are intentional crimes that are solely motivated by prejudice, bias, and animus. They create fear and division and further sow mistrust that damages the fabric of our society and fragments our communities.

Our hearts are with the members of the Pasadena Buddhist Temple, the Islamic Center of Southern California, the Beit El synagogue in Los Angeles, and with communities across the country who are targets of these hateful acts. The history of the World War ll incarceration of Japanese Americans is rooted in hate, prejudice and discrimination and JANM therefore has a moral obligation to stand with communities of color who are confronting hate head on.

Anyone with information about the incident should call the Pasadena Police at (626) 744-4241.

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LGBTQ Flag Burned at Pasadena Buddhist Temple; Police ... - The Rafu Shimpo

It takes a village to raise a child. Part of that helpful village within the greater Grand Rapids region is the Kent District Library (KDL) offering many resources to families and their young ones. Early literacy is part of KDLs strategic pillar of engagement and service. Programming for adolescents helps push forward countywide goals such as First Steps Kent, an early literacy nonprofit ensuring children have exposure to books at a young age.

First Steps Kent works on policies and provides programs and support for children and their families, to ensure young ones are on track when they start kindergarten. The independent nonprofit focuses on equity and inclusion, offers early investments and provides supportive policies and programs to remove barriers so all young children can reach their full potential.The Ready by Five Childhood Millage is one of those investments, which provides funding for health, well-being and school readiness programs for children younger than five years old. Approved by Kent County voters in November 2018, this millage makes the county the first in the state to have tax dollars designated specifically for early childhood programming. This will provide $6.5 million a year from 2019 to 2014, totaling $39 million.

Dawn Heerspink, branch librarian at the Byron Township Branch works in a youth-focused role, offering programming for birth to upper elementary-age children. Heerspink serves on an early literacy programming group and oversees babytime for caregivers and children 0-18 months old, storytimes for young children, and helps plan school visits focused on supporting literacy and encouraging the love of reading. She also provides recommendations for young readers' material, maintains the youth collection and helps young people see the Library as a place where they can learn, grow and thrive.One of the greatest assets KDL offers to support early literacy and positive first experiences with books is our interactive storytimes, Heerspink says. Storytime programming fills a need to offer a free opportunity for caregivers and young children to bond, meet other families in the community and start to develop the pre-reading and emotional and social skills they need to navigate the world.

Heerspink says youth librarians are great resources for families in their childrens literacy journeys.

Youth librarians learn how to choose developmentally appropriate books, songs and rhymes, how to create a welcoming environment for caregivers and for children and receive information on applying the Kent County Success Basics, a countywide initiative focused on five fun and effective ways to set children up for lifelong literacy and learning, she says.In recent years, youth librarians have also received training to be intentional in book selection so that our read-alouds reflect all members of our communities.

KDL also offers 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten, a reading program for caregivers to explore books with young children before starting school.

Caregivers and children receive fun animal tracking sheets and stickers to help them reach their goal of looking at and listening to 1,000 books, Heerspink says. As a celebration of the accomplishment, KDL awards each child who completes it with a book bag of their own and a certificate of achievement.This program is being redesigned for a relaunch in fall 2023. Starting in June, young readers can participate in Summer Wonder, KDLs annual summer reading and learning program.

We know that it is vitally important that children have books in their homes, so Summer Wonder offers a book prize to child completers, she says.

Aside from books and audiobooks, research also shows the importance of play. Symbolic play such as using a block to represent a pancake in a play kitchen area in the WonderKnook spaces can spark imagination and even more learning, says Heerspink.

Storytelling through play can encourage a love of connecting to books and books can inspire childrens play as they learn about characters and the world, she says. There are large benefits to play that support many domains of early learning, including the opportunity to develop vocabulary, acquire counting and comparison skills and cooperation with others.

Heerspink says that early child literacy is such an important topic because its much more than a student being able to read in school.

A childs learning starts with feeling safe, loved and supported, she says. Looking at and reading books with a child is one of the best ways to slow down, spend time together and relax. Allowing an infant to look at a board book and just flip pages back and forth demonstrates thatthe adult in their life acknowledges their ability to explore the world around them. I like telling caregivers that its OK to not read every word on a page (or no words at all!) if they are looking at books with their child, following their lead and facilitating the experience by pointing out items in illustrations, asking questions and responding to their childs level of interest.

Made possible by millages, private and community donations and book sales, KDL offers a wide variety of programming for free in a welcoming environment.

Our childrens spaces are friendly, inviting and full of a wealth of materials that your local youth librarian will be happy to help you with, Heerspink says. There are a dozen more ways KDL supports early literacy from books for babies to customized book bundles for caregivers to digital and physical books, your public library offers a free, safe place to encourage the child in your life to grow.

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Literacy Matters is a series focused on the importance of knowledge, community resources seeking to remove barriers to access and the value of our library systems to society. Literacy Matters is supported by Kent District Library.

Sarah briefly lived in Grand Rapids years ago, before moving back to Lansing, but that West Michigan love never really left her heart. Through her coverage on small businesses, arts and culture, dining, and anything mitten-made, shes committed to convincing any and everyone -- just how great the Great Lakes state is. Sarah received her degrees in Journalism and Professional Communications. You can find her in a record shop, a local concert, or eating one too many desserts at a bakery. If by chance, shes not at any of those places, you can contact her at [emailprotected]

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Providing programs and resources to help families reach goals of ... - Rapid Growth