Social Justice Institute

The 2013 Rural and Urban Nevada Social Justice Institute scheduled for Friday, September 27 from 9 to Noon at the University of Las Vegas, Nevada will be the first time this event has travelled to Southern Nevada. The purpose of the Social Justice Institute is to shine light on the value that social justice efforts bring to enhancing the quality of life for all Nevadans by having those doing the work – teachers, farmers, case managers, advocates – share what they are doing with their colleagues. Specifically, attendees will hear how each of these presenters and their respective organizations sustain the process of mobilizing social change efforts.

Based on previous years' attendance, we are anticipating that more than 100 diverse participants will be in attendance to enjoy this very special morning of inspiration, solidarity, and camaraderie. We have already confirmed three esteemed and formidable advocates as presenters including Jon Sasser, the statewide advocacy coordinator for state legal services agencies, Bob Fulkerson, the executive director for Progressive Leadership Alliance of Nevada (this year's co-sponsor of the event), and Barbara Buckley, a former Speaker and Assemblywoman of the Nevada State Legislature.

This event was inspired and is being coordinated by Community Chest – a nonprofit organization based in Virginia City that for more than 20 years has worked to build healthy communities by engaging in advocacy efforts and providing social services, educational programs, and a resource center to people in Northern Nevada. "

2012 Social Justice Superhero award winners: Rosa Molina & Dr. Susan Chandler

Rosa Molina
Rosa Molina

Rosa Molina has made it her life's mission to be an advocate for recent immigrants for many years, first with Nevada Hispanic Services (NHS) and now with the Progressive Leadership Alliance of Nevada (PLAN). She has labored quietly to operate an immigration program that handles the bulk of the community's caseload and which handles all of the low- and no-cost deportation cases. This is especially remarkable given the recent increase in immigration enforcement which has increased the number of court cases compared to just a few years ago. It is because of her dedication that these vital services will survive the recent demise of NHS and continue in new offices under the umbrella of PLAN.

Dr. Susan Chandler
Dr. Susan Chandler

Professor Chandler teaches graduate and undergraduate courses in social welfare policy, structural oppression, women's narratives, and community organizing. Her most recently published book, "Casino Women: Courage in Unexpected Places," takes an in-depth look into the lives of women who work in the casinos of Nevada and their strength to unionize in the face of corporate oppression. Her research interests include casino women in the context of economic globalization, the condition of low wage workers particularly in Nevada, social welfare history including especially its race, gender, and class dimensions, and social workers' relationship to issues of war and peace. Professor Chandler challenges her students to understand how oppression is historically ingrained into our society, as well as how it shapes the lives and experiences of individuals. She has encouraged hundreds of future social workers to become informed community leaders.

2011 Social Justice Superhero award winners: Freida Carbery and Kari Ramos.

Freida
Freida Carbery

Freida transformed the Dayton Food Pantry into a warm, welcoming spot for volunteers and participants, and turned it in to a place where the entire community can take "ownership" of their community food pantry through volunteer work, organizing fundraisers, offering storage in their business freezers, offering distribution sites, etc. Now every school in Dayton, most clubs, numerous businesses, hundreds of individuals of all ages and abilities, are involved in making the food pantry work. This has allowed people to receive emergency food whenever they need it Mon-Fri, and to receive more fresh produce. It has also allowed people to gain new job skills and to maintain/create connections to other people. The food pantry is truly what its motto declares: "Freely we share." If you would like to help contribute to Freida's cause, you can contact her at FreedaCA@aol.com

Please visit the website Healthy Communities Coalition to learn more about the collaboration of nearly one-hundred groups and hundreds of community volunteers that agree to work together so that all members of our communities in Lyon, Storey, and Mineral have opportunities to thrive.

Freida
Kari Ramos

Kari exemplifies a Social Justice Super Hero with her constant and unwavering commitment to social justice. Not only does Kari perform duties associated with her position as Outreach Coordinator by traveling the state and nation educating about sexual violence awareness and prevention, but she is also a volunteer for one of the local domestic violence program and the local sexual assault advocacy program. Kari is also a mentor for young girls and recently shaved her head (her hair was at least 20 inches long) in support of a local children's cancer charity. Kari is a positive, empowering, and effective person who makes our community, state, and country and better place. She LIVES social justice and is a Social Justice Super Warrior Princess! If you would like to contribute to her cause, you can contact her at outreach@ncasv.org

Visit the Nevada Coalition Against Sexual Violence to learn more about this organization that enhances the abilities of service providers through training, education, public policy, networking and technical assistance while promoting sexual violence awareness throughout the state. For more information, call (775) 355-2220

Freida
2011 Winners Kari Ramos & Freida Carbery

To learn more about the event, click here to download our press release