Category Archives: Intentional Communities

Pennsylvania Downtown Center has announced it will host its 2021 Annual Statewide Conference in downtown Reading on September 12th through September 15th.

With the theme, DESIGN: Beyond the Structures, the conference will discuss designing for the future: integrating new approaches, ideals, values and cultures all while preserving the historic characteristics that make communities unique. In addition, conference goers will explore the many facets of DESIGN: How buildings are used, streets, sidewalks, all spaces of cities, towns and neighborhoods.

Keynote speaker, Dr. Mariela Alfonzo, founder and CEO of State of Place and Mary Means, Founder of Main Street, will take conference goers on immersive mobile workshops in the City of Reading and the boroughs of Boyertown, Hamburg and West Reading along with sessions at the DoubleTree by Hilton Reading led by experts in the field.

PDC is excited to bring PAs premier revitalization conference to Reading and Berks Counties surrounding Main Street and Elm Street communities. This region is an ideal place to celebrate the past and the present; highlighting local cultural heritage as we add our own 21st Century twists to the events and celebrations that many of our Main Street and Elm Street communities revel in today, said Julie Fitzpatrick, executive director, Pennsylvania Downtown Center.

Our host sites provide excellent examples of how people live and move, and how those activities are changing. We need to consider designing for the future from creating Smart Cities, and reinventing our parking challenges, to identifying ways to integrate new approaches, new ideas, new values, and new cultures into our communities. We look forward to seeing you in Reading, in September.

Mayor Eddie Morn added, we are thrilled to welcome all participants of the Pennsylvania Downtown Centers conference to Reading. It is most appropriate for Reading to host this conference as we earnestly engage in a transformational plan for our own Downtown corridor. Participants will leave our Downtown and our City inspired by its history, architecture, vibrancy, and potential.

The community is also invited to attend a free Community Revitalization 101 presentation on Sunday, September 12th. Registration is required.

The County of Berks is thrilled to host this years downtown conference and foster the ongoing discussion about how to breathe new life into our communities while maintaining our distinct local flavors, said David N. Hunter Sr., Executive Director of the Berks County Planning Commission.

We believe it is important to be intentional about every choice we make while planning for the future of our County to effectively meet residents needs in a creative and meaningful way. Were excited to learn and grow together at this years conference.

Article also available in: Espaol (Spanish)

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Downtown Revitalization Conference 'Beyond the Structures' to be held in Reading - Berks Weekly

It is supposed to be a lifeline: more than a billion dollars in federal rental and utility assistance funds earmarked by Congress for Americans hit hardest by the pandemic.

Illinois received a decent chunk of those funds: more than $800 million.

But records obtained by NBC 5 Responds show much of the states funding still sits in an account -- not yet disbursed -- all while the cloud of uncertainty over how long eviction moratoriums will last lies overhead for fearful tenants.

Housing and legal advocates, along with state officials, are preparing for a potential flood of housing woes.

In a recent U.S. Census Household Pulse Survey, more than 109,000 Illinoisans answered it was likely they would face eviction and a little over 19,000 said the same about their homes falling into foreclosure.

Thats why Congress Emergency Rental Assistance program -- born out of the CARES Act -- is poised to save many from homelessness.

The problem, though, is the process of getting the money into the hands of those who need it most.

NBC 5 Responds examined the latest figures for two Illinois government bodies that currently hold the bulk of the rental assistance funds: the Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA) and the Department of Human Services (IDHS).

IHDAs figures show it has distributed about 46 percent of the $504 million it has been tasked to deliver to tenants and landlords. To date, the office has received more than 96,000 applications for assistance through its online portal.

IDHS has taken a different approach to deliver its allocated funds.

Working through a network of community providers across the state, IDHS records show since April it has disbursed about 11 percent of the $117 million to more than 4,000 applicants.

State officials and advocates said many people in Illinois are finding themselves in a scenario theyve never experienced before: facing the maze of procedures and processes in eviction court while trying to find both financial and legal assistance to keep them afloat. NBC 5 Responds.

Housing advocates told NBC 5 these findings show the need for the recent extension of the states eviction moratorium (to read more about that, click here). They explained more time is needed to get rental assistance into the hands of those who need it most.

In a virtual interview, IDHS Secretary Grace Hou agreed with the move to extend the states moratorium and stressed that the programs are working as swiftly as they can while also ensuring the funds are handed out in a responsible way.

We have a very compassionate, but yet cautious kind of science-driven approach, Hou explained. We don't want our program to be negatively scrutinized down the road.

Hou said IHDAs rental assistance program was built to take in thousands of applications across the state virtually through an online portal and deliver funds directly to tenants and landlords.

But IDHS plan is different.

We know that that one size doesn't fit all for tenants and landlords who are seeking assistance, Hou said.

The IDHS plan for distributing rental assistance, Hou explained, is an in-person, ground game; played out by a team of grassroots, immigration, and faith-based organizations working with the agency to help assist communities that are most in need, and that may be fearful of asking the government for help.

People may be aware of the programs but there may be fear, in some communities, to actually access some of these programs, Hou said, adding that some families need more than just rental assistance.

We are working with families who potentially have an array of other challenges, Hou said. The programs are designed to kind of work hand-in-hand in targeting different households who are in different situations.

The call for more rental assistance funds delivered faster is not unique to Illinois. This week, the Treasury Department acknowledged the bulk of funds earmarked nationwide -- 89% -- is still in the pipeline.

If state and local agencies do not distribute rental assistance funds by Sept. 30, the Treasury Department has the right to reallocate those funds to areas with continuing needs.

But, a local silver lining: the feds said Illinois is one of the most improved programs with its climb from handing out no funds in May to more than $96 million the following month.

Hou said she understands the sense of urgency, but state officials also have to balance it with thoughtful and strategic, and intentional processes.

While the IHDA application portal for tenants or landlords seeking rental assistance is temporarily closed, Hou said it will open back up in the coming weeks.

In the meantime, tenants and landlords can apply for assistance through IDHS provider network.

Continue reading here:

Where's The Money? Millions of Illinois Rental Assistance Dollars Still Waiting To Be Disbursed - NBC Chicago

In summary

The Dixie and Caldor fires may have dealt the burning blows, but these towns are the victims of misplaced corporate priorities, agency arrogance and a fundamental misunderstanding of the role of fire in the forests of the Sierra Nevada.

Jane Braxton Little, based in the northern Sierra Nevada, is an independent journalist covering science and natural resource issues for publications that include The Atlantic, Audubon, Discover, National Geographic and Scientific American, jblittle@dyerpress.com.

On the afternoon of Aug. 4, a 40,000-foot pyro-cumulus cloud built over the mountains south of Lake Almanor, collapsing into a storm of red-hot embers. Carried by 40 mile-an-hour winds, flames roared down North Canyon west of Greenville in a torrent of torched trees. Within hours, the Plumas County town of 1,129 residents was a smoldering mass of charred cars, twisted metal roofing and the haunting, brick-walled remains of the Masonic Lodge.

Greenville is gone.

Gone, too, are parts of Grizzly Flat in El Dorado County and Janesville in Lassen County. More than 40,000 residents in eight counties have fled the flames of wildfires and remain evacuated.

The Dixie and Caldor fires may have dealt the burning blows, but these towns are the victims of misplaced corporate priorities, agency arrogance and a fundamental misunderstanding of the role of fire in the forests of the Sierra Nevada.

Greenville, my adopted home of 40-plus years, is a gritty working-class community birthed in blasts of raw earth detonated by the hydraulic miners who came to these mountains seeking wealth. Ranchers supported the burgeoning pioneer village and have stabilized it through boom-and-bust waves of logging and dam building.

Despite diminishing odds, the town has retained a tenacious hold on survival. I have watched it shrink from five bars to one, three grocery stores and two hardware stores to one each, and to where a cooperatively managed thrift store is the only place to buy clothes.

Before the fire, we were a contentiously compatible social mishmash.

Ever-optimistic merchants solicited tourists to take in the Old West-style false fronts of a downtown graced by tarnished Gold Rush charm. We were retirees, rednecks, deadbeats and a handful of aging hippies drawn by the land and held together by the fundamental decency of the men and women who work it.

In our scrabble for survival, we all should have paid more attention to what our founding fathers discovered when they arrived.

The Mountain Maidu understood fire in a way that even those of us who appreciate its powers cannot.They have occupied these Feather River headwaters for millennia, cultivating the plants that nourished and healed them, sharing the land with the animals on which they depended.

When Maidu men went out to hunt, they tossed burning sticks along their path to keep it clear of the brush and young trees that can carry flames to the crowns of towering pines and firs. They burned brush and grasses around villages.

When Maidu women smelled smoke, they felt safe, knowing fire had created a protective ring around their homes.

Those of us who came later into these well-tended woods saw only the destructive side of fire. We did not appreciate its cleansing powers the influx of beetles that attract black-backed woodpeckers, the flushes of nutrients that support mushrooms, the bursts of sunlight that allow new plants to grow.

In its zeal to harvest trees for lumber, the U.S. Forest Service declared war on fire, mandating that all forest blazes be extinguished by 10 the following morning. The services mascot, Smokey Bear, took up the cause, admonishing generations of wide-eyed children that only you can prevent wildfire. The result is a century-old buildup of forest fuels ripe for a lightning strike, an errant campfire or a faulty Pacific Gas & Electric Co. transformer.

As climate change exacerbates this instability, even well-managed forests are vulnerable to historically dry conditions and relative humidity stuck in single digits. Veterans of fire management are flummoxed by Dixies erratic behavior as winds constantly change direction.

We all are. This is the horrific new reality scientists have been predicting.

As counterintuitive as it may seem, Sierra Nevada forests need fire.

CalFire, which is managing the Dixie Fire, and the U.S. Forest Service, which owns most of the land burning, have endorsed the role of natural fire in maintaining forest resilience. Yet they have consistently failed to keep their commitments to increase the acreage of intentional burns and allow natural fire starts to do their work away from human communities. On Aug. 2, Randy Moore, the newly appointed chief of the Forest Service, further limited beneficial fire by declaring it a strategy we will not use.

PG&E, one of the regions major landowners, likely started the Dixie Fire. Company officials have reported that a tree fell onto a power line near its Cresta power plant where the fire began. But they have yet to publicly connect this fire or the 2018 Camp Fire, the 2019 Kincade Fire or the 2020 Zogg Fire to their self-serving penchant for rewarding corporate executives and enriching stockholders over maintaining their electrical infrastructure.

Dixie is not simply a natural disaster. It and others were sparked by corporate greed, fueled by the illusion of dominion over nature and our profound, collective misunderstanding of fire. These failings stick in our craws like the smoke that clogs our lungs. They are the bile that gags us as we face the reality, as we name the names of the many who have lost their homes to a century of failed land management.

Greenville is gone. Village Drug can no longer dispense medications from its wooden counter that includes an array of homemade jams and jellies. Hunter Hardware can no longer supply nuts and bolts from its dimly lit space with a live rattlesnake in the display window. I can no longer write from the office at the top of the stairs of the towns oldest building.

How Greenville responds will depend on whether we can muster the vision, cooperation and stubborn resilience to rebuild our community physically, socially and spiritually.

How corporations, agencies and government officials respond will determine the survival of other rural communities and, indeed, the future of the Sierra Nevada and the West.

_____

Jane Braxton Little has previously written about California condors, conserving Tejon Ranch and reclaimed homelands of California tribes.

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The disaster that brought us to Dixie - CalMatters

Tom Sawyer| Special to Gannett Kansas

A bipartisan committee toured Kansas, stopping in 14 cities to hear from Kansans about their thoughts, needsand wants going into the once-a-decade redistricting process. I visited all 14 towns on the tour: Manhattan, Salina, Hays, Colby, Garden City, Dodge City, Hutchinson, Wichita, Chanute, Pittsburg, Leavenworth, Kansas City, Overland Parkand Lawrence.

In all corners of the state, I saw amazing turnout from engaged and passionate citizens who are invested in the future of their communities.

I have previously participated in the redistricting process, and every tour proves to be beneficial in ways expected and unexpected. Legislators on the tour get to eat in local restaurants, chat with residents about their concerns, and build relationships in communities we wouldnt otherwise have the opportunity to visit.

Not only does this help us in redistricting, but it also helps us craft better policies during the legislative session. Kansas has a strong track record of fair lines without gerrymandering. Bipartisan collaboration and a balanced approach ensure nearly every voice is recognized and included in this critical democratic function.

Throughout this most recent trip, a distinct pattern emerged. Residents in nearly every city expressed three main points that can be boiled down to a single concern: They do not trust their elected officials to be transparent, ethicalor fair. One after the other, they spoke on the rushed roll-out of the listening tour and the perception that this was an intentional ploy to avoid receiving authentic constituent feedback.

In every city, people expressed frustrated confusion that legislators were touring the state without having seen the census data that forms every redistricting boundary. Without assigning intent, I agree that my colleagues could have planned this tour in a more efficient and productive way.

Despite the barriers, I learned a lot that will be used in drawing new districts. First and foremost, Democrats and Republicans in nearly every town agreed that Johnson County and Wyandotte County should not only stay together, but also stay out of the first congressional district. If some of the area must be separated out, people asked it be done in a way that keeps together their shared community interests and deep ties. Also, there was significant worry about the disenfranchisement of minority voters if their communities are broken apart.

Considering all of this, the redistricting committee needs to host a second round of in-person town halls. But this time we need adequate publicity, and we need to host them at convenient times not during work hours. Perhaps most importantly, it is critical these town halls not be just virtual. I witnessed firsthand the technical difficulties resulting from a lack of rural broadband access something we must address as soon as possible in the Legislature that would undoubtedly be unfair to the rural Kansans who have every right to be heard.

It is also crucial that we plan for differences in population of the towns we visit. Each visit was one hour and fifteen minutes. This meant in towns of 10,000 or less, some residents had up to seven minutes to speak by virtue of being a smaller community. At the Overland Park town hall, which encompassed a region of over 660,000 people, residents were given a strict two minutes to speak. Over 300 people showed up and more than 50 signed up to speak. They were not given appropriate or fair time allotments. This is not OK and must not happen in the future.

I hope to see strong turnout at the next round of town halls. It might be helpful to know that anyone can submit a map for consideration legislators are no different than constituents in this regard. There are numerous online resources to make this simple, such as Districtr and DistrictBuilder (www.districtbuilder.org).

Tom Sawyer, D-Wichita, is the Kansas House minority leader.

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Town halls gave great insight into Kansas redistricting. Legislators must do second round with census data. - The Topeka Capital-Journal

The numbers were as unsurprising as they were impressive. Northwest Arkansas is still among the fastest-growing areas of the country. But if you think the folks there are getting complacent, think again.

Recently released figures from the 2020 U.S. census show that Benton County grew 28.5 percent in the 10 years leading up to the census (221,339 to 284,333) while Washington County grew 21.1 percent (203,065 to 245,871). The next two closest Arkansas counties in terms of growth were Craighead County in northeast Arkansas at 15.3 percent and Saline County in central Arkansas at 15.2 percent.

Two things northwest Arkansas has going for it are its spirit of cooperation and its emphasis on planning. That effort continues with an economic development strategy for the region from the Heartland Forward think tank in Bentonville. Launched in 2019 with Walton money, Heartland Forward is the first think tank that exclusively targets the middle of the country.

Heartland Forward also designed a strategy for the entire state. Many of the same people were involved. They include:

Ross DeVol, the Heartland Forward president who spent almost 20 years at the Milken Institute, an economic think tank in California.

Dave Shideler, chief research officer at Heartland Forward.

Richard Florida, the world's leading urbanist and the author of several best-selling books.

Joel Kotkin, a senior fellow at Heartland Forward and a fellow at Chapman University.

"The region cannot afford to be complacent," the authors write. "A comprehensive and intentional post-pandemic recovery strategy can build off key strategies and investments put in place during the past decade to strengthen the region's economy. Specifically, the region should leverage its knowledge and university base; arts and culture offerings; outdoor recreation; biking infrastructure and ... national airport among other things to build an even more vibrant, inclusive, healthy and resilient economy."

The report outlines what it calls seven "big ideas." They are:

Become the heartland's leading small region for talent.

Be the heartland's best small place for arts, culture and recreation.

Grow the economy and jobs around big company anchors.

Bolster the region's small business and startup ecosystems.

Make inclusion and diversity a priority.

Put health at the center of the agenda.

Rebrand and market the region.

"The region has made great strides in attracting talent," the authors state. "We believe its combination of well-known, successful corporate anchors, flagship land-grant research university, affordability and livability enable it to do much more.

"Superstar cities and tech hubs on the coasts have been attracting people who fuel the innovation economy. But the combination of the covid-19 crisis, which has generally impacted lower-density areas less than key urban concentrations, and the long-term affordability challenges that have emerged in the Northeast and on the West Coast have contributed to the rising appeal of small regions across the heartland.

"This is especially true of families who are looking for more affordable communities that offer abundant economic opportunity and lifestyle amenities. Northwest Arkansas is among the leading U.S. metro areas to take advantage of these shifts."

The authors believe northwest Arkansas can become the top small region for talent in the middle part of the country by offering families and remote workers a good place to live.

"The region should create a talent moonshot initiative, investing resources to attract the 100 best and brightest techies, scientists, entrepreneurs and creatives to the region," they write. "It should focus on recruiting and retaining thousands of retail vendors who currently make the region a part-time home. The area must work harder to build a critical mass of young professionals, singles and those without family."

The stage is set for additional growth due to defining investments that already have been made in institutions such as Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, the Momentary, the Arkansas Music Pavilion, the Scott Family Amazeum and the Walton Arts Center.

"It has a thriving restaurant and music scene, an excellent network of bike trails (more than 400 miles of hard and soft surfaces), lakes and open spaces," the report says. "The region's arts, cultural and recreational offerings are comparable to that of a major city or metro area. With strategic investment, northwest Arkansas is primed to offer creative talent a great place to live and do work in a more affordable, healthier environment.

"Further investment in an already-thriving culinary arts scene will be important. For example, northwest Arkansas could link to the local agricultural and protein ecosystem. A number of initial investments have already been made with a new group of award-winning chefs on the scene."

The statewide report from Heartland Forward offered an economic development blueprint for Arkansas. I have to be honest, though. With the lowest overall quality of state legislators in my lifetime and the uncertainty surrounding what kind of governor we'll get after next year's election, I doubt those recommendations will be adopted.

I have no doubt, however, that the regional report for northwest Arkansas will be implemented. Organizations such as the Northwest Arkansas Council and the Walton Family Foundation will see to it. Therein lies the difference between northwest Arkansas and the rest of the state.

Senior Editor Rex Nelson's column appears regularly in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. He's also the author of the Southern Fried blog at rexnelsonsouthernfried.com.

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OPINION | REX NELSON: A region thrives - Arkansas Online

ParityNow.co, a socially driven online marketplace, gives players direct access to greater revenue and collaboration with leading brands

NEW YORK, Aug. 26, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- OneTeam Partners is proud to announce a multi-year partnership between the Women's National Basketball Players Association ("WNBPA") and Parity, an online sponsorship platform for women athletes that aims to create strategic marketing opportunities and drive revenue for players in the WNBA.

Announced on Women's Equality Day, the partnership will provide players the opportunity to quickly and seamlessly join the Parity online community of 600+ athletes across 40 sports and a growing list of brands. Parity's clients already include brands such as MICROSOFT, Gainbridge, Morgan Stanley, Strava, Thule and Literati, since their launch in Q3 2020.

"If we are honest about our history, we recognize that the women's movement has not always been inclusive," WNBPA Executive Director Terri Jackson said. "Together with OneTeam Partners and Parity, we pledge to continue to break down barriers and commit to continue the fight for equality for women of color and all women."

Authenticity is the key in the increasingly competitive influencer marketing space. By taking the extra step to unlock an athlete's genuine interests and social advocacy and matching those interests and causes with potential corporate sponsors, Parity's platform and focused approach facilitates more intentional and compelling brand marketing campaigns.

"The value that players of the WNBPA bring to brands through their authentic and powerful connections to their fans is a largely untapped resource," said Parity co-CEO Minji Ro, who formerly served as commissioner of the New York City Gay Basketball League and a VP at Goldman Sachs. "We understand that these women are elite athletes, powerful advocates and leaders in their communities. We hope to help move the needle for a more equitable revenue stream and an even higher profile."

Story continues

The move unites two national organizations catering exclusively to the advancement of women athletes. Established in 2020, Parity, powered by Evolution of Sports, drives revenue to women athletes, working toward pay equity in sport. Research estimates that women's sports sponsorship accounts for only 0.4% of total sport sponsorship. The goal of the WNBPA partnership is to tackle the gender pay gap issue in professional sports sponsorship and develop a more socially responsible world in partnership with influential corporate brands. The WNBPA has historically fostered opportunities to amplify the voices and leadership of its members, who have led the way in professional sport in the constant fight for equality and justice.

"We could not be more excited about the synergies between the Players Association and Parity," said WNBPA President Nneka Ogwumike. "We have a shared commitment to the financial stability of women athletes, but even more, we share a passion for equity and inclusion. On many levels, this partnership can help change the game for WNBPA members."

The WNBPA and Parity already have a link in Seattle Storm guard Karlie Samuelson, who also works as the athlete engagement manager at Parity.

OneTeam Partners, the sponsorship and licensing partner of the WNBPA, facilitated the trend-setting partnership with the original introduction brokered by WNBPA President, Nneka Ogwumike. OneTeam is a global sports company unleashing the collective power of world-class athletes to drive business via group licensing, marketing, media and venture.

About ParityEstablished by and for women's sports advocates, Parity is revolutionizing the financial model for women athletes. With a current roster of 600 athletes from more 40 sports and more than 20 corporate partners, Parity unites data analytics and cultural relevance to match women athletes with sponsorship and revenue opportunities, primarily via social and digital media. To learn more about Parity, visit http://www.paritynow.co

About the WNBPAThe Women's National Basketball Players Association is the union for current women's professional basketball players in the WNBA. The WNBPA is the first labor union for professional women athletes. It was created in 1998 to protect the rights of players and assist them in achieving their full potential on and off the court. The WNBPA handles the negotiation of collective bargaining agreements, filing grievances on their behalf, and counseling players on benefits and post-WNBA career opportunities. The WNBPA also serves as a resource for current players, while they are competing internationally during the offseason. The WNBPA encourages players to participate in union activities including executive leadership roles, team representative positions, and global community outreach initiatives.

About OneTeam Partners:Formed in November 2019, OneTeam Partners is a joint venture between the National Football League Players Association (NFLPA), Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA) and RedBird Capital Partners. OneTeam helps athletes maximize the value of their name, image and likeness rights by transforming the way in which athletes interact with businesses across four verticals: licensing, marketing, content and investing. OneTeam represents a range of commercial business interests on behalf of the NFLPA, MLBPA, Major League Soccer PA, U.S. Women's National Team PA, WNBPA, and U.S. Rugby PA.

Cision

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WNBPA, Parity Join Forces To Create Marketing Opportunities And Drive Revenue To WNBPA Players - Yahoo Finance

By Deborah Fineblum

If you look up the word emunah, you just might find Doron and Ilana Towegs pictures. Because if these farmers and their four kids living near Beit Shemesh didnt have emunah (faith) they would never have had the courage to take on the mitzvah of shmita.

Thats because shmita, a Torah commandment specific to the land of Israel,requires the land rest every seven years, means no planting or harvesting can be done, effectively putting the farmer out of business for more than a year.

Seven years ago, the Toweg property was among roughly one-quarter of Jewish-owned farms in Israel which kept shmita. And, as daunting as it was, they somehow survived the rigors of their first trial and are now gearing up to do it again.

American-born and Canadian-raised, Ilana moved to Israel when she was 18, only taking on the agricultural life after her marriage 25 years ago to her third-generation farmer husband.

We understood the basics then, but we really didnt know what we were getting into, says Ilana with a good-natured sigh. Still, she was determined that her family would take on a mitzvah that only Israels few thousand farmers have the opportunity to keep. I began seeing it as a special blessing to be in the position to do this.

But back then, her husband was not so easily persuaded.

Doron works from before dawn to late at nightthe farm is his lifeand the idea of not working for a year and having no income was frightening, she says.

What convinced him was visiting a neighboring farm where he met some yeshiva students picking grapes.

One of them said that for 2,000 years, the Jews were in the galut (exile) waiting to keep this mitzvah, says Ilana. And now, we have the opportunity to actually do it.

But, as they were soon to discover, in addition to abundant emunah, shmita means hard work. Ilana taught kindergarten in the morning and English in the afternoon, and Doron led farm tours, while their kidsthen 17, 13, 10 and 3pitched in at home.

In the Torah portion of Behar, G-d instructs Moses to tell the Children of Israel that for six years you may sow your field and for six years you may prune your vineyard and you may gather in its crop. But the seventh year shall be a complete rest for the land, a Sabbath for Hashem; your field you shall not sow and your vineyard you shall not prune. The aftergrowth of your harvest you shall not reap and the grapes you have set aside for yourself you shall not pick. It shall be a year of rest for the land.

Judaism teaches us to respect the earth, so withshmita,every seven years we need to give it a rest to recharge and refuel, says Aharon Ariel Lavi, who directs Hakhel, an intentional community incubator and project of Hazon that, among other things works for environmental sustainability.

Besides those like the Towegs who take on the Torahs commandment of shmita, other farmers choose to sell their land to a non-Jew but keep working it. Though considered acceptable by many, this option contravenes the spirit of the mitzvah that calls for a complete Sabbath for the land, notes Dovid Hershkowitz, project manager for 80-year-old Keren Hashviis (Foundation for the Sabbath Year).

And what happens to produce that grows naturally? Its considered hefker (communal property) for anyone to help themselves but not to be sold.

The farmers and their families who keep shmita are the real heroes here, says Rabbi Ezra Friedman, director of the Gustave & Carol Jacobs Center for Kashrut Education at the Orthodox Union in Jerusalem. Imagine you have to close your business for a year and watching your old customers walk by to shop somewhere else, wondering if theyll be back at the end of the year. This takes a lot of courage and faith.

But how does shmita work in modern-day Israel where, even during the other six years, many farm families live hand to mouth?

The roughly 25 percent of Jewish-owned Israeli farmland that kept shmita seven years ago received a helping hand from Keren Hashviis. During the last shmita, the organization helped keep 3,452 farmers covering 83,500 acres going, says Hershkowitz. And this year, with some 40 percent of the land already on board for shmita, Keren Hashviis is working to raise money to keep up with the new demand and encourage others to join in the mitzvah, more than doubling its old $25 million budget.

These grants cover 40 percent to 50 percent of a farms operating expenses, everything from rent on the land to installment payments on tractors, combines and other pricey equipment and salaries for the skeleton crew who care for the animals and keep the fruit trees hydrated and alive.

This years Keren Hashviis goal is an ambitious one: that the majority (51 percent) of Jewish farmland keeps shmita.

Surprisingly, even after more than a year of pandemic lockdowns, including many restaurants and hotels that usually buy farmers produce in quantity, and even looking at a 13-month year coming up (added for the Jewish leap year beginning on Rosh Hashanah), Hershkowitz calls the increase in farms primed to keep shmita for the first time dramatic.

To encourages farmers who are concerned that they cannot afford to jump on the shmita bandwagon, Keren Hashviiss American CEO Rabbi Shia Markowitz is on the road raising money. Hes inspired by the memory of a refrigerator he saw seven years ago.

I was visiting a farm family and happened to see past due notices for electricity and phone service stuck on their refrigerator, he says. That image is always there to motivate me, knowing that we have it in our hands for more farmers to keep the mitzvah without facing financial ruin.

People think its a vacation for farmers, but its anything but, he adds. They have to keep their fruit trees alive, their equipment payments on time, and their families and their animals fed.

Im a little amazed at how many more farmers have already signed on than seven years ago, says Ehud Alpert, livestock manager and shmita coordinator for the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. The ministry administers a program of stipends of up to 12 percent of their average years income to farmers who contribute an additional 6 percent from their own earnings. And whereas only 150 benefited from the program during the last shmita, more than 300 have been approved this time around.

But as helpful as it is to have infrastructure costs at least partially covered, how will the families pay for the increasing cost of food? Shoes for growing kids? Textbooks and backpacks for school? Or that unexpected root canal? How, in fact, will they survive?

Thats where the worlds Jewish women come in.

As the mother of eight, Nahva Follman is no stranger to surprise expenses.

We also know that its the entire family that lives withshmita, says the native of Brooklyn who now lives in Jerusalem. And the only way they can do it is if we step up and help.

So, just as Keren Hashviis takes on much of the big infrastructure expenses, its newly born Nshei Keren Hashviis program aims at helping the keeping the family with the unexpected costs of living for the next year-plus, until the fields begin producing again.

Working throughonline givingand through funds being run in various communities, the project is collecting a dollar a day ($365) from women across the globe and aiming for 100,000 of them. That would help feed thousands of farm families, buy the kids shoes and lunch boxes, and new clothes for school, says Follman. We want to put money on their kitchen table and say, Weve got your back. Since youre courageous enough to take on this immense mitzvah, you shouldnt have to lie awake at night wondering how youre going to pay for everything till the farm starts producing again.

That safety net is bound to bring a measure of relief, says farmer Ilana Toweg. And it comes from other Jewish women many of whom have raised families and dealt with the surprise costs you never budget for nor can necessarily afford.

As Nshei committee chair whos volunteered to help the farm families afford this mitzvah, at 45, Follman also puts her whole self where her heart is. Three years ago, when her youngest was 4, she donated a kidney to a surgeon whod madealiyahfrom Ukraine. So now, every time he operates on someone, she says with a grin, I get part of that mitzvah, too.

Follman also considers it a mitzvah to empower Jewish farmers to take onshmita. With so many sitting on the fence, as Rosh Hashanah gets closer they have to decide if theyre going to do it.We want to be there to help that happen, woman to woman.

Theres a reason G-d gave us such a seemingly impossible mitzvah to perform, says Rabbi Markowitz. He knew the only way the farmers can succeed at it and survive is if the rest of the Jewish people make the mitzvah work if we do it together. This is Jewish unity at its best.

Rochel Miller, whos organized a Nshei fund with the women in her Brooklyn community, is also determined to help enable this mitzvah. But even with our help and the support from Keren Hashviis, the farmer families will get maybe half of what they earn in a normal year, she says. The rest theyll still have to scramble for.

Over at the Towegs farm, such scrambling will include Ilana taking on more English students, and Doron and the family leading bilingual guided farm tours to demonstrate howshmitaworks.

Seven years ago, Ilana also took another job one that she never applied for and that pays in strictly non-monetary terms. It began when two young women knocked on the door sayinga haredirabbi had sent them for a blessing to find husbands since G-d listens to the prayers of any woman with enoughemunahfor her husband to keepshmita.

These days, Ilana, whos notharediherself, spends hours over her Shabbat candles reciting the names of thousands of individuals who have asked for blessings for everything from healing to financial help to having children to finding their soulmate. And those two young women whod knocked on her door? Within two months, they were both engaged.

We feel so supported by the Jewish people that this is something I can do to help them, she says. As scary as it is to turn off your income and lose your contracts for more than a year, shmita is feeling right to us now. This year, instead of growing eggplants for thousands of people, we figure were keeping this mitzvah for those same thousands. And everyone whos helping us, theyre all our partners. JNS

Continued here:

As we enter 5782, a shmita year, let the farmers' challenges begin - The Jewish Star

Expansion of Educational Boundaries Envisioned

The University of Southern Indiana has been approved as a charter school authorizer by the Indiana State Board of Education. The Universitys vision for chartering is guided by its strategic plan and institutional vision to be a recognized leader in higher education boldly shaping the future and transforming the lives of our students through exceptional learning and intentional innovation.

As an authorizer, USI will play a role in expanding educational opportunities for students in urban and rural areas, noted Dr. Mohammed Khayum, USI Provost. Our intention is to improve families access to quality charter schools, provide school communities the autonomy they need for schools to excel and hold schools accountable for their performance.

Authorizers are the entities that decide who can start a new charter school, set academic and operational expectations, and oversee school performance. They also decide whether a charter should remain open or close at the end of its contract.

USI oversight as a charter authorizer will begin with the Indiana Agriculture and Technology School which opened in 2018 and is based in Central Indiana with a farm campus near Trafalgar andadditional campus expansions in the southern and northern regions of the state. The tuition-free charter school is currently the educational home to 234 students in the seventh through twelfth grade.

Through hands on and project-based agriculture and technology curriculum, both face to face and online, our goal is to grow and expand the educational boundaries in our state, said Keith Marsh, Indiana Ag and Technology School Executive Director. We share USIs goal to elevate visibility and reputation through exceptional education offered through regional campuses.

One area of potential growth for the ag and tech school is in Evansville. Formed in 1998, Joshua Academy is a pre-K through 6th grade school which has been incorporating plant and animal-based agriculture and agri-business into their students education. As they look to grow, Indiana Agriculture and Technology Schools curriculum has appeal.

As Indiana Ag School looks to establish an Evansville location, we are eager to partner with them and our long-time partner USI, to make quality seventh through twelfth grade ag education available for our students who chose to consider that as their next step, remarked Rev. Larry Rascoe, Joshua Academy Founder.

Primary oversight of authorization duties will be managed by a USI employee reporting to the Provosts Office.

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University of Southern Indiana Approved as Charter School Authorizer - Southwest Indiana Chamber

Heading into this falls college application cycle, words like equity and access are shaping conversations at admissions offices as each college works to enroll a more racially and socioeconomically diverse class. These efforts are laudable and needed if higher education is to better reflect American society and create pathways of success for traditionally underrepresented students. Unfortunately, though, college admissions is so steeped in a system that continues to favor the privileged that it is a mistake to assume that students are reviewed equally at the more selective colleges.

With test centers unexpectedly closed in 2020, colleges turned to test-optional admissions in unprecedented numbers. A resulting silver lining of the pandemic allowed for students to suddenly rethink their application plans. Application numbers soared at highly selective colleges, with record-breaking numbers across the country. Duke University reported an application increase of 25percent, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology was up 66percent and Rice University rose 26percent.

Whether it was an accurate perception or not, students now felt they had a better chance at gaining admission to a highly selective college, that they might be rewarded with a coveted spot without a 1500 SAT. And for some select and lucky students, it worked. On an individual basis, it could seem that one barrier to elite college admissions had been lifted, set in motion by a pandemic but defended in the name of access and equity.

In theory, test-optional admissions on a national scale could be a game changer. The SAT and ACT have long been criticized as unfair assessments due to concerns over racial bias and a correlation between higher scores and socioeconomic status. Creating pathways for students to gain entry to a college regardless of their ability to test well will be essential in building communities that prioritize enrolling communities from a variety of backgrounds. The problem, though, is the colleges decision to focus on the word optional. By its very definition, optional implies choice.

Obtaining a seat at an open test center is no longer a significant challenge, and its become evident that students from highly educated communities maintain the goal of obtaining an impressive score. Parents are concerned their kids will be overlooked if they dont submit scores. Students believe their grade point averages are so strong that it would imply negative test results if they didnt submit a score, as though the lack of score automatically means a hidden low score. Even at the height of the pandemic, when open test centers were few and far between, wealthier students were flying into more remote parts of the country to take an SAT or ACT at an open center. Well-resourced high schools were able to coordinate previously unscheduled in-school test days to ensure access to the exams prior to the fall deadlines. And all this was occurring as many students in underresourced communities had yet to return to in-person instruction.

In 2020, an SAT score, instead of slipping into the background as the pandemic could have allowed, became just another luxury item in a year that highlighted social inequities. High test scores often signal a students privilege and class. Hyperinvolved smart kids with strong grades, a whole roster of advanced classes and outstanding standardized test scores are hardly unique. As such, the generically successful are all looking for any possible way to distinguish themselves.

Metrics of impressive worth that can be included on their application are added. Theres an automatic gut reaction to seeing a 1540 SAT that cant be discounted. Our society, including the professionals reviewing the applications, has been conditioned to be impressed by scores, and this bias still exists within the context of a test-optional review. So too is the bias colleges have toward admitting students around institutional priorities, such as a set number of full-pay students. Application readers cant unsee a test score in the 98thpercentile, nor can they unsee the historical college success of a particular high school or a parents impressive job title recorded on an application, all of which could indicate less need for financial aid. Students who have any of these blue-chip tags in their file have added value to their applications.

Fortunately for them, and unfortunately for those concerned about access and equity, they can further lean into privilege at many competitive colleges by signing an early-decision contract. When a student applies early decision, there is a signed agreement that indicates if the student is admitted to this one college, the family will make a financial deposit and rescind other applications. Half the schools in the Ivy League rely on the early-decision contract in building their incoming classes, as do many other institutions that regularly appear at the top of the popular ranking lists. It is becoming increasingly common for colleges that maintain early-decision contracts to fill 50percent of their freshman classes with students who applied ED. For the Class of 2025, the numbers for this benchmark stood at 53percent at Boston University, 50percent at Tulane University, 49percent at Dartmouth College and 50percent at the University of Pennsylvania.

With more applications coming in the later regular-decision round and fewer seats left in the class, there is a significant advantage in applying early decision. Deciding how to strategize a students singular pick for the early-decision round becomes a major part of college-planning discussions in wealthier communities, often as much as jockeying for the best possible test score. Signing an early-decision contract tends to be an option for the very low income or the super wealthy.

Because of the net price calculators that are federally mandated on college websites, any prospective applicant can have parents put in tax info and get a ballpark for how much a particular college would cost that individual family. While elite colleges are able to provide the most generous financial aid packages to low-income students, its an unfortunate reality that these kids rarely attend high schools with counseling services that can help educate them about such opportunities and explain which colleges would truly be most affordable for them. Additionally, students from underresourced communities typically have not gone through an intentional planning process where they visit colleges and make an informed choice about their one top option ahead of the Nov.1 senior year early-decision deadline.

With fewer low-income students taking advantage of the all-in early-decision option, the bulk of applicants in this first pool are typically from families who have the financial means to write a check for full tuition. Indeed, these are the well-educated and highly successful members of society who are eager to create entry points for their children to maintain similar lifestyles. These families often dont care about comparing scholarship offers or financial aid packages. Rather, their goals center around getting their child into the most prestigious university possible given the childs academic profile. Early decision is an intentional part of the college admissions plan for these families. Reach colleges, most especially institutions that are need aware as opposed to need blind, can move into grasp when a direct signal has been sent to the admissions office: if you accept my child, you will have an immediate financial commitment to tuition.

Finances dictate so much in society. While it would be ideal if educational institutions were immune from the pressures of capitalism, colleges are businesses with revenue streams and operating budgets. Since the inception of American higher education, starting with Harvard in 1636 and William & Mary in 1693, colleges have been tuition-driven institutions that cater to the wealthy. Pushing ahead 300-plus years, there is an entire industry that exists around college planning. Standardized testing and early-decision applications are just two of the many pieces of the college review that play into the imbalance of a system that favors the well resourced, and neither seems likely to disappear soon.

Two public universities, the University of Texas and Arizona State University, have made valiant attempts at breaking down socioeconomic barriers to college admissions even before 2020 brought equity and access to the forefront. UT guarantees general admission to in-state students who graduate in the top 6percent of their Texas high school. Similarly, Arizona State's on-campus program guarantees admission to students who have completed a prescribed set of courses and earned a set GPA, graduated in the top 25percent of their class, or scored a benchmark ACT or SAT. As public institutions, these colleges have unique obligations to open access points for all students throughout their respective states, and the admissions policies they have created fulfill this purpose.

These models of setting a clear admissions criteria are refreshingly straightforward and stand in contrast to the more vague holistic review at many elite institutions. Texas and ASU can make their policies work, though, because the seats in their freshman classes are not as limited by the number of beds in the dorms, as is the case with many private colleges that put strong emphasis on the first-year residential experience.

Still, highly selective colleges could take a lesson from ASU and Texas if they truly wanted to be more inclusive and equitable. Each college could set its own criteria, put every kid who meets this benchmark into a pool and then draw from a lottery to award the winning students their seats in the class. This method leaves a lot to be desired, but it would serve as an equalizer at colleges when test-optional policies and early-decision contracts offer continued favor to wealthier students. The problem, though, is even this would fail to alleviate all the challenges of enrolling and supporting students from underrepresented communities. Institutional changes within college admissions that positively address issues around access and equity are bandages on a massive wound. Any blame put on the colleges for unfair and imbalanced admissions is coming 12 years too late in a childs life. The unequal distribution of educational resources in our country means there must be an unequal college review of students if any attempt at equity can be preserved.

What if the conversation around college admissions didnt have to address concerns over unfair practices due to a students socioeconomic status or racial background? What if, instead, educational opportunities were so equalized in the lower grades that when it came time for students to take the SATs, the scores didnt show a discrepancy between ZIP codes? What if we could talk about keeping the bar of success in testing high for all students instead of taking the bar away altogether?

Equal access to excellent and evenly distributed educational opportunities, from pre-K to college, is imperative in investing in the future of our society and eventually allowing for equal review at the college level. Full-day kindergarten, required by law in fewer than 20 states, needs to be mandated across the nation. Advanced math classes in middle schools should not be implemented on a district-by-district basis, but rather should exist as a requirement for every accredited institution. The national average of 400-plus students for every one counselor in high schools must be lowered if there is any expectation of addressing individual barriers to success.

The pandemic has spurred the need for conversations around access and equity in college admissions because it revealed the unjust inequalities that exist, and always have existed, in the K-12 education system in our country. Until a students ZIP code and parental bank account arent the main factors in their academic success, colleges need to use different parameters to admit different students.

So yes, lets celebrate as many entry points of access as possible, as these are needed services. But lets also recognize the system has been full of barriers to access and equity long before a student even applies to college. The educational gap between communities means students from underresourced communities need more financial support to succeed at college. Programming around access and equity needs to be budgeted into colleges annual expenses.

A summer boot camp, one that is fully funded by the institution and targets students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, could do so much for student populations that have historically been likely to score lower on their SATs. However, programs like these, as opposed to test-optional admission, which isnt even a line item on a budget, are expensive, and most colleges simply dont fund them. There is an unspoken reality at selective private colleges, though, that full-pay students help create more financial support for programming that aids underresourced students.

With elite colleges continuing to review test scores and readily accepting early-decision contracts, students will continue to flaunt their socioeconomic status in applications, and this isnt necessarily without benefits for all. When wealthier families are willing to go to such lengths to compete for a spot at a college, they reliably bring their money with them to the institution. Lower-income students have fewer options when scholarship and grant funding dries up at the college level. Given the expense of comprehensively supporting students from underresourced backgrounds, its not surprising that colleges have committed to maintaining test-optional admissions in the name of access and equity. Its a free and easy policy to institute and does not have to be universally applied to applicants in an equal manner.

If lifting score requirements allows all-star students from traditionally underrepresented backgrounds to find pathways into colleges, it needs to be maintained. If, though, students from well-resourced backgrounds think test optional has been designed to help them sneak into elite institutions, too, they had better re-evaluate their plans. High test scores remain a status symbol in wealthy communities, and flashing status has simply become a part of the college review. So, if a students high school offers a full roster of A courses and consistently reports a four-year college-bound population at 90percent or higher, test optional means opt in and then sign an early-decision contract for good measure, too. Access and equity need to be worked out in the lower grades before we can focus on an equal review at the college level.

Originally posted here:

Equity, not equality, should be the goal of college admissions (opinion) - Inside Higher Ed

After studying conflict resolution at the Middlebury Institute and launching a successful training, conflict resolution, and crisis management business, alumna Nykeesha Damali Peterman (ne Davis)MAIPS 02 recently became one of the youngest people ever invited to join JAMS, the global gold standard in the field of alternative disputeresolution.

Peterman is now available to serve as amediator, arbitrator and ombuds through JAMS for matters including business and commercial, employment, education, and international/cross-borderissues.

I was told Im one of the youngest people ever invited to join the panel of practitioners at JAMS, says Peterman. JAMS, formerly known as Judicial Arbitration and Mediation Services, Inc., is the largest alternative dispute resolution (ADR) organization in the U.S., whose approximately 420 practitioners mediate and arbitrate an average of 18,000 cases annually. Most practitioners on the invitation-only JAMS panel are attorneys or retired judges with 30 or 40 years of experience in thefield.

I havent had a 30-year career, but I bring a wide range of experience to the panel, says Peterman. She came to Monterey after receiving her BA in English at Spelman College in 2000, and earned an MA in International Policy Studies and a certificate in Conflict Resolution. After graduating from the Middlebury Institute, she studied international mediation and conflict resolution at The Hague before earning her JD at Howard University School of Law, where she continues to serve as an adjunct professor and an advisory board member for the ADR CertificateProgram.

Studying international policy and conflict resolution at MIIS was key to establishing my formal foundation for the work I do now, she says. The student body was such a wonderful, diverse, and eclectic group from all over the world. I met some really amazing people and was invigorated by the brilliance of the students and the professors, and their range of experiences. Peterman has special memories of two professors, Peter Grothe and Bill Monning. I ended up being a TA for Professor Grothe, the former U.S. Senate staffer credited with naming the Peace Corps, who when I met him had traveled to approximately 190 countries. Professor Monning told her about the international mediation program at The Hague and wrote her a letter of recommendation forit.

Another Institute professor recommended the Japanese language and culture program that Peterman pursued between her first and second years. Language skills have allowed me to stand out in a crowded field, being a legal practitioner, she notes. It is not common for law students between their first and second year of law school to secure a paid summer internship at big law firms. My language skills and international experience really helped set me apart. Peterman studied Spanish, Russian, and Danish prior to the Institute, Japanese at the Institute, and Mandarin later on. At the law firm, I was brought in on a number of matters when both internal and external clients learned about the languages Ispoke.

Petermans advice for students enrolling at the Institute is to learn as much as possible from everyone there! From the students to the faculty and the staff, try to see all interactions as opportunities to learn and be very intentional about maintaining those relationships. The Institutes international character was a source of particular inspiration for Peterman. Im a Black American woman. I felt like the MIIS community was so diverse that it was one of the only times, outside of the wonderful communities at Spelman and Howard, when I didnt feel different. I remember feeling like it was the way that society was supposed to function. To me, the MIIS community is a model for the world, because its a place where differences arecelebrated.

Peterman notes the significance of diversity and representation in the context of her invitation to join JAMS, as well. The mediation community, similar to the legal profession, is still not very diverse. Representation matters. Bringing me on to the panel at JAMS will hopefully attract more people of color, and more mid-career people, to our profession. It sends a very clear message to other people who are considering ADR that you dont have to wait until youre close to traditional retirement age, and you dont always have to fit a certain profile, in order to be on the radar of an organization like JAMS.

Being a successful mediator requires, among other things, three essential skills, according to Peterman: active listening, so that participants feel heard and validated; effective communication, to move participants from focusing on what happened to exploring practical solutions; and managing the stages of the mediation process, so that the mediator is always conscious of where they are on the arc of resolution and knows how to generate movement when the parties getstuck.

In addition to her work with JAMS and leading her training, conflict resolution, and crisis management company BreakthroughADR, Peterman focuses on training others, both directly and through media interviews and her podcast, in order to empower people to resolve their own conflicts. Im working to help people break through barriersnot just solving problems for them, but teaching them how to do it. I judge international mediation competitions and teach international students the basics of mediation all over the world. To me this is my legacymuch like the legacy of Professor Grothetrying to help as many people as possible and make the world a betterplace.

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Alumna Invited to Join Gold Standard International Alternative Dispute Resolution Organization - Middlebury College News and Events