We had a great time at Juneteenth meeting new people, building connections, and celebrating Juneteenth! What a great day it was!
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Monday, June 19 is the official worldwide celebration of Juneteenth, a festival that originally served to commemorate the end of slavery and cultivate appreciation for African American history and culture, but now also serves to encourage respect for all cultures. Here in Manhattan, we are celebrating Juneteenth this Saturday, June 17 at City Park from 10am to 9pm. Your friends at MNVI will be there and we'd love to celebrate the important values of this day with you, as well as the rest of the Manhattan, KS community and the world!
Please join us at the Manhattan Public Library on Thursday, June 22 at 7pm. That evening, the MHK library, in conjunction with the UFM Community Learning Center, will be hosting Talk20MHK, an open forum designed to allow individuals a platform to share their stories and interests with their community in an effort to connect people and ideas. For more information, visit the event website here. We hope to see you there!
If you are looking for a way to spend your time this summer or you are wanting to learn more about one of the core values of MNVI, enroll in UFM's Peaceful Communication course! In this course, you will have the opportunity to learn and practice skills that will aid you in having more authentic interpersonal interactions and foster better understanding between you and those you communicate with. The course will be taught by one of MNVI's very own board members! The cost is a one-time payment of $12 and the course will take place at 7-8:30pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays at UFM beginning Thursday, June eighth. There are only seven spots left open, so be sure to enroll soon! If you have any questions or concerns, please contact MNVI and we will help you with anything you need. Unfortunately, the weather got the best of us today and we will not be hosting Harmony in the 'Hatt this afternoon. But no worries; we have great ideas in the works.
We are excited to announce our biggest event of the year, Harmony in the 'Hatt! Harmony in the 'Hatt is a celebration of the Season for Nonviolence, which ended at the beginning of this month, and will be our most visible and interactive event yet. This is a great opportunity to get outside, have conversations with new people, and enjoy music, dance, and magic from our performers! If you want to know more about MNVI and what we're about, we'll have a booth with information about our upcoming events and anything else you might want to know -- including how to get involved.
If you have been following our social media, then you may have already seen this event shared on Facebook! If you haven't yet, be sure to let your friends know you're going! See you next Friday! Last week, we enjoyed the Center for Engagement and Community Development's Championing Civility Week and its many events. This week, CECD, who will be joined by the Department of Communication Studies, is hosting an Interbelief Dialogue. See the details below!
This week at K-State, we are celebrating Championing Civility Week! Civility, which K-State defines as "the free and respectful exchange of different ideas," is one of the greatest ways to practice everyday nonviolence. Join us Monday, April 10 through Friday, April 14 for a week of engaging events that create opportunities for dialogue and bridge-building! (Re)Imagining Tolerance, Diversity and Justice: The Impact of a Post-Truth USA on the Arab-American and Muslim-American Experience Monday, April 10 | 9 a.m.-3 p.m. | Hale Library, Hemisphere Room This event is open to all — students, faculty, staff and members of the public. "(Re)Imagining Tolerance, Diversity, and Justice" will explore the issues of tolerance and diversity from the Muslim-American and Arab American perspectives, featuring the work of three separate speakers. Following 15-20 minute presentations by each speaker, there will be a question and answer session. Then, participants will break into groups and meet with a speaker and a group of facilitators to engage in deep conversations about each presentation topic as it relates to civic action at the individual, community and societal levels. These small group conversations will focus on issues of integration, acceptance, tolerance and diversity from the Arab-American and Muslim American perspectives. This is an opportunity to learn about important scholarly perspectives and connect cutting-edge research to your civic practice. Panelists/speakers include: Louise Cainkar, Marquette University, Arab-American Studies Association president Mucahit Bilici, John Jay College of Criminal Justice Mohamed Al-Hakim, Florida Gulf Coast University Event sponsored by: Michael W. Suleiman Chair in Arab and Arab-American Studies, Department of Political Science; Staley School of Leadership Studies; College of Arts and Sciences Diversity Committee; and the Division of Student Life. Engagement Symposium | Reconstructing Civility: Modes of Engagement for 2017 Tuesday, April 11 | 7:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. | K-State Student Union This free symposium features both academic and practical dialogue on a variety of topics, all with civility and civil dialogue at the center of the discussion. The event features two keynote speakers: Ed O'Malley, president and CEO of the Kansas Leadership Center; and Dr. Carolyn Lukensmeyer, executive director of the National Institute for Civil Discourse. Come for one or all sessions to take part in this important and timely dialogue. Event sponsored by: Office of the Provost, Center for Engagement and Community Development, Institute for Civic Discourse and Democracy, National Institute for Civil Discourse and Democracy, Staley School of Leadership Studies University Distinguished Lecture | A Necessary Art: Narrative and Reality in Documentary Wednesday, April 12 | 3 p.m. | Hale Library, Hemisphere Room We are entering a new era of grand narratives and high ideology, which makes understanding narrative so important and documentary a necessary art. Please plan to attend this University Distinguished Lecture from Dr. Graham Townsley, executive producer of Shining Red Productions and film producer for "E.O. Wilson - Of Ants and Men" (2015). A meet and greet reception kicks off this event at 3 p.m., followed by Dr. Townsley's lecture beginning at approximately 3:30 p.m. Diversity Colloquium | Driven by Fear and Emancipated by Curiosity: The Politics of Bodily Knowledge in Personal Narratives on Race Wednesday, April 12 | 4 p.m. | Kedzie 106 Please plan to attend this Communication Studies and JMC Research Colloquium Series event. Christopher Brown, associate professor of communication studies at Minnesota State University, Mankato will present and lead the discussion that follows. Public Narrative: Race and Equity Thursday, April 13 | 6-7:30 p.m. | Location TBA Details coming soon. Event sponsored by: Cats for Inclusion, Black Student Union, Staley School of Leadership Studies 48-Hour Film Festival Premiere and Awards Ceremony Thursday, April 13 | 7 p.m. | Leadership Studies Town Hall This event marks the close of the second annual K-State 48-Hour Film Festival, showcasing works produced by K-State students. All are encouraged to attend the screening exhibition and awards ceremony, even if you are not part of a competing team. Event sponsored by: Office of the Provost, Division of Communications and Marketing, College of Education, Staley School of Leadership Studies, A.Q. Miller School of Journalism and Mass Communications, Hale Library, Media Development Center, Institute for Civic Discourse and Democracy "Inclusive, deliberative, open dialogue. That's the Wildcat Way."
Rejoice in the work that you have done. Celebrate the journey that you have made with countless others who believe that every individual can move the world in the direction of peace with their nonviolent choice and action. Margaret Mead said “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world; indeed it is the only thing that ever has.” Tomorrow, April 4th, is the final day of the Season for Nonviolence. We hope you have enjoyed becoming a stronger advocate and proponent of nonviolence. The journey doesn't end here and there are far more than 64 ways to practice nonviolence.
Every day, we continue to grow, live, communicate, and interact with others and our environment. We hope you will join us in continuing to practice everyday nonviolence in everything that we do and exploring all of the different ways that we can do so. A Sufi proverb says, “When the heart weeps for what it has lost, the spirit laughs for what it has found.” Today look back on how far you have come during this 64 day journey. Release the weight of your past, judgments of yourself and others, and the idea that world peace is not possible by acknowledging that you do make a difference.
Spend five minutes reflecting on your commitment to nonviolence. Write down what it means to you and what you are willing to do as a consequence of your commitment to it. Make your commitment public by sharing it with at least 2 people.
An 11 year old writes, “Peace is a special thought or a special love or light or spark that we all share within ourselves.” Thich Nhat Hanh wrote, “Practice watering seeds of joy and peace and not just seeds of anger and violence, and the elements of war in all of us will be transformed.” Today, make a choice to meet each experience with an intention for peace.
“We are each other’s bond,” writes poet Gwendolyn Brooks. Those who practice nonviolence cannot close their eyes to injustice or cruelty. We are here to be a witness for justice and compassion. Today be willing to stand up for Truth by your presence, your words and actions.
Alcohol and drug abuse is both a consequence and a cause of violence. Today have the courage to intervene in a caring way with someone who is using alcohol or drugs. Through your honest and straightforward communication, encourage them to get educated, get help, get sober and free from drugs.
Robert Muller, former assistant secretary general to the UN, urges, “Use every letter you write, every conversation you have, every meeting you attend, to express your fundamental beliefs and dreams.” Today call or write one of your legislators and register your views.
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. said, “Everybody can be great ... because anybody can serve ... You only need a heart full of grace and a soul generated by love.” Sign up to volunteer a minimum of two hours this month with an organization of your choice. Share your commitment with at least one person.
People need the dignity of work and the opportunity to provide for themselves and their families. Economic self-sufficiency is a requirement for a nonviolent world. Today, create a job for someone or help someone to find employment (examples: help them with a resume or application. Help them make phone calls, dress appropriately, practice interviewing.)
The quality of your community starts with you. Take responsibility for the quality of your community wherever you are. Today, pick up trash that is not your own, whether at home, at the office, or on the street. Every little bit helps.
Practice generosity by sharing time, energy and material resources with those in need. Clean out your closet, bureau drawers, or garage. Are there things you aren’t using that might be of value to someone else? Today give away what you are no longer using.
“Each of us can work to change a small portion of events and in the total of all those acts will be written the history of this generation,” said Robert Kennedy. Today, find a way to make one, small change that will contribute to the well-being of your home, school, workplace or community.
Have you ever noticed the groups of people who are under-represented in your activities and lifestyle? Find one way to connect with a person from these groups today.
“When someone stands up to violence,” says Thich Nhat Hanh, “a force for change is released. Every action for peace requires someone to exhibit the courage to challenge violence and inspire love.” Today be an ally. Without blaming or judging others, speak out for those who are disrespected.
Be aware today of any jokes or remarks that show disrespect toward racial and ethnic groups, people of different genders, classes of people, religious groups, LGBTQ+ folk, people of different abilities, etc. Be considerate of every person’s identity and dignity, and choose not to participate in disrespectful conversation.
Albert Einstein said, “There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as if everything is.” Before each meal today, stop to honor all the hands that brought it to you and to bless the earth for its bounty.
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our missionMNVI aims to build and strengthen relationships throughout MHK using arts, education, and conversation so all members of our community are acknowledged, valued, and respected. Categories |