UCM board names winners of social-justice awards
March 27, 2008
The Board of Directors of UCM: Center for Spiritual Growth and Social Justice has announced the recipients of the 2008 Social Justice Awards and is preparing to host the organization’s annual award ceremony and celebration on Wednesday, April 9 at UCM’s 18 N. College St. location
Since 1983, the UCM Board of Directors has recognized individuals and organizations in the community for their activism and efforts to promote peace and justice, according to a press release.
This year eight individuals and groups (including Ohio University students, faculty and community members) will receive Social Justice Awards. The ceremony will also include the presentation of a new award, the Kuhre Griesinger Lifetime Achievement Award. Title IX, an OU women’s chorale group, will provide the entertainment, and refreshments will be served at the 5:30 event.
Carol Kuhre and the Rev. Jan Griesinger will be honored for their ongoing activism and sustained commitment to social justice through the creation and first-ever presentation of the Kuhre Griesinger Lifetime Achievement Award, according to the release. Henceforth, this award will be given to those individuals and organizations that have received at least one UCM Social Justice Award and demonstrate a high-level of sustained social justice activism, the release said.
Kuhre served for 15 years as executive director of Rural Action, Inc., a not-for-profit community organization working on sustainable development in Appalachian Ohio. Through her past work with campus ministry, including co-director of United Campus Ministry (UCM) at OU, Kuhre helped to form seven community-based organizations, according to the release.
She is currently serving as an organizational development and fundraising consultant and volunteer with grassroots groups in Appalachia that are committed to social-justice issues. She serves as president of the Athens Foundation and vice president of the Sugar Bush Foundation, and is a member of the Board of Directors of the Jessie Smith Noyes Foundation in New York City. Kuhre is also coordinator of the Earth Justice Network, an interfaith group working on issues of global climate change and energy efficiency.
The Rev. Jan Griesinger was the director of UCM for 28 years. She was co-founder of the Dayton Women’s Center and is co-founder and national coordinator of Christian Lesbians OUT (Clout) and a member of the Ohio Campus Ministries Governing Board. She co-founded many organizations serving southeast Ohio including My Sister’s Place, the OU Women’s Studies Program, the Athens AIDS Task Force and the Susan B. Anthony Women’s Land Trust, according to the release. She is currently the co-director of Old Lesbians Organizing for Change (OLOC).
The following individuals are recipients of the 2008 UCM Social Justice Award:
Erica Boehnlein, OU senior, for her work as an educator and activist for women’s and lesbian, gay bisexual and transgender issues.
Elizabeth Collins, associate professor in classics and world religions at OU. She is nominated for her work with Nurani Dunia, a non-governmental organization committed to humanitarian assistance, education and peace building in Indonesia.
Patrick Heery, OU senior, is recognized for his role as community outreach coordinator for the Difficult Dialogues project and his work with other human rights and diversity issues on campus.
Linda Nippert has worked with a variety of organizations over the years including Habitat for Humanity, Safe Schools, Federal Hocking Schools Community Group and People for Peace and Justice.
Rod Nippert was a conscientious objector during the Vietnam War and remains active in the peace and nonviolence movements, according to the release. With his wife, Linda, he worked with the Women’s International group for Peace and Freedom, Habitat for Humanity, River Valley Community School, People for Peace and Justice and People Might.
The UCM news release reported that the final recipients are being recognized collectively for their anti-racism organizing on OU’s campus, particularly in challenging individual incidents of racism in addressing the role of The Post in perpetuating racism and racist stereotypes: Amanda Nolacea Harris, assistant professor, modern languages, Latin American studies, women’s studies; George Hartley, associate professor of English; Brittany Benton, junior; Ashley Diaz, senior; Amado Lascar, assistant professor, modern languages; Velma Lopez, senior; and Amber Lynch, junior.
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