Social Justice Camp DC

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Partnering with both the Latin American Youth Center (@THELAYC) and the
Columbia Heights Shaw Family Support Collaborative, the Northwest Columbia Heights Community Association is holding a community forum on youth violence in DC in a couple weeks.

The idea is to create a community based working group on youth violence…

TOPIC: Community Building – LAYC Listening Session on Youth Violence

Tuesday, June 21, 2011
6:30 PM to 8:30 PM
St Stephen and the Incarnation Episcopal Church
1525 Newton St NW, Washington, DC 20010
Upstairs Auditorium

Please come and share your views on youth violence when the Latin American Youth Center conducts listening sessions for our community.

This WAPO article discusses some of the changes taking place in youth crime in DC, particularly the shift away from stealing cars to stealing electronics and breaking into houses:

“Stealing cars got too hot,” said a 21-year-old man who as a youth spent time in the former Oak Hill detention center. “You can grab a phone and go.” He spoke on the condition of anonymity, fearing reprisals at his job.

Snatching smartphones has a somewhat similar appeal to stealing a car: The thief can enjoy it for a while, make calls or access Facebook. Then he can sell it on the street for instant cash. On Craigslist, iPhones sell for about $250.

The focus on truancy as a preventative measure is interesting:

One tangible way to cut down on juvenile crime, Lanier said, is to reduce truancy. If youths are in school, they’re not committing crimes, she said. She estimated that 80 percent of the city’s home break-ins by teens happen during school hours.

“Truancy is a gateway crime,” Lanier said. “It leads to gang activity, and it leads to crime. It is a huge, huge contributor to juvenile crime.”

Recently came across this interesting piece on gentrification in DC by a white woman who moved to a neighborhood in NE Washington, DC called Rosedale:

The very origin of the word “gentrification” to describe the process by which an urban area is rendered middle class is not neutral. The eminent sociologist Ruth Glass is credited with coining it in 1964 to decry the changes in working-class London neighborhoods. Though the word has only been in circulation for a few decades, gentrification has become another of the litmus test issues that define who we are on the political and—in the eyes of some—moral spectrum.

The lines of conflict are readily apparent in the comments readers leave on blogs that cover Washington’s transitional neighborhoods. Some writers are angry that the neighborhood is changing at all; others are angry that it isn’t changing fast enough. Some want to control the change, ensuring that a curated mix of businesses is established—no chain stores, please, but nothing too “ghetto,” either. And some want to curate the people. Gentrification, though driven by economic change, often boils down to issues of race, even among diversity-celebrating gentrifiers.

…

As I prepared to write this piece, I was struck time and again by people’s willingness to talk to me, a gentrifier who had moved into their neighborhood and was, in essence, asking how they felt about it. Thelma Anderson, a retiree who has lived in the house a few doors down from me since the 1980s, told me she is glad that whites are back and that they don’t show fear. But several longtime residents I spoke with expressed ambivalence. They’re happy to see the neighborhood improving but unsure what their place will be in the H Street neighborhood of the future.

It is a little long, but definitely worth the read…

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Other links to some good content on gentrification:

Confessions of a Black Gentrifier
http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/articles/40564/confessions-of-a-black-dc-gentrifier/

The first chapter of There Goes the Hood, Lance Freeman’s book on gentrification
http://www.temple.edu/tempress/chapters_1800/1827_ch1.pdf

Lance Freeman talking about his book on NPR
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5569466

From YWCA National Capital Area’s Communications folks:

Last week the YWCA National Capital Area debuted a new organization video to help bring awareness to the necessary programs offered and the participants impacted. We have received great feedback and are asking for your help in spreading the word to your readers and followers. Please feel free to post or embed the following link of the video to your blogs, websites and/or social media networks.

Playwright/Performer – John Milosich

Director/Dramaturg – Regie Cabico

An autobiographical solo play incorporating original music, movement and film, The Race explores a white man’s awareness of race and racism. Portraying himself and a host of characters that are at once hilarious and infuriating, John confronts his own racism, calls into question his position of racial and social privilege, and challenges the apathy and prejudice that characterized his racist upbringing.

“Milosich is superb at acting with his body … candid and compelling as he describes his own fumbling struggles with race … he knows the white man’s experience of racism, and understands important things about the relationship between fathers and sons.” – DC Theatre Scene

“Milosich gave a heartfelt performance discussing his coming to terms with race in America.” – ShowBizRadio

“Highly recommended … deserves full houses for the entire run.” Critic’s Choice and Best Acting – All Arts Review 4 U

Through MAY 22, 2011
Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 8pm
Sunday at 2pm

CALL THE BOX OFFICE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF OUR TWO FOR $5 TICKET DEAL!

TICKETS:

$10 general admission, $5 for seniors, students and Montgomery College faculty and staff
Call the box office at (240) 567-5775 or order online.

LOCATION:

The Studio Theater in the Cultural Arts Center at Montgomery College
Silver Spring / Takoma Park Campus
7995 Georgia Avenue, Silver Spring, MD 20910

PARKING:

Free behind the Cultural Arts Center or in the campus parking garage at the intersection of Georgia Avenue and King Street. Metro: Red line to Silver Spring.

For more information, email milodoestherace@yahoo.com.

A champion for the oneness of humanity, Lex volunteers at the African-AmericanCivil War Memorial, gives tours of the sites visited by Abdul Baha and organizes events to honor Louis Gregory’s father.

An avid historian, Lex has done extensive research on the history of the Baha’i Faith, the life of Louis Gregory and African-Americans in the Civil War, as well as Abdul Baha’s historic visits to America.

For the calendar with the latest speaker information and directions please visit www.dcbahai.org.  The Washington DC Baha’i Center is located at 5713 16th Street NW, (202) 291-5532.

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I have had the opportunity to hear Lex talk on two occasions and he is dynamic and informative.  Highly recommend checking this out…

-@ninjaclectic

Andrew Rankin Memorial Chapel
Howard University
Sixth Street & Howard Place, N.W.
Washington, DC 20059

Followed by a reception with dinner and dessert

Hosted by the Washington DC Bahá’í Community and Howard University

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There’s going to be spoken word and a talk from a Georgetown prof…and me and my housemate PJ made a 3:30 minute video that’s gonna to kickoff the event. Check it!

/@ninjaclectic

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A blog I’ve been following for a while (run by a communications prof out in Washington State) recently linked to this executive summary of an APA report on the sexualization of girls while discussing media consumption among adolescents:

…evidence…points to the social, psychological, and ecological harm caused by massive exposure to a steady stream of expertly-crafted messages designed to influence behavior by manipulating emotions. Consider, for example, the American Psychological Association’s report on the sexualization of girls, or the American Academy of Pediatrics statement on media impacts and the need for media literacy education.

In a section called “Cognitive and Emotional Consequences,” the  APA report summary discusses a study with very disturbing implications in terms of the sexualization of women (Frederickson et al, 1998):

While alone in a dressing room, college students were asked to try on and evaluate either a swimsuit or a sweater. While they waited for 10 minutes wearing the garment, they completed a math test. The results revealed that young women in swimsuits performed significantly worse on the math problems than did those wearing sweaters. No differences were found for young men. In other words, thinking about the body and comparing it to sexualized cultural ideals disrupted mental capacity.

That sexualization disrupts mental capacity was not surprising…but I was a little surprised that the effects appear to be so strong when one is perfectly alone.

As objectification theory posits, “girls and women are typically acculturated to internalize an observer’s perspective as a primary view of their physical selves” (Frederickson & Roberts, 1997).

Interestingly, the dressing room study concludes that the costs of the sexualization of women are in no way limited to women:

The consequences of the cultural practices of sexually objectifying women’s bodies are not limited to problems for girls and women. Men are also negatively affected, in ways they may not even realize. For instance, across a series of experiments, Kenrick and colleagues have shown that men exposed to pictures of highly attractive women view the women with whom they are romantically involved as less attractive (Kenrick, Gutierres, & Goldberg, 1989) and their romantic relationships as less satisfying and less committed (Kenrick, Neuberg, Zierk, & Krones, 1994).

These findings prove very interesting in light of ongoing conversations about how men are becoming less willing to take on responsibility, whether in terms of their professional or romantic lives.

I wonder if the ubiquitous sexualization of females might be a contributing factor.

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References:

Fredrickson, B. , Noll, S. , Roberts, T. , Quinn, D. , & Twenge, J. (1998). That swimsuit becomes you: Sex differences in self-objectification, restrained eating, and math performance. Journal of Personality & Social Psychology, 75(1), 269-283.

Fredrickson, B. , & Roberts, T. (1997). Objectification theory. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 21(2), 173-206.

Links:

Report of the APA Task Force on the Sexualization of Girls

New Discoveries Suggest That Sexual Objectification Is More Damaging to Women Than You Might Think

“No problem can be solved from the same level of consciousness that created it.” -Einstein

I have been thinking some about problem solving…

Specifically what seems to be an ontological paradox at the heart of all problem solving: the tendency to become entangled in the existence of the problem we are trying to solve.

When trying to make a problem disappear, a certain mindset takes hold: “without me, this problem will not get solved,” “I must exist for this problem to no longer exist.”

As much as we get existentially wrapped up in the problems we are trying to solve, when they go away, so do we.

In a subtle but important way, our existence begins to depend on the existence of problems.

I find this Carl Jung quote on problems very useful…his framing seems to offer a solution to the paradox:

“All the greatest and most important problems of life are fundamentally insoluble… They can never be solved, but only outgrown. This “outgrowing” proves on further investigation to require a new level of consciousness. Some higher or wider interest appeared on the horizon and through this broadening of outlook the insoluble problem lost its urgency. It was not solved logically in its own terms but faded when confronted with a new and stronger life urge.”

Looking at problem ’solving’ from Jung’s perspective, one has to ask not how to logically solve a problem (I think we all do this every day), but how to grow one’s consciousness, possibly even how to grow one’s ontological freedom so that a problem does not begin to condition one’s being.

I think this very subtle dimension of problem solving often gets overlooked: how to avoid subconsciously wedding our own existence to the existence of the problems we imagine ourselves solving.

-@ninjaclectic

Final word goes to the Tao Te Ching:

Being and non-being create each other.
Difficult and easy support each other.
Long and short define each other.
High and low depend on each other.
Before and after follow each other.

Therefore the Master
acts without doing anything
and teaches without saying anything.
Things arise and she lets them come;
things disappear and she lets them go.
She has but doesn’t possess,
acts but doesn’t expect.
When her work is done, she forgets it.
That is why it lasts forever.

Come listen to these amazing folks give ignite talks!

You can register for the event here.

1. Amanda Jones | @AmandaMichelle | www.amandamichellejones.com

No More “Bad Patient”: How the principals of Peer Support can be used to make sure people get the best care for their medical and mental health needs

Amanda Michelle Jones is a visionary, educator,  leader, youth advocate, and connector of people & resources. Her professional mantra is, “The Universe is my Classroom: every encounter is an opportunity to both teach and learn.” For the past 11 years, Amanda has lived this by working with youth in the arenas of education and leadership.  She has most recently begun pursuing her true passion of serving homeless youth and is currently co-facilitating the effort to create DC’s first strategic plan to prevent and end youth homelessness. Amanda is also wrapping up her Master’s degree in Human Services Administration and is awaiting word on admission to Ph.D. programs. She hopes to achieve superhero status by being amongst the first researchers to uncover evidence-based practices in helping homeless youth transition to adulthood. As part of this plan, Amanda began developing  VisionSpeaks, Inc., a nonprofit agency that aims to empower homeless youth across the nation to participate in the development of policies that impact their transition to adulthood.

2. Ladd Everitt
 | @CSGV | www.csgv.org

Gun laws in America and the dangerous ideology behind the NRA’s push for looser regulation

Ladd Everitt has served as the Director of Communications of the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence since May 2006.  In this position, he is responsible for developing and managing a wide range of communications activities in support of the organization’s overall mission

3. Cassandra Lamb

The Theology of Space

Cassandra Lamb is the intern at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Washington, DC.  She is a student at the Lutheran Theological Seminary in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, working towards a Master of Divinity degree.  Cassandra is originally from rural South Dakota and has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication Studies from Concordia College in Moorhead, Minnesota.

4. Jessica Baroody | @jbaroo1

Media activism and how media can be a social tool to provide opportunities for community service and exposure

Jessica Baroody is a recent graduate of Towson University with a B.S. in Electronic Media and Film and a minor in Anthropology.  She currently works with Wide Angle Youth Media as an assistant instructor and serves as the Alumni Relations and Co-Philanthropy Director for Lambda Kappa Tau, Towson’s Media Arts Fraternity.  She strives to use media as a social tool to engage and educate youth as well as provide service to local non-profits and community organizations.

5. Elizabeth Prescott | www.familiesusa.org

Using personal narrative to defend the Affordable Care Act.

Liz Prescott is the Story Bank Coordinator at Families USA. Families has maintained an extensive database of personal health care stories for over a decade, using the stories therein to personalize otherwise complex policy issues. Over the years, it has served as a model for other organizations who use narrative in their work, from policy organizations who similarly use stories to humanize their issues to small service organizations who use client stories as fundraising strategy.

6. Carolyn Capern | @Dvrbkwrm

Students can be an energized group when it comes to social justice issues. How do they engage their passions, and why do they care anyway?

Carolyn Capern is a senior at American University, majoring in Political Science and History.  She is the Vice President of the United Methodist Student Association there, and has worked on projects ranging from social justice issues to murder mystery parties.

7. Ananda Leeke | @anandaleeke | www.anandaleeke.com

The power of digital sisterhood as a self-care, self-discovery, and social justice movement for women in social media.

Yoga + Creativity + Internet Geek = Ananda Leeke. Leeke is a lawyer turned “Jill of many trades”: innerpreneur, author, artist, coach, and yoga teacher. Her mission is “Empowering U2BU through creativity coaching, Reiki, self-care, social media, volunteerism, and yoga.” eerism, and yoga.” She penned That Which Awakens Me: A Creative Woman’s Poetic Memoir of Self-Discovery- 2009. And published her debut novel Love’s Troubadours-Karma: Book One in 2007. Her poetry appeared in Beyond the Frontier: African American Poetry for the 21st Century (2002) edited by E. Ethelbert Miller. Her six-word memoir – Go Green Boho BAP. Urban Debutante. -  was published in It All Changed in an Instant: More Six-Word Memoirs by Writers Famous & Obscure by Larry Smith and Rachel Fershleiser of Smith Magazine in 2010.

8. Marie-Michelle Strah, PhD | @cyberslate | http://lifeincapslock.com/

2010 was the year of collaboration and all things “2.0.” I highlighted 3 attributes necessary for leaders engaged in collaborative technologies: creativity, compassion, and commitment

Michelle has over 15 years experience in IT, project management, healthcare IT and R&D specializing in Health 2.0 and Government 2.0 solutions in the federal space. Currently, she is the Practice Lead and SharePoint Architect for Broadpoint Technologies in the Washington, DC area.. She is also a founding member of the Women in SharePoint group launched in May 2010 and a co-leader of Women in SharePoint DC user group. Her recent work in the healthcare space focuses on SharePoint architecture, migration, and upgrades for complex intranet and supply chain redesign for military and civilian agencies as well as program and project management for innovative technologies applications in knowledge management and teleheath. She was both enlisted and officer in two branches of the military.

9. Howard Liebers | @marbleroad | www.marbleroad.org

When is an advocate’s work complete? When a law is passed? When a service is provided? Never? MarbleRoad: A Band-Aid in a Changing Health Care Landscape

Howard Liebers, Founder and CEO, MarbleRoad, Director of Policy, DCPCA  MarbleRoad is an incorporated non-profit in Washington DC in September 2010 to provide financial assistance and support services for people with complex illnesses. Howard is also currently Director of Policy for the DC Primary care Association. He works with the CEO and Chief of Healthcare Operations on community health center issues in the District of Columbia, including implementation of Federal health reform throughout the District.

10. Rebecca Spence, JD, MPH | @pushformidwives

Social Justice through Social Media: Sharing strategy, messaging, support, and expertise for increased access to out of hospital childbirth

Rebecca Spence, JD, MPH: Rebecca is the New Media Director for the Big Push for Midwives Campaign, a national grassroots effort to increase legal access to Certified Professional Midwives and out of hospital childbirth. By day she’s a lawyer and by night a volunteer with the campaign. Trained in public health as well as law, Rebecca has worked in various areas of reproductive justice including human rights and HIV/AIDS, adolescent’s access to reproductive health, and legal access to midwives.  She is inspired by the passion, smarts and hearts of the citizen advocates who shape health policy.

11. Alex Priest | @alexpriest | http://alexpriest.com/

The importance and potential of social media in education: for far too long social media has been considered a distraction in education–it’s time to recognize it as a resource for learning.

Alex Priest is a senior undergraduate at American University pursuing a degree in marketing and public communications. A passionate social media user, he’s used social tools in a variety of settings, including founding a student-led social media club at his school. Inspired by friends and colleagues both in person and on social media, Alex is thrilled to play a role in this year’s Social Justice Camp and looks forward to contributing to worthy causes for the rest of his life.

12. David Hale | @lostonroute66 | http://lostonroute66.com/

Direct-to-consumer genetic testing

Known as a technology entrepreneur in government, David Hale is a frequent speaker on the subject of open government and community engagement in the process of opening health data.  David is the project manager of Pillbox, a National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health/Food and Drug Administration open government initiative. His true loves however are travel, food, and his ukulele.

Doctors + Patients X Social Media = REAL Health Care Reform

Casey Quinlan, the Mighty Mouth of Mighty Casey Media and a partner in the healthcare communication consulting firm WellCentrix, is an evangelist for social media in medicine, believing that those community and collaboration-building tools will deliver both better health and lower healthcare costs.

Author of the Amazon-bestseller Cancer for Christmas: Making the Most of a Daunting Gift, about her trip through the “medical care car wash” after getting a breast cancer diagnosis days before Christmas in 2007, Casey had a long career in television news & sports before becoming a media & communication consultant. She’s a passionate advocate for the e-patient movement and transparency in healthcare communication.

14. Brandon Gryde  |  @bgryde | www.ArtsServiceProject.wordpress.com

The arts have always played an important role in improving communities. What are some of examples of outstanding arts initiatives and how can artists and arts organizations participate in the national service movement?

For 10 years Brandon has implemented arts programs in service to community focusing on issues such as literacy & music education. In 2005 he launched AND Magazine, a quarterly arts and healthy lifestyles publication supporting educators in meeting Pennsylvania’s language arts and workplace readiness standards while also providing an outlet for student expression. For the past two years Brandon worked in communications, raising awareness about the positive impact children and youth around the world have in their communities.