Our friend Sherri Bevel just earned her Ph.D. after fifteen years of personal struggle. She accomplished this through the grief of losing her partner of 25 years to a sudden heart attack and scraping by while sheltering people in need, no questions asked. A child of the Civil Rights Movement, last year she simultaneously earned the highest level of certification as a Kingian nonviolence trainer from the University of Rhode Island's International Summer Nonviolence Institute and co-founded the Addie Wyatt Center for Nonviolence Training in Chicago, devoted to the empowerment of the most at-risk young people in the city.
"We're only alive for a minute" she likes to quote her father James Bevel, so we must make our lives both meaningful and joyful. Last Christmas, Sherri wrote to all of her friends:
As so many of us reflect upon the birth and journey of one of history's greatest warriors for social justice, I am reflecting upon the many blessings and advantages that I have been given in this life. I think about the love of my friends and family that has shored me up through bad times and encouraged me to run head first into better ones.
As I look forward to the new year, my greatest wish is that we find ourselves equal to the tasks before us. That we find the courage to confront hatred, ignorance and wickedness in high places. That despite all the setbacks and influences to the contrary, that we continue to build community.
Today we have the chance to return Sherri's love. Now that Sherri has her doctorate in political science from the University of Chicago, she is ready to broaden her reach as a teacher, mentor, and world changer. She has an opportunity to take a two-week social justice tour to Africa from June 22-July 19. Led by veteran Chicago civil rights activist Prexy Nesbitt, this Making the Road by Walking tour, "Teaching 'Africa' in a Transnational Age: Countries, Continents, and Global Social Justice," would allow her to connect the "unfinished agendas" in the struggle for social justice for both Africans and African Americans.
Sherri will bring it all home. "At this point in history, an understanding of ones self as a citizen of the world is critical as we address issues like statelessness, global economic inequalities, nuclear arms," Sherri writes in her application. This unmatched opportunity will help Sherri connect the dots as a nonviolence teacher and activist. In these times, there's no more important work than creating nonviolent spaces in our city, and indeed a nonviolent culture in our world.
We couldn't support Sherri more in that effort! She comes into her own, and we all benefit too. Any funds raised beyond the $5,500 Sherri needs to afford this seminar will be donated to the Addie Wyatt Center for Nonviolence Training , the nonprofit organization Sherri co-founded, for its "peace in the schools" programs.
"Sherri is an apostle for nonviolence," affirms Prexy Nesbitt, and by making this pilgrimage for nonviolence to Africa, she will be walking the steps that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. himself had hoped to walk.
So what better gift to give Sherri than the gift of this pilgrimage? Together, we will make possible Sherri's Journey.
We are so deeply grateful to you for your support.
In peace and joy,
Consuella, Gail, and LaJuana
"We're only alive for a minute" she likes to quote her father James Bevel, so we must make our lives both meaningful and joyful. Last Christmas, Sherri wrote to all of her friends:
As so many of us reflect upon the birth and journey of one of history's greatest warriors for social justice, I am reflecting upon the many blessings and advantages that I have been given in this life. I think about the love of my friends and family that has shored me up through bad times and encouraged me to run head first into better ones.
As I look forward to the new year, my greatest wish is that we find ourselves equal to the tasks before us. That we find the courage to confront hatred, ignorance and wickedness in high places. That despite all the setbacks and influences to the contrary, that we continue to build community.
Today we have the chance to return Sherri's love. Now that Sherri has her doctorate in political science from the University of Chicago, she is ready to broaden her reach as a teacher, mentor, and world changer. She has an opportunity to take a two-week social justice tour to Africa from June 22-July 19. Led by veteran Chicago civil rights activist Prexy Nesbitt, this Making the Road by Walking tour, "Teaching 'Africa' in a Transnational Age: Countries, Continents, and Global Social Justice," would allow her to connect the "unfinished agendas" in the struggle for social justice for both Africans and African Americans.
Sherri will bring it all home. "At this point in history, an understanding of ones self as a citizen of the world is critical as we address issues like statelessness, global economic inequalities, nuclear arms," Sherri writes in her application. This unmatched opportunity will help Sherri connect the dots as a nonviolence teacher and activist. In these times, there's no more important work than creating nonviolent spaces in our city, and indeed a nonviolent culture in our world.
We couldn't support Sherri more in that effort! She comes into her own, and we all benefit too. Any funds raised beyond the $5,500 Sherri needs to afford this seminar will be donated to the Addie Wyatt Center for Nonviolence Training , the nonprofit organization Sherri co-founded, for its "peace in the schools" programs.
"Sherri is an apostle for nonviolence," affirms Prexy Nesbitt, and by making this pilgrimage for nonviolence to Africa, she will be walking the steps that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. himself had hoped to walk.
So what better gift to give Sherri than the gift of this pilgrimage? Together, we will make possible Sherri's Journey.
We are so deeply grateful to you for your support.
In peace and joy,
Consuella, Gail, and LaJuana
Organizer
Consuella Brown, LaJuana Myles, Gail Schechter
Organizer
Skokie, IL