Most of the inmates at the facility that I am interested in are there for non-violent (specifically drug-related offenses). The process of re-entry for those in jail for shorter periods of time is much different from those who are imprisoned for longer time periods. I'm curious about the different challenges that people face depending on how long they have been imprisoned. I'd … [Read more...] about Death Penalty in Slow Motion
Community & Culture
Strong communities allow more sustainable practices to empower the people to create a more sustainable society.
Working together on common interests creates opportunities for both personal and community growth, promotes involvement in the arts and local government, and fosters equality.
My Personal Prison Project
I am on a quest to make a change in this world. Inequality, injustice, and inhumanity exist around us, and we need to open our eyes to it. Last year, I joined a club at my university called the Prison Project. Each week I travel to the Northampton County Prison and tutor inmates on a variety of subjects, helping them to prepare for their GED. I love knowledge; I feel that it … [Read more...] about My Personal Prison Project
What is the purpose of prisons?
I recently watched a film called Circles by Shanti Thakur that discussed an alternative form of sentencing, called Circle Sentencing, used with Aboriginal offenders. In this process, the focus is on healing the community, offender, and victims. This film made me ponder a few very important questions about the prison system. Throughout these past few weeks of doing interviews … [Read more...] about What is the purpose of prisons?
FYI: Weekend reading from AFSC
Just came across this interesting newsletter from the American Friends Service Committee [AFSC]. Thank you to everyone who signed our petition to stop Congress from expanding deadly immigrant detention (if you haven’t signed, you can still add your name here). We’ll keep you posted on ways to take action to defund Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in the weeks … [Read more...] about FYI: Weekend reading from AFSC
Peter’s blog: ‘What could we be learning from others?’
A recent article by Janice Lee ('What Humanity Can Learn From Plants'), raises this question. It's well worth reading! Lee asks why we value 'scientific' knowledge over all other ways of knowing and points out some other limitations of our ways, such as rendering non-human living beings as 'it', as if they were inanimate objects. She suggests we could learn a lot from trees … [Read more...] about Peter’s blog: ‘What could we be learning from others?’
My summer internship: Sustainability Impact Assessment
As an intern for Alliance, I was able to meet and hear the concerns of local officials and important community stakeholders. We discussed issues and gathered advice from a diverse array of people like city councilmen, NGO leaders, and company executives. I learned of the extensive detail and nuance that is necessary to create an effective sustainability assessment. It was a … [Read more...] about My summer internship: Sustainability Impact Assessment
Out of Left Field: On the unsustainable path in Latin America
The ravaging of the homelands and attacks on the Indigenous Peoples of Colombia and Honduras (and why people might leave their home countries to come here . . . ) About attacks on indigenous communities that are fighting against the encroachments of international interests and assassination of indigenous peoples and their leaders . Dot #1: Colombia: The FOR Peace Presence in … [Read more...] about Out of Left Field: On the unsustainable path in Latin America
We Need to Hold Boys Accountable
“Boys will be boys,” the mother says as her son pulls a girl’s hair because he wants her toys. “Boys will be boys,” the teacher responds dismissively as they hear high school boys objectifying a female student. “Boys will be boys”: a phrase used to excuse the intolerable behavior of boys instead of trying to correct the problem. At surface value, this phrase does seem innocent. … [Read more...] about We Need to Hold Boys Accountable
Decolonizing America for a Sustainable Future
by Maison Allen What if Europeans never settled in North America? Would the land in this country have remained unharmed? Would the environment be in better condition than it is today? Unlike colonists, the Native people did not treat the Earth as a consumable good. While there is no way to answer these questions, taking a look at the way Indigenous people lived suggests that … [Read more...] about Decolonizing America for a Sustainable Future
How Are Our Problems Connected?
As my semester at Moravian College and my internship with Alliance come to an end, I’ve been ask to write a piece that weaves my semester’s work together. In the past few months, I’ve been able to write pieces that focus on colonialism in America, sexual assault, gun control, racism today, and what we teach about Columbus. What do all of these pieces have to do with … [Read more...] about How Are Our Problems Connected?