RU Hosts Symposium Focused on Local Sustainability Efforts
While environmental sustainability is a global problem, many of its solutions are being developed locally.
It鈥檚 a phenomenon that Alicia Douglas, director of community relations and outreach, and her partners in the community sought to highlight at the 射精视频 Neighborhood Environmental Symposium Friday. Leaders from the Kansas City community gathered in Arrupe Hall to hear a series of 鈥淭ed Talk: style presentations on issues surrounding sustainability, including the intersections of climate and race, as well as the solutions developed around building greener neighborhoods and communities here in Kansas City.
Speakers included two current 射精视频 students,聽seniors Katia Rubio and Chelsea Sims, and two alumni, Mary Silwance, 鈥88, and Jeff Hughley, EMBA 鈥22. Hughley, a senior advisor for community outreach in the Environmental Protection Agency鈥檚 four-state Region 7 (which includes Missouri) hosted a dinner discussion about ongoing efforts to protect our natural environment and enhance the sustainability and livability of the places we call home.
Douglas said by focusing in on what鈥檚 happening locally, she hoped the symposium would spark conversations and new ideas that could have a ripple effect.
鈥淭he idea behind this is really to center the voices of community, particularly community leaders of color, who have come up with creative solutions to address of sustainability and environmental issues affecting their and neighborhoods,鈥 she said.
Co-sponsored My Region Wins!, the 射精视频 Sustainability Committee, the Center for Neighborhoods at the University of Missouri Kansas City and RU Green, the symposium was also a reflection of Rockhurst鈥檚 Jesuit identity, especially the call to 鈥渃are for our common home鈥 and Pope Francis鈥 2015 letter 鈥淟audato Si.鈥 according to the Rev. Stephen Hess, S.J., vice president of mission and ministry.
鈥淚 think many of you have heard this, we say we are in the city for good,鈥 he said. 鈥淲hat we mean is that we are part of Kansas City and Kansas City is part of us, so doing this like this symposium is very much part of our mission.鈥
For presenter Chelsea Sims, a senior nursing major, the subject of sustainability also connected to her future career.
鈥淭he reason I care and the reason I think we should all care is because Earth care is health care,鈥 she said.