Public Allies Cincinnati Class of 2011 Graduation - June 30th!

RAPP's first Public Ally, Kinsey Brown, graduates from the program this evening!

As a not-for-profit apprentice, Kinsey served September 2010 through June 2011 with RAPP.  In their time, they co-facilitated RAPP XXVI, participated in RAPPORT, did administrative work for both, earned a Social Justice League certificate, developed promotional materials and assisted in RAPP's outreach work, put together community service days, coordinated RAPP's involvement in campus- and city-wide events, served on the WorldFest committee, developed a shadowing & interview series for themself with local not-for-profit and higher education leaders, and blogged here, to name a few things.

You're invited to join us in celebrating Kinsey's work and growth at the A Tropical Paradise Graduation!
6-8PM at United Way of Greater Cincinnati (2400 Reading Rd).

Online Resource Spotlight: Dr. Kathy Obear Blog

Dr. Kathy Obear has started a blog!

Dr. Kathy Obear, president of Alliance for Change Consulting and founding faculty of the Social Justice Training Institute

Well known as a leader in social justice education for decades, Kathy Obear has included blogging to her extensive set of work.

At DrKathyObear.com, she "intends to write about designing and facilitating around issues of inclusion and social justice."

This will definitely be a blog to keep an eye on!

LULAC Convention in Cincinnati Today through July 2nd!

The League of United Latin American Citizens is hosting its 82nd Annual Convention and Exposition in Cincinnati this week!

The event features a variety of trainings, workshops, speakers, networking opportunities, and social activities.  There is also a Expo & Job Fair that is FREE and open to the public.

Below is information from Lourdes Ribera, Cincinnati LULAC president:

Dear LULAC Friends,

LULAC’s 82nd Annual Convention and Exposition is coming to Cincinnati June 27 through July 2, 2011 at the Duke Energy Convention Center – We are very excited to host this magnificent event which will bring around 20,000 attendees to Cincinnati. We have a unique opportunity to showcase our city, beautiful landscapes and exciting attractions, but most of all, highlight the quality of Our People. Our theme this year is “Bridging the Gap: Expanding the Latino Agenda Into New Frontiers.”

The Latino population is booming in the Greater Cincinnati area. Hispanics have doubled according to the latest U.S. Census. As the fastest-growing community in Greater Cincinnati, we have an ideal opportunity to open the dialogue, create more visibility to our needs and issues and emphasize our positive contributions.

The Convention will bring Government officials, international figures, academic experts and respected business and community leaders. The 2011 LULAC Expo will feature 300 corporate partners, government agencies, colleges and universities, labor unions, armed forces, and non-profit organizations displaying their products and services.

The Convention will run Monday, June 27th through Saturday July 2nd. Attached is the LULAC Convention flyer for more information -- Highlights of the event are:
Tuesday, June 28 – 7:30 PM – 8:30 PM – Freedom Center - Premiere of the play “Cincinnati: a City of Immigrants.” This promises to be a great production!
Wednesday, June 29th – 6:00 PM – 11:00 PM – Duke Energy Convention Center “Cincinnati Celebration.” The LULAC Cincinnati Chapter will be hosting a fun Fiesta with lots of exciting surprises. You definitely do not want to miss this event !-- Bring your dancing shoes and dance to salsa, merengue and reggaeton!
Thursday, June 30th – 8:30 PM – 11:30 PM – Duke Energy Center “Concierto de la Gente” presents this year “Voces Unidas” featuring famous Latino musicians and entertainers. You can obtain your free ticket at the LULAC Expo, prior to the concert.

If you would like to register for the convention, please click here

As the Host Chapter we have a great commitment to put this event together. This enormous task requires our devoted attention, dedication and best efforts. It is important that we join forces and actively participate to make the convention happen.

We are in need of recruiting 500 volunteers to work in different areas of the Convention. If you are interested in becoming a volunteer, please click here.

I am excited about our convention and grateful for your support and partnership. I look forward to working together with you to make this convention a success!

RAPP Table at Orientation's Student Spotlight

Nothing says "It's summer!" like the kick-off of Bearcat Bound new student orientation!

Student Spotlight is an activities/interests fair that's held each time a group goes through the first day of orientation.  RAPP has been lucky enough to table in this fair every year for many years.  It's a great opportunity to promote RAPP to new students, current student leaders who are there representing other groups, and the larger UC community including parents.

We started the summer in style today with an informative table and RAPP/ORT superstar Jojo and program coordinator Rebecca representing us!

Tuesday June 28
Tuesday July 5
Wednesday July 6
Thursday July 7
Monday July 11
Tuesday July 12
Wednesday July 13
Monday July18
Tuesday July 19
Wednesday July 20
Monday July 25
Tuesday July 26
Wednesday July 27
Monday August 1
Tuesday August 2
Wednesday August 3
Monday, August 8Tuesday, August 9

The Student Spotlight RAPP table also has buttons and informative postcards for visitors to take.

RAPP also puts information out on the table of our home office, Student Activities and Leadership Development.

Project SCOPE at Mt. St. Joseph

Today RAPP will be out with its final workshop of the 2010-11 academic year with Project SCOPE at the College of Mt. St. Joseph.

Project SCOPE (Summer Collegiate Orientation Program and Enrichment) is a program that "brings together African American high school students from the Greater Cincinnati area to assist them in preparing for college."  This immersion program has students living the college life for a month every summer for three years.

We'll be meeting with the Project SCOPE scholars to discuss our social identities and how our group memberships impact us, ending with some time spent identifying ways in which we can each commit to fighting oppression.

Back to the Reunion: More Photos

Though the RAPP 25 Year Reunion was over a month ago, we've still got many pictures to enjoy releasing.

Below are some snapshots from the event.  My plan is that photos will be added to the RAPP Facebook page as they are released here.

RAPP XXVI member Shy talks with Reunion Planning Committee and RAPP XXV member Bobby

Members representing the early years - David (VIII), Carmen (VIII), and Andrea (V) - take a break after participating in the Pre-Party Campus Tour

RAPPers from XXVI - Sara and Joey - connect with Andrea of RAPP V

The room filled quickly with RAPPers from many years!

Jojo (XXIV) and Tiara (XXVI) check out the history tables

Congratulations to the First Annual Rainbow Celebration Honorees

On Sunday the 12th of June the UC LGBTQ Center host the university's first annual Rainbow Celebration, which honored the lives and achievements of UC's lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and ally students, staff and faculty.

The keynote speaker was Dr. Amy C. Lind, Associate Professor of Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies and Faculty Affiliate in the Department of Sociology and the School of Planning.

Along with acknowleding the 2010-11 graduates, the Rainbow Celebration committee recognized community members with the following awards:

Leadership Award- K.D. Miller

Outstanding Alum- Catherine Roma
Outstanding Faculty Award- Jim Koschoreck
Outstanding Graduate Research Award- Jayme Hughes
Outstanding Undergraduate Research Award- Erin Giwer
Collaborative Excellence Award- UC Women's Center
Outstanding Staff Award- Ken Stratman
Outstanding Program- Racial Awareness Program (RAPP)
Outstanding Student Ally- Erin Kelly
Outstanding Staff/Faculty Ally- Lanthan Camblin
Outsanding Service Award- Deb Meem & Michelle Gibson

Kimmins Southard accepts the Outstanding Program Award on behalf of RAPP

Social Justice Training Institute - Day One

The June 2011 Social Justice Training Institute (SJTI) is being held in Springfield, MA.  The institute kicked off this evening and runs through mid-day Friday, June 17th.

I was greatly excited to hear that I am a member of the 25th class of SJTI - this year certainly seems to be the year of fortuitous 25s!

The first evening was one of building connections, community, and communication foundations, as well as exploring the purpose of the institute.

The goal of SJTI is "to provide diversity/social justice trainers and practitioners with an intensive laboratory experience where they can focus on their own learning and development to increase their multicultural competencies as social justice educators."  It's a space for real dialogue around social justice, immersing ourselves in race an racism (and later exploring how the deep work we do on race can connect with the work we do on other social identities and forms of oppression).

With this goal in mind, the next four days will be spent in authentic dialogue that occurs in a variety of settings and through intentional activities to deepen our understanding of the dynamics of oppression on multiple dimensions, explore dominant and subordinated group dynamics within the system of racism, to broaden our overall perspective on the pervasive nature of insitutionalized racism, to examine the impact of racism on each of us in our roles, and to explore "triggers" and how to successfully navigate them.  Again, it will end with encouraging us to take the technology/tools/skills we've used around this race and racism work to apply it to others dynamics of oppression.

Does all of that sound familiar?  Though with potentially different language, it probably will sound familiar to any RAPPer who engaged fully in their RAPP year and/or stayed connected through RAPPORT.

I'm just very grateful to get to engage this as myself, as a full participant in my own learning process, rather than balancing my responsibility as a process guide with my learning.

Quiet Times in the RAPP Office

Things will be a little quieter than usual in the RAPP office this week.  Spring quarter is over and there's a short break before summer sessions and orientation begin.

Kinsey is wrapping up hir Public Ally year with some final projects.  Included in this is working with some of our recent Peer Leaders to create a window display for the RAPP Office - be sure to stop by after June 16th to check it out!

I (Rebecca) am in Springfield, Massachusetts, participating in the June 2011 class of the Social Justice Training Institute.  As described by the program, this institute provides "an intensive developmental opportunity for social justice educators to examine the complex dynamics of race and racism and focus on how to develop their personal competencies as trainers and practitioners."

This developmental opportunity is another part of the on-going process to develop a stronger, more impactful RAPP.  To the degree to which I am able, I'll blog from the Institute to share some of the ways I hope to use this experience to enhance my own delivery in RAPP as well as bring best practices to our work.

Diversity Training with Leadership Scholars

On Thursday, RAPP was able to continue a relationship forged last year with former RAPP XXV Facilitator Tara Bonistall.   For a second time, we were fortunate to lead a workshop in which we had conversations about diversity and inclusion with the teachers and leaders of the Leadership Scholars Summer Program.

Leadership Scholars is a local not-for-profit organization that provides selected inner-city youth with the skills and experiences to become leaders.

With the teachers and leaders of the summer program, we spent two and a half hours in dialogue around the groups' own diversity, what are some of the assumptions we bring into our daily interactions based on our own experiences, and how can we use that knowledge to create strategies for inclusion.

The afternoon included 25 participants - including many current and former Bearcats.  These participants did a phenomenal job exploring their social identities, talking through assumptions and experiences, and created a great set of strategies they're going to use to make a safe and inclusive environment for all the young leaders who will participate in the Summer Program!

Rainbow Celebration This Sunday!

Just a reminder about the upcoming inaugural UC Rainbow Celebration!  RAPP is receiving the Outstanding Program Award this year!

First Annual UC Rainbow Celebration - June 12th!

From the LGBTQ Center:

Rainbow Celebration

Sunday, June 12 · 2:00pm - 4:00pm

Max Kade German Cultural Center, 736 Old Chemistry

First Annual Rainbow Celebration

Honoring the lives and achievements of UC’s
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Students

The University of Cincinnati’s Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Center proudly announces our first Rainbow Celebration to acknowledge our lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and ally graduates of the class of 2011!

Everyone is welcome! Students (undergraduate & graduate), faculty, staff, and alumni are encouraged to attend the ceremony. Bring your partners, your parents, and your family, friends, and significant others as we honor our outstanding graduates.

Join us for...

Rainbow Tassels and Certificates!

Leadership Awards!

Keynote Speaker: Dr. Amy C. Lind
Mary Ellen Heintz Endowed Chair and Associate Professor of
Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies; Faculty Affiliate in the Department of Sociology and the School of Planning

To RSVP, participate in ceremony, or for more information, please contact the LGBTQ Center:
571 Steger Student Life
B. Carbonara (Grad. Assistant) carbonby@mail.uc.edu, (513) 556-4329
Leisan Smith (Program Dir.) smiln@ucmail.uc.edu, (513) 556-6261

Campus Map:
http://www.uc.edu/content/dam/common/docs/maps/campus_map_west.pdf

Visitors Information:
http://www.uc.edu/visitors.html

Public Allies Presentations

Greetings RAPP Community! You are all cordially invited to some upcoming Public Allies events taking place that this year's Ally Kinsey Brown will be a part of.

If you are or have been thinking about joining Public Allies, these would be great opportunities for you to come and get a sense of what it is like to be an Ally.

Friday, June 10th: Perspective of the Day (POD) on Ableism
8:30AM - 12:30PM at Seasongood Pavilion in Eden Park

• Kinsey and a team of fellow Allies have been working with Starfire Council of Cincinnati to prepare an interesting and interactive workshop on ableism. This POD will engage people from Public Allies, Starfire U, and the community in reading, discussion, a guest speaker, activities, and a lite lunch provided by Starfire U.

Friday June 17th: Team Service Project (TSP) Showcase
1PM - 5PM at the Main Library Downtown, 3rd Floor Conference Room

• Since September, the Allies have been hard at work in three teams working on three major TSP's. Each team will present what they did and what they learned from the process. Come support Kinsey's team, Team Sidetracked, as they present on the natural playground they built for Cincinnati Union Bethel.

Friday June 24th: Presentation of Learning (POL)
11:15AM at the Theodore M. Berry Head Start Center, 880 W. Court St.

• The Allies' main final project is their POL, where they present to their peers, their partner organizations, and the community about what they learned in their ten-month apprenticeship. This presentation covers the personal and professional impact the year had on the ally, rather than a simple overview of what they did.

Introducing the 2010-11 Social Justice League!

A group photo of the 2010-11 Social Justice League

Last night's RAPPORT meeting was an exciting one:  We celebrated the first group to graduate from the new RAPP Social Justice League! Or, to say it more professionally, our first group of participants in the RAPP Social Justice Peer Educator certification program were certified.

Please join us in congratulating our new group of distinguished RAPP social justice peer educators!

Amber Easterling, RAPP XXV
Bobby Filbin, RAPP XXV
Brice Mickey, RAPP XXV
DeVorah YisraEL, RAPP XXIV
Jojo Azevedo, RAPP XXIV
Kimmins Southard, RAPP XXIII
Kinsey Brown, RAPP XXIII
Krystal Smith, RAPP XXIV
Maggie Yoder, RAPP XXV
Marjorie Bledsoe, RAPP XXV
Meagan Lauer, RAPP XXV
Rachel Berman, RAPP XXV
Tyler Thompson, RAPP XXV
Wil Pierce, RAPP XXV

These 14 individuals had a great impact on RAPP as well as this campus through the variety of ways in which they worked to complete the certificate.  The process involves participating in a variety of training experiences and leading social justice education activities in a variety of contexts.  Social Justice League members impacted our campus through their work in RAPP as well as through presentations in learning communities, classes, and conferences.

DeVorah receives her certificate for her work in the Peer Leader track of SJL!

Maggie, who earned her certificate in the RAPPORT-Only track, shows off the 2010-11 SJL polo!

RAPPing Senior Year Up

Coming into RAPP as a senior was interesting. I had already had some experiences with RAPP terms and concepts. I already had experiences that I felt were relevant and worthy of sharing. I also learned how to listen better by hearing other peoples’ experiences.

RAPP took the rather narrow social spectrum that I had created for myself and expanded it beyond what I thought it could be. UC is way more diverse and interesting than I thought it was coming into my senior year. I feel better prepared to co-exist with diverse people after graduation than I did before RAPP.

I have met really awesome people that I hope I will be able to call life long friends because of my involvement with RAPP, not just with RAPP XXVI but also while working in the SALD team.

Our Future Now Art Exhibit

Our Future Now Presents Youth Visions of the Future at SOS ART

Our Future Now, an installation featuring youth expressions of the future will be featured in SOS ART, which opens Friday, May 27. The installation celebrates the future dreams, hopes, fears, and aspirations of 5th - 8th grade students throughout Greater Cincinnati that participated in this citywide youth art project developed by the Kennedy Heights Arts Center and Public Allies Cincinnati.

Nearly 200 children from public, private, and alternative schools, as well as youth-serving programs, imagined and depicted their respective futures and those of their communities in a multimedia art project.

The artwork of all Our Future Now participants will be displayed as windows in a largescale cityscape installation, constructed in partnership with local artist and arts educator Cedric Michael Cox and teen students, featured in SOS ART. SOS ART is an exhibition of creative expressions of peace and justice that includes a range of local artists, from students to professional.

The exhibition, located at the Art Academy of Cincinnati at 1212 Jackson Street in Over-the-Rhine, opens on Friday, May 27 from 6:00pm to midnight and runs through Sunday, June 5.

About the Kennedy Heights Arts Center:

Kennedy Heights Arts Center enhances the life of the surrounding community through arts and cultural experiences that embrace diversity, foster creativity and build community. Founded in 2003 by local residents, Kennedy Heights Arts Center strengthens the fabric of the community by bringing together diverse residents to imagine, create, celebrate and grow.