Interfaith Service Teams
Service teams traveled to both coasts and to Mexico over spring break in March to assist on issues from minority rights to Native American relations.
Let There Be Light: OWU-Muslim Service Together
Columbus
By partnering with the Noor Islamic Center in Columbus, this team sought to examine concerns of interfaith conflicts in an urban setting by experiencing firsthand the community service outreach programs of a mosque to its urban neighbors of all faiths, and the subsequent impact such outreach programs have on the healing of such conflicts.
Crossroads of the Powerful and Powerless
Washington, D.C.
Team members explored the many facets of power as it relates to the equally diverse dimensions of poverty. They spent time with the poor and those working on the grassroots level to alleviate poverty as well as lobbyists and politicians who strive to reduce poverty.
Building and Rebuilding
Lakota Nation, S.D.
This interfaith team engaged in a long-term mission to rebuild Lakota-Anglo relationships through respectful conversation, deep critical reflection, and dedicated service. They worked with Re-Member, a nonprofit working with the Oglala Lakota people in both construction and cultural education and immersion.
Repair the World
Pittsburgh
This team, including Sashane Williams ’18 (pictured), worked with Repair the World, a Jewish service organization, to address issues of food and education inequality in Pittsburgh.
Gender, Sexuality, and Immigration: Navigating Overlapping Realities
San Diego
This team worked with the San Diego LGBT Community Center to work with documented and undocumented members of the LGBT Latinx community.
Connecting with the Community
Bucerías, Mexico
The team worked with Human Connections, an organization that specializes in cross-cultural immersion with an eye toward growth and learning for all involved. Past projects have included construction, education, art, cleanup, and more, depending on community needs.
Hurricane Katrina Recovery
New Orleans
Team members spent the week working with the St. Bernard Project (a nonprofit co-founded by Zack Rosenburg ’95 to assist with hurricane recovery), either gutting damaged homes or starting the rebuilding process. The team (pictured) attended a “Homecoming Celebration,” to formally welcome a displaced family into their new or renovated home. The team also explored issues of community building, as well as national and global responsibility for disaster restoration.