Social Justice at Loyola

“Pulitzer Center 2013 Student Fellows Announced”

Kelly Silay — Mon, 13 May 2013 02:12:50 +0000

Congratulations to LUC junior, Shirley Coenen, who was named one of the Pulitzer Center's 2013 fellows. She will travel to Chile to report on the relations between the government and youth as part of her fellowship.

Gone for the summer!

Kelly Silay — Wed, 08 May 2013 19:51:57 +0000

The “Student Voices” blog section will take a break during the summer. Posts from Loyola students dedicated to living social justice will resume in the fall. Have a great summer!

Gone for the summer!

Kelly Silay — Wed, 08 May 2013 19:50:40 +0000

The “From Loyola” blog section will take a break during the summer. Posts from Loyola staff and faculty dedicated to living social justice will resume in the fall. Have a great summer!

“Catholic leaders host first Indiana Poverty Summit”

Kelly Silay — Wed, 08 May 2013 14:32:29 +0000

Catholic leaders met at the first-ever Indiana Poverty Summit to encourage change at the community level in order to fight poverty.

“Five Questions for Nancy Schwartzman about a Smartphone App to alert your friends when you feel at risk”

Kelly Silay — Wed, 08 May 2013 14:30:22 +0000

An interview with Nancy Schwartzman, the creator of the "Circle of 6" app, about her award-winning app and its stance against sexual assault.

“Justice & Peace Conference sponsored by Loyola groups this summer in Kenya”

Kelly Silay — Wed, 08 May 2013 14:26:26 +0000

This summer, The Provost Office for Social Justice Initiatives along with several other groups at Loyola, will co-sponsor a conference in Nairobi, Kenya titled “Promoting Justice and Peace: University/Community Collaborative Initiatives.” This conference will run from June 19-21 and will be held at The Catholic University of Eastern Africa. The conference will provide networking opportunities as well as a chance to share information and ideas to begin developing solutions to critical social justice issues.
For more information, visit the conference website at http://justicepeace.org/.

“The Interrupters wins Malott Prize for Recording Community Activism”

Kelly Silay — Wed, 08 May 2013 14:16:38 +0000

The Chicago-based film, The Interrupters, has won a prestigious award for its depiction of people striving to make a significant difference in their local community.

Love in the Face of Adversity

Kelly Silay — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 16:35:06 +0000

We will be placing an enormous burden on you. The burden of knowing.”

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These were the first significant words I remember hearing upon my arrival at Jonah House in Baltimore for my alternative break immersion. I don’t remember who said it first, but each incredible woman at that house repeated it to us at one point. My world was rocked in the one week away from the familiar and comfortable world of Loyola. I was pushed to the limits of my reason and faith in the most spectacular way possible.

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Jonah House is an intentional community devoted to peace, nonviolence and nuclear disarmament. I lived a peaceful, nonviolent life for a week, but Liz McAlister, Ardeth Platte and Carol Gilbert have been living it for decades. Considered crazy and radical by many, these three women taught me so much about love and forgiveness. For their actions (called plowshares), each woman has served a significant time in prison. They’ve experienced some of the worst of humanity, and yet you would never know it. They love literally every single part of this planet and ache for the peace they know God has promised.

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To be around that immense love is incredible.

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That’s when I realized that social justice is an entire way of life. It’s so much more than simply protesting injustice. It’s about trusting in God and living the life you preach. It’s not some passing fancy. There will be sacrifices. However, I also realized that this is just one way to live. Liz, Ardeth and Carol are so completely content with how they’ve decided to live their lives, but they know it’s not the life for everyone.

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My group was able to participate in peace vigil at the White House at the end of the week. Armed with the knowledge we had learned about the effects of war and nuclear weapons, we took our signs to stand and declare our intentions in the capitol. Yes, I believe in a world without war and violence. I hope and pray for peace.

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It’s harder than you think to voice those opinions in a country that prides itself on being a superpower. There will always be those who think war is the only answer and that you’re incredibly wrong or naïve to want to disarm. Liz, Ardeth and Carol taught me that we must love these people as well. Social justice means staying firm and sticking to what you believe in.

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Our issue was nuclear disarmament, but there are so many issues to champion. Educate yourself and be prepared to love in the face of adversity. Be patient. It may seem impossible, but we can change the world. Jonah House taught me that.

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“How Crowdfunding Made Social Justice Cool”

Kelly Silay — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 16:21:16 +0000

Crowdfunding has shifted the dynamic of giving and provides a new sense of possibility and passion for social justice issues in today's world.

“The UN commemorates the Rwandan genocide”

Kelly Silay — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 16:19:02 +0000

The United Nations commemorated the anniversary of the 1994 Rwandan genocide to remind the world about the loss suffered by humanity as a result of this tragedy.