URGI Minutes 11/17/09

Upcoming Events:

-UR Hip Hop’s screening of BLING: a planet of Rock 5pm Gowen Room
-Douglass Advocacy Event- Thursday Nov. 19th 12-2pm in Douglass
-Address Unknown TOOP: Nov. 20th at 8pm in the Drama House
-Talk-back session post show
-RSA General Interest Meeting Thursday Nov. 19th Gowen Room 6pm
-pizza, short video clip and 2 refugee student speakers- talk about tutoring/family pairing volunteering

Meeting:
* Museum of Play-move to next semester January or February?

* Volunteering Update – Luke, Cassie, Adrienne, Elena
-RSA looking at Jefferson and Edison for tutoring (school 15)
- Emergency is going this Saturday to tutor at school 12pm

* Douglass Advocacy Event – Thursday Nov. 19th from 12-2pm
12-12:20pm: Luke
12:30-1pm Adrienne and Suresh
1-1:30pm: Adrienn! e and Kelli
1:30-2pm: Sunny and Luke

* Be the Change workshop December 3rd 7:30pm at 108 Goergen Hall

*Thursday 11:45am Refugee Symposium at Lake Ave Baptist Church- updates on refugees in community

* interested in cleaning up river? Saturday 11am at Interfaith Chapel

* Awareness Discussion
- the context of giving aid- richer areas helping poorer areas and what’s an effective means? The outlook on Western world, feel obligated to help? Or personal desire?
- censored material from the government or just access to information is difficult

SOMALIA- without govt. for 15 years, pseudo elections over past 3 years because of rival clans/soldier factions, larger militia joining together that’s gaining power but they use aggressive tactics, a lot of money comes from remittance companies- one in particular was a trade company, goods would be underpassed by govt and sent to repressed clans. Now, because o! f UN they can actually take donations and distribute it but take a certain percentage otherwise they wouldn’t be able to cover expenses.

Ongoing Projects/ Reminders:

Kenya school building – Suresh (suresh@math.rochester.edu)

Family Refugee Pairing – Adrienne Hloderwski