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The Robert E. Strippel Memorial Fund for Continuing Dialogue on Justice and Human Rights

The Continuing Dialogue on Justice and Human Rights is an annual program devoted to the discussion and debate of local, regional, national, and global human rights issues and concerns coordinated and supported by the Robert E. Strippel Memorial Fund.

A Social Justice Leadership Approach

Social Justice Leadership is a continuous process of critical self-reflection and action. It relies on diverse perspectives to co-create interdependent networks of solidarity; and its goal is to promote human dignity and liberation for a more just, equitable, and sustainable planet. Strippel accomplishes this through dialogue, deep listening, and collective social responsibility.

Pillars of Social Justice Leadership

Continuing Dialogue: a bridging mechanism to advance advocacy, justice, and social change.

Deep Listening: as a strategy to create a sense of connectedness (belonging) and a just civil society.

Collective Social Responsibility: as a practice to take action for the common good, and building democratic governance and civil society.

Planning Committee

  • Ann Elizabeth Armstrong, Associate Professor, Department of Theatre, Miami University.
  • Jacqueline Daugherty, Associate Teaching Professor, Individualized Studies, Miami University. Current Chair of the Robert E. Strippel Memorial Fund Committee.
  • Janis Dutton, Former Director of Oxford Citizens for Peace and Justice.
  • Deloris R. Hudson, Alumna, Miami University. Retired Teacher, Member of the National Education Association.
  • Kathy McMahom-Klosterman, Professor Emerita of Educational Psychology, Miami University.
  • Jacqueline Rioja Velarde,Program Manager, Myaamia Center.

About Robert Strippel

Robert Strippel, for whom the fund is named, served the Miami University community for over fifteen years (1958-1974), and he was Miami’s Coordinator of Volunteer and Religious Programs at the end of his career. He had a life-long commitment to human rights and social justice, and was active in helping to organize the Freedom Summer ‘64 Training at the Western College for Women. He is survived by his wife, Jane Strippel, who shares his commitment in her work as a teacher, a conflict mediation trainer, and an active member of the Strippel Fund Committee for years.

robert strippel

The Memorial Fund: A Brief History

The Robert E. Strippel Memorial Fund for Continuing Dialogue on Justice and Human Rights was endowed in 1977 to honor the late Robert E. Strippel, Coordinator of Volunteer and Religious Programs at Miami University, and to further the concerns that were uppermost in his work and personal life: stimulating in the University and the wider community an awareness of and sensitivity to the nature and demands of social justice in the contemporary world, and identifying modes of response to human need and injustice in society.

A committee composed of members of the faculty, staff, student body, Miami University alumni, and members of the community serve as stewards of Robert’s vision and administer the fund. The committee’s mission is to identify current issues that have important implications for justice and human rights, and to determine the best way, through various program formats, to bring the issue to a public forum, and to create opportunities for dialogue on the issue.

2023 - How to Resist our State Legislature’s Anti-CRE and Anti-Q+ Initiatives

12:30-2:45 p.m.
Part of the Across the Divide Conference
Leading Through Innovation and Creativity for Transformative Inclusion

The Robert E. Strippel Memorial Fund for Continuing Dialogue on Justice and Human Rights has over 40 years of experience facilitating critical social justice conversations on and off campus. Lisa Vahey, from Honesty for Ohio Education, will partner with the Strippel Memorial Fund Program to lead this interactive workshop. Workshop facilitator Vahey will educate participants on the school-related anti-CRE and anti-Q+ bills and laws currently active at the Ohio statehouse and will demonstrate how we can push back against these hate and harm-based initiatives.

Participant learning objectives

Participants will:

  • gain an understanding of their own social and institutional position in relationship to others, and
  • generate at least two actions they can put into practice that reflects workshop goals within their own spheres of influence.

Workshop Facilitators

Lisa Vahey is a former teacher & school leader and a co-founder of Honesty for Ohio Education. Honesty is a nonpartisan statewide coalition that champions honest education, affirmation of identities and cultures, and local control in education. The coalition serves as a centralized source for the education, advocacy, resources, and partnerships necessary to protect honesty in education across Ohio. Born from a grassroots effort of committed Ohioans, Honesty for Ohio Education proudly represents students, families, educators, advocacy organizations, legal professionals, researchers, policy experts, and faith groups.

Jacqueline Daugherty is the Chair of the fund committee for Miami’s own Robert E. Strippel Memorial Fund for Continuing Dialogue for Justice and Human Rights. Strippel has worked for over 40 years to support and develop social justice leadership on campus and in the Oxford community. She is also an Associate Teaching Professor in the Western Program for Individualized Studies, and she directs the Western Center for Social Impact and Innovation. She is a native Ohioan and a sociologist with teaching and research interests in inequality, gender/sexuality, and project-based learning.

Workshop Schedule

12:30-1 p.m.

Strippel Memorial Fund Program will present:

Intro to Strippel Memorial Fund's history, work, and campus contributions, including the showing of our community story video.

1-1:30 p.m.

Honesty for Ohio Education will present:

Intro: history and mission of Honesty's work, which demonstrates that the grassroots efforts of people on ground can successfully mobilize to a statewide movement

Share the state of national education and make connections back to Ohio

1:30-1:45 p.m.

Participant break

1:45-2:45 p.m.

Honesty for Ohio Education will facilitate an interactive workshop implementing activities and discussion to:

  • Situate participants in the climate of public ed in Ohio
  • Describe Honesty's 3 priority lanes of action and how participants can work in each lane: Ohio State House, Ohio’s State Board of Ed, Local Boards of Ed and individual school communities (hate and harm looks similar across the board, but is implemented differently in each place)
  • Support participants to generate a personal plan of action for what they can do to protect Ohio students, teachers, and families from these radical and exclusionary bills and policies.

About Honesty For Ohio Education

Honesty for Ohio Education is a nonpartisan statewide coalition that champions honest education, affirmation of identities and cultures, and local control in education. The coalition serves as a centralized source for the education, advocacy, resources, and partnerships necessary to protect honesty in education across Ohio. Born from a grassroots effort of committed Ohioans, Honesty for Ohio Education proudly represents students, families, educators, advocacy organizations, legal professionals, researchers, policy experts, and faith groups.

To learn more visit Honesty for Ohio Education.

2022 Depolarizing Within: Exploring Braver Angels' Methods for Dialogues across Difference

Wednesday, March 2, 5-7 p.m.
Virtual Workshop

A free workshop to support you to become aware of your "inner polarizer" and learn methods for disagreeing without contempt and ridicule.

Much of today’s polarization is driven by how we talk with like-minded people about those on the other side. Too often, we stereotype, dismiss, or ridicule our fellow citizens who support the other political party, its leaders, and its policies.

This free workshop supports participants to build skills in:

  • How to be more aware of their own "inner polarizer"
  • How to be critical without demonizing, dismissing or stereotyping large swaths of the population
  • Strategies for intervening constructively in social conversations with like-minded peers when these conversations veer into contempt and ridicule for people who hold other political views.

Students who participate in this workshop can earn credit toward their Leadership and Service Certificate.

Workshop Moderators

Beverly Horstman joined Braver Angels in 2018 as a member and became trained as a moderator. In 2019, Beverly accepted the role of Ohio State Coordinator with the national organization, providing her with the ability to combine her personal commitment and her educational degree with 40 years of business experience. She has organized over 35 workshops and assisted as a co-moderator. As State Coordinator, Beverly actively supports the five local Braver Angels Alliances working throughout Ohio.

Eugene Rutz is Assistant Dean for eLearning and Emerging Programs in the College of Engineering and Applied Science at the University of Cincinnati. He oversees the Master of Engineering programs and college eLearning initiative. Eugene also supports College international activities including faculty-led study abroad and teaches professional skills courses for engineering students. Eugene is a trained moderator for Braver Angels workshops and has led numerous online and on land workshops in Ohio and Kentucky.

Who should attend? Anyone interested in examining their own inner polarization and learning strategies to disagree without condemning or ridiculing others.

Co-sponsored by Miami University’s Robert E. Strippel Memorial Fund for Continuing Dialogue on Justice and Human Rights; the Menard Family Center for Democracy; and in partnership with Wilks Institute for Leadership and Service, NAACP Oxford Chapter, and the Global Initiatives' Center for American and World Cultures.

Resources

Braver Angels, Our Story, Building a House United

Understanding Political Polarization on Social Media, Politically Speaking Program presented by PBS Michiana. Aired: April 9, 2021

Fall 2021 - Everyday Heroes: COVID-19 Impact in Ohio’s Education Landscape

7 p.m., Tuesday, October 19

Students and faculty in education have been among those most affected by COVID-19. From the switch to online education and back to the struggle over mask and vaccine mandates, school faculty and students have been at ground zero in their attempts to mitigate some of the worst impacts of COVID. We will hear from students and faculty about their experiences so far and their recommendations for the future.

Moderator

Deloris Hudson, retired Teacher and member of the planning committee of the Robert Strippel Memorial Fund for Continuing Dialogue on Justice and Human Rights

Panelists

Deborah Jackson, Vice President at Southwest Ohio Education Association and Teacher at Princeton City Schools

Jannie Kamara, Miami University Alumna (2021) and President of MU Associated Student Government (2020-2021)

Rachel Williams, current Student at Fairfield City Schools

Related resources and websites

Register Now: Everyday Heroes

Ohio Schools Board Association, COVID-19 Resources

Education in a Pandemic: The Disparate Impacts of COVID-19 on America’s Students, U.S.A. Department of Education - Office of Civil Rights.

COVID-19 Well-Being Toolkit and Resources, Center for Healthy Minds, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Fall 2021 - Unemployment, Hunger, and Housing Crisis: COVID-19 and the Pillars of Insecurity

6 p.m., Tuesday, November 16

So many individuals and families were already living on the edge of hunger and homelessness, and the global pandemic tipped many over the brink. We will talk with local organizations that address these basic needs about how the pandemic has changed the calculus of where the next meal is coming from.

Moderator

Kathy McMahon-Klosterman, Eminent Faculty Scholar for Community Engagement & Service, Emerita; Professor Emerita: Educational Psychology; Affiliate: Women’s Studies; Disability Studies; Interdisciplinary Studies, Miami University; member of the planning committee of the Robert Strippel Memorial Fund for Continuing Dialogue on Justice and Human Rights

Panelists

Ann Fuehrer, Director, Talawanda Oxford Pantry and Social Services, TOPSS

Mark Mussman, Director, Education, Greater Cincinnati Homeless Coalition

Melissa Mosby, Member, Speakers Bureau, Greater Cincinnati Homeless Coalition

 

Related resources and websites

Talawanda Oxford Pantry and Social Services, TOPSS

Register Now: COVID-19 Pillars of Insecurity

Greater Cincinnati Homeless Coalition

Impact of COVID-19 on people’s livelihoods, their health and our food systems

Ohio COVID-19 Minority Health Strike Force has a blueprint of recommendations to respond to the disparities.

Census 2020: Ohioans at Risk of Undercounting and the Impact of Covid-19

Food insecurity and mental health of women during COVID-19: Evidence from a developing country

The 2021 Panel Series is sponsored by the Robert E. Strippel Memorial Fund for Continuing Dialogue on Human Rights and Social Justice in partnership with the Center for American and World Cultures; Butler County Board of Developmental Disabilities; the Ohio Department of Health; the Ohio Commission on Hispanic Latino Affairs; the Oxford Citizens for Peace and Justice; and MujerLatinaToday, media partner.

Co-curricular Program Goals

This program will provide:

  1. opportunities to explore and establish a shared language regarding the meaning of equity, systemic equity and collective social responsibility to better define best practices of planning, response and recover from COVID-19 pandemic -locally and globally;
  2. comprehensive health equity data, data analysis and outcomes regarding the overrepresentation of underrepresented communities affected by the COVID-19 pandemic in Ohio and beyond; and
  3. an exposure to dialogue mechanisms to create a space for learning-sharing, reflection, and opportunities to take democratic civic action.

Learning outcomes

Participants will:

    1. reflect on how/why re-framing the meaning of equity, systemic equity and social responsibility can create, support and sustain a strong social justice leadership development;
    2. assess and summarize the key take away of their reflections and define how/ why is a matter to collective social responsibility to cultivate their personal and professional civic skill building capacities and democratic agency; and
    3. design action strategies focusing on equity, systemic equity and collective social responsibility best practices - to imagine alternatives to transform the present and the future of democratic, just and sustainable societies.

Co-Curricular Connections

For more information contact:

Resources

Health concerns from COVID-19 much higher among Hispanics and Blacks than Whites

Ensuring Equity in COVID-19 Planning, Response, and Recovery Decision Making

Ohio’s Executive Response: A Plan of Action to Advance Equity [PDF]

Equity vs. Equality and Other Racial Definitions

Impact of COVID-19 on people’s livelihoods, their health and our food systems

The COVID-19 pandemic underscores the need for and equity-focused global health agenda

America: Equity and Equality in Health 3. Structural racism and health inequities in the USA: evidence and interventions

Hispanic women, immigrants, young adults, those with less education hit hardest by COVID-19 job losses

Economy and COVID-19 Top to the Public’s Policy Agenda for 2021

How structural racism harms Black Americans’ health

Ohio COVID-19 Minority Health Strike Force has a blueprint of recommendations to respond to the disparities.

COVID-19 Pandemic Has Increased Ohio's Human Trafficking Vulnerability While Diminishing Response

COVID-19 in Ohio hitting African Americans hardest

Census 2020: Ohioans at Risk of Undercounting and the Impact of Covid-19

Spring 2021 -  The Responsibility to Act: Health Equity and Social Justice Leadership

2011 - 2020

2020 Voting Rights and Access in 2020

2019| Protect the Vote: Voter Suppression and Rights in 2020, lecture | Camille Wimbish, Election Administration Director, Ohio Voice.

2018 | 21st Century Indian Rights: Interrupting the Dominant Narrative, lecture | Judith LeBlanc, Director of the Native Organizers Alliance and Roddenberry Fellow.

2017 | Legacies of loss: Intergenerational Trauma, Coming Together to Build Resistance, lecture | Laura van Dernoot, Director and Founder, The Trauma Stewardship Institute.

2016 | Eradicating the School to Prison Pipeline, lecture | Judith Browne Dianis, co-director, Advancement Project.
Dismantling the School to Prison Pipeline: A Call to Action, panel | Judith Browne Dianis, co-director, Advancement Project, panel moderator.

2015 | Our government is broken because the system is fixed: Creating a real democracy movement, lecture | Greg Coleridge, Director, Justice and Empowerment Program, Northeast Ohio American Friends Service Committee.

2014 | Working Across Race and Age: Building an Inter-generational, Multi-racial Movement, workshops on community organizing | Pam McMichael, Highlander Research and Education Center.
Social Justice Organizing and the Continuing Business of Freedom Summer, lecture | Pam McMichael, Highlander Research and Education Center.

2013 | We the People Not the Corporations, lecture | David Cobb, National Projects Director, Democracy Unlimited.
Implications of Corporate Personhood in Ohio, roundtable discussion with local activists led by Greg Coleridge, American Friends Service Committee.

2012 | Media and Democracy in the Upcoming Upheaval, lecture | Robert McChesney, Gutgsell Endowed Professor, Department of Communication, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Media and Democracy, symposium | Robert McChesney & Jared Ball, associate professor, Department of Communication, Morgan State University and columnist for BlackAgendaReport.com.

2011 | Environmental Justice and the Green-Collar Economy, lecture | Van Jones, civil rights activist; founder of Green for All, the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights, and Color of Change -non-profits organizations.
Economic Practice as Environmental Activism: New Directions in Activism, symposium.

Give A Gift

Please consider showing support for this fund by giving a gift.

Billy Simms and Jacque Daugherty outside of Peabody Hall, location of the Western Center
Contact Us

Dr. Jacqueline Daugherty

Director, Western Center

Billy Simms

Coordinator, Western Center