Calendar

“Climate change is the defining issue of our time and now is the defining moment to do something about it.” (António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations).

War and the Environment is a six-week online course that features six core modules, three interactive Zoom sessions, and a strong emphasis on reflective practice, collaborative learning, and community building throughout. As the world races to prevent climate collapse, finding solutions to today’s unprecedented socio-ecological challenges has never been more urgent. While discussions on climate change continue, it is crucial to address the elephant in the room—war. The call to end war is not just about peace and security: it is essential for the survival and flourishing of humanity and the planet.

As wars, preparations for wars, and environmental destruction escalate—and much of the focus remains on human conflict—it is vital to better understand and respond to the far-reaching impacts of war and militarism on people, all living beings, and the planet. This course empowers you to do just that. By doing so, it also addresses a question of central importance to everyone—how can we live together in more sustainable and peaceful ways? This is the most pressing challenge of our time; everything else is secondary.

Format: Online Course
Start Date: Monday, March 24, 2025
Duration: 6 Weeks
Time Commitment: 3 to 6 hours per week
Cost: On a sliding scale from $25 to $100 or more if you can afford it

more information and registration option here: https://worldbeyondwar.org/war-and-the-environment-an-online-course/?link_id=8&can_id=540e92ff874a6b94a0ca720db2a7dff1&source=email-new-course-alert-media-and-communications-for-peace-register-now-5&email_referrer=email_2621983&email_subject=_-war-and-the-environment-one-course-to-address-two-existential-threats-_

The public is invited to the Don Shula Spring Lecture titled “Anarchism, Catholicism, and Love” by Laurie Johnson on Thursday, April 3rd co-organized and co-funded by the Don Shula Chair in Philosophy, Institute of Catholic Studies, and Raymond and Eleanor Smiley Chair in Business Ethics. Special thanks to Nathan Jun, Paul Murphy, and Bernard Prusak for their efforts to help organize this event.

The two lines of reflection Fr. Pedro Arrupe emphasizes in his 1973 address— “to deepen our understanding of the idea of justice,” and “to determine the character and quality of the type of people we want to form”—are still highly relevant, especially for a mission oriented Jesuit institution like John Carroll. In this lecture, Dr. Johnson will help us continue these lines of reflections by asking the following questions: Christians aspire to love other people and come to their aid, but what is the best way to do those things? Is it through supporting the best political party and government programs? Is it primarily accomplished by supporting charitable aid through donating to their churches and aid organizations? Is it better to engage in direct action unmediated by either government or charitable organization?

Dr. Johnson will discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each approach through the example of the Catholic Worker movement, its struggle to live in Christian solidarity through anarchic direct action, its fraught relationship with the Church, and with the US government. She will use themes from her latest book, The Gap in God’s Country to help us think more clearly about the choices we have when deciding how to love and help other people.

Laurie Johnson is Professor of Political Science and endowed Swogger Chair and Director of the Primary Texts Certificate at Kansas State University. She is the author of eight books and numerous book chapters and articles. Most of her work has involved developing a thorough understanding and critique of classical liberal theory, and includes works on Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau and Tocqueville. Building on that background to understand current ideological divisions, Ideological Possession and the Rise of the New Right: The Political Thought of Carl Jung, was published in 2019 by Routledge. Her latest book, The Gap in God’s Country: A Longer View on Our Culture Wars, was published in October, 2024 and addresses the Christian dimension of those divisions via a discussion of long term economic, technological and psychological trends. She also provides political philosophy and political theology content weekly on her Political Philosophy YouTube channel, currently with 24,000+ subscribers, and its associated podcast, associated with The Maurin Academy.

Info: 216.397.4375 (JCU Dept of Philosophy)

North Church Presbyterian, 4501 Superior Avenue, Cleveland

Join Racial Equity Buddies for a powerful community gathering honoring Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. through music, discussion, and action. The program includes live gospel music, a panel on Dr. King’s unfinished work, interactive breakout sessions, and a closing drum circle to inspire collective action. A continental breakfast will be served 10-10:30 AM. 

Register here: https://sites.google.com/view/racialequitybuddiesofgreatercl/home

These times demand we strategize, organize & act! This gathering is a robust call to action—blending culture, knowledge, and community to resolutely honor Dr. King’s legacy and advance his fight for equity and justice. We gather to reclaim the spirit of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. We gather to uplift one another (we begin with live gospel/spirituals). We gather to learn from our esteemed panelists and moderator. We gather to strategize & build community  (small brainstorming breakout groups to discuss actions). And we gather to embolden ourselves as we close with a dynamic drum circle. 

We begin with uplifting spiritual and gospel music to set the tone. A thought-provoking panel follows, exploring Dr. King’s unfinished work and its impact on Greater Cleveland today. From there, we move into interactive breakout sessions to reflect, strategize, and find ways to take meaningful action. Each group will share key takeaways before we close, as we began, with culture—this time, a drum circle to embolden and energize us as we carry forward the work of justice.

Cultural artists include:

Professor Olu Manns, Africana Studies, Kent State University

Donna Walton, Gospel Artist  

Panel moderated by Mara Smith, attorney and justice advocate. Panelists include:

Therapist Brenda Glass, MSSA, LISW-S, is the founder and executive director of the Brenda Glass Multipurpose Trauma Center. Ms. Glass specializes in trauma, cultural inclusivity, and innovative recovery practices for healing and thriving after trauma from violent crimes. She is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker who earned her Master of Science in Social Administration from Case Western Reserve University’s Mandel School of Social Science Administration with a focus on Adult Mental Health, a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Social Work from Ursuline College, and an Associate Degree of Applied Science in Human Services from Cuyahoga Community College. An advocacte for victims' rights and policy change, Ms. Glass is a speaker and facilitator of workshops to educate the survivors and community partners about the impact of trauma and possible resolutions in people of color sectors of our society. Ms. Glass received the Special Courage Award from the Attorney General’s Office and the Hidden Figures award from the City of Cleveland for her efforts in addressing the needs of survivors of violence.

Chris Knestrick serves as the Executive Director of the Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless (NEOCH), a position he has held since July 2017. With over two decades of experience working with the homeless community, Chris has been deeply involved in both local and international advocacy efforts. His commitment to social justice has taken him around the world, developing a dedication to organizing for change and nonviolent resistance that centers the voices most impacted by public policy and state violence. Before leading NEOCH, Chris was active in the Catholic Worker community in Cleveland and the Community Peacemaker Teams in Colombia, South America.  Under Chris's leadership, NEOCH has continued to grow its mission to amplify the voices of homeless individuals, coordinate outreach efforts, and advocate and organize for systemic change to address the root causes of homelessness. He seeks to build communities that trust and allow individuals to recognize their authentic self and have the power and courage to seek justice and joy.

Matthew Ahn, Attorney, & criminal law & "justice" system expert.  

Our drum major for justice, Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., not only stood with the poor, oppressed, and marginalized—he was treated as one of them. We strive to revive that spirit within ourselves, acting boldly in the solidarity and justice he exemplified.             

Honor MLK by Demanding Real Change. Dr. King knew that justice requires more than words—it demands radical structural change. He spoke unapologetically about systemic racism, writing in A Testament of Hope (1969), “White America must recognize that justice for Black people cannot be achieved without radical changes in the structure of our society.” In Stride Toward Freedom (1958), he reminded us, “True peace is not merely the absence of tension; it is the presence of justice. In August 1967, King spoke about the three evils “the sickness of racism, excessive materialism, and militarism.”.

Join Us. Stand in Solidarity. Take Action.

Sponsors: Racial Equity Buddies of Greater Cleveland -  Federated Church UCC, Chagrin Falls -  Pretrial Support Team of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Cleveland.- The Eastside Citizen Empowerment Foundation of East Cleveland - The Peace and Justice Ministry of Lyndhurst Community of Faith Church -SURJ, NEO (Showing Up For Racial Justice) - NORA (Northern Ohio Recovery Association) -  Food Strong - The ACLU, Ohio - Community Church of Chesterland, UCC

Join International Allies for an update on the current situation of the anti’mining struggle in El Salvador and the fight to have the Santa Marta Five water defenders exonerated from all charges.

In December 2024, the Salvadorean legislature overturned the historic metallic mining ban that protected the country´s scarce water supply from the predatory practices of multinational mining corporations. The new mining laws, open the door for the government to partner with multinational corporations to operate once again in El Salvador with minimal environmental safeguards, and protected by a president internationally recognized for persecuting political opponents and violating the human rights of thousands of people as part of his draconian security policies.   

As a response, a national antimining movement composed of a wide spectrum of civil society organizations has emerged once again to remind politicians that the mining industry would exacerbate the multiple environmental challenges the country already faces; such as water scarcity, contamination, deforestation and the impacts of climate change. As the fight to protect the environment becomes the center of the political debate in El Salvador, there are concerns that political persecution will now shift to environmental defenders who are challenging the implementation of an extractive economic agenda focused on the intensification of tourism, construction, sugar cane production and the return to mining.       

The continued criminalization of the Santa Marta Five water defenders, who have a court hearing on April 9, and the recent incarceration of human rights activists for providing legal advice to families fighting expropriations could be signs that more detentions are coming.

Register here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdYX5-HCUoPMAlzSpwjm2a2iryR2Lg87PMBCtv334YBnmIkgg/viewform