Yearly Archives: 2020
NEXT MEETING: October 16, 2020Steven Pignataro, Vitalant Vitalant (“Vye-TAL-ent”) is the nation’s second largest community blood service provider, supplying comprehensive transfusion medicine services for nearly 1,000 hospitals and health care partners for patients in need across 40 states. Vitalant’s network of blood centers work in tandem, moving lifesaving donations throughout the system to help ensure blood is available when and where it is needed most. In the Bay Area, we support over 45 hospitals. MEETING OFWelcomeAnnouncements
RecognitionsHappy and Sad DollarsNorm’s NonsensePROGRAMPREVIOUS PROGRAMOctober 9th Program – District Governor 5160 Mark Roberts President Stacey Street-Spight introduced our speaker, Mark Roberts Mark started with a warm welcome to the Richmond club and thankful for the opportunity to join our virtual club meeting. He gave kudos to Jan Brown, for handling the club transition from in person meetings to Zoom meetings online during her presidency. Our district includes 75 clubs from Shasta to the South Bay, so he noted that it is difficult for him to attend club meetings in person. Mark shared that his District Governor orientation included 530 new District Governors and that some of the spoken languages included Mandarin, Japanese, and Portuguese. At the orientation, the top goals identified were to focus on our membership, acknowledge our contributions and the difference we are making in our community. Mark shared that our district has experienced a decrease in membership, down to 3,200 members. To address this, he encouraged a focus on our improving our contacts with young people, using established channels like Interact, and Camp Royal/Camp Venture, and encouraging college based clubs and community based clubs. In addition, the outreach goals are to specifically increase diversity and include community members who were historically not members of the local Rotary clubs. The objective is to change the image of Rotary as a social lunch club and instead showcase our service projects, starting with the incoming International President, changing the face of Rotary. Mark encouraged each member to tell their Rotary story, consider the reasons why you keep coming back and participating in events and share your story far and wide. Ask friends and colleagues to join the club and increase our ability to build friendship and fellowship. Mark invited all club members to attend the 2021 conference in Sacramento. During Q&A, Herb Cole shared asked about the status of the international conference in June in Taipei, Taiwan. Mark confirmed that 40 members from our district are registered and ready for travel. Stoney asked if Rotary had a mechanism or plans to share public health advice and information. Mark noted that there are no plans to make announcements. Pierre asked if Mark had any updates on the status of the annual resolutions submitted for addition the ballot. Mark advised that he would check in with Candy Pierce, our rep to the council on resolutions, and follow up. Stoney asked about the status of the Rotary project, the eradication of Polio. Mark was pleased to share that the continent of Africa has been cleared of the wild Polio virus, but work is still ongoing in Pakistan and Afghanistan. President Stacey thanked Mark for meeting with our club and sharing his vision as the incoming District Governor and showcasing the impact of our Service projects on our local community. |
NEXT MEETING: October 9, 2020ROTARY DISTRICT 5160 UPDATES Please join us for a very special club meeting next week. District Governor Mark Roberts will outline his vision and priorities for District 5160 during the 2020-21 Rotary Year. He also wants to learn about Richmond Rotary’s concerns and goals. In an ever-changing environment, it is more important than ever that local Rotary clubs and the district work together and share challenges, solutions and ideas. LINK TO THIS WEEK’S MEETING ON ZOOM Date & Time: October 9, 12:30 PM Meeting ID: 948 6004 7682 For security reasons, we are now sending invitations to our members and those who specifically ask to be invited each week. The link above is now a recurring meeting link, which will work for each week. You are welcome to forward this information to anyone you would like to invite. MEETING OFWelcomeAnnouncements
RecognitionsHappy and Sad DollarsNorm’s NonsensePROGRAMOctober 2nd Program – The Parents’ Guide to Climate Revolution: Mary DeMocker Pierre Thompson introduced our speaker, Mary DeMocker Mary first shared her solidarity with the club on the impact of the fires and the smoke on our air quality. She shared her journey joining the climate revolution and her personal perspective. As a mother of two small children, she started making lifestyle and dietary changes to minimize her impact on the environment but noticed that the focus on conservation was primarily on individuals, but not large commercial industries. Mary decided that she needed to make an impact using the tools she had at hand. She began by writing letters by herself and then organized groups of people to write letters, eventually landing on art as a vehicle for her message. She started with small art projects in her front lawn, calling attention to the impact of climate change on human life. Her big break came when she found out about a Canadian corporation that were planning to displace Oregon residents to accommodate an upcoming oil pipeline project. Mary collaborated with her neighbors and created a life-sized fake pipeline down her residential street, with her and her neighbors houses marked as condemned. This art installation and selfie spot resulted in educating many more people about the impact of the planned project and was picked up by a climate change activist. As a result, the project was shelved and the residents were not displaced. Continuing on her journey, on the eve of the Paris Talks, Mary created a video with a heartfelt message about changing the paradigm and focusing on alternative energy systems. Her video was included with messages from other groups and shown to the world leaders in attendance. The culmination of these efforts led to Mary writing her book to give other people ideas on how to participate and make a difference. Her book was written over 2 years ago, which allows for an evaluation of how we have progressed and what has changed. The climate analysis results identified that we have until 2030 to take specific action to change course. Mary shared the 3 steps identified to help: Mary proposed that a conscious switch to alternative energy systems, wind and solar energy sources as a default, would align with the Sunrise Movement, the Green New Deal, and change the trajectory of the entire power industry. Combined with a strategy to manage our forests and coastlines, this process would create new careers and jobs. Mary stated that the legacy of the climate crisis and its impacts connect directly to the quality of life for African and Latino people around the planet. However, the recent non-violent protests and restructure of society seen due to COVID-19 has also showed us the power of participation. Mary advised each club member to find an non-partisan organization, like MoveOn.org, to learn more and make sure their voice is heard by participating in the upcoming election. During Q&A, Nick Despota shared his personal experience taking action after hearing Mary speak on NPR and purchasing her book. Nick shared that in addition to adopting a conservation lifestyle, he has also written over 350 letters. Mac noted that the Berkeley Rotary Club has a Climate Change committee, the Berkeley Rotary Climate Action Team (RCAT). The RCAT meets biweekly via Zoom on Thursdays at 1:00 pm. For meeting details, please contact Ignacio Franco, Berkeley Rotary. Sidney shared an alternative perspective on the various types of human conservation practices around the world compared to the impact of the natural causes contributing to the climate changes. Mary closed by acknowledging that we in the US have a choice to limit our impact on the planet as the largest polluter. We can choose to try and save and protect the earth. President Stacey thanked Mary for showcasing the interconnectedness of climate change and racial justice and that we are a bipartisan club where all views are welcome. |
NEXT MEETING: October 2, 2020THE PARENTS’ GUIDE TO CLIMATE REVOLUTION Mary’s book, The Parents’ Guide to Climate Revolution: 100 Ways to Build a Fossil-Free Future, Raise Empowered Kids, and Still Get a Good Night’s Sleep (foreword by Bill McKibben) is a 2019 Oregon Book Award finalist and has been recommended on NPR and in The New York Times. DeMocker is the co-founder and former creative director of 350 Eugene, with whom she designed and co-led youth-centered protests featured on PBS NewsHour, ArtCOP21 9 (the global climate art festival), and in an Avaaz video shown to world leaders at Paris climate talks. She has written about creative climate advocacy for The Sun, Sierra, Spirituality & Health, EcoWatch, The Oregonian, and Common Dreams. For photos of the author’s public installations, including the block-long faux pipeline to protest Oregon’s proposed fracked-gas export pipeline, or to sign up for her newsletter, visit marydemocker.com. LINK TO THIS WEEK’S MEETING ON ZOOM Date & Time: October 2, 12:30 PM Meeting ID: 948 6004 7682 For security reasons, we are now sending invitations to our members and those who specifically ask to be invited each week. The link above is now a recurring meeting link, which will work for each week. You are welcome to forward this information to anyone you would like to invite. MEETING OFWelcomeAnnouncements
RecognitionsHappy and Sad DollarsNorm’s NonsensePROGRAMSeptember 25th Program – A World on the Move; Rev. Dr. David Vásquez-Levy, President, Pacific School of Religion Jan Brown introduced our speaker, Rev. Dr. David Vásquez-Levy. Rev. Dr. Vásquez-Levy shared that his father-in-law is a Rotarian and that his family visits always included collecting flags from the local Rotary clubs when he was living abroad. David talked about becoming a Lutheran minister while having a Jewish grandmother, and how his rich family history impacts his work at the Pacific School of Religion, the oldest seminary west of the Mississippi, The education strategy of the seminary is focused on a commitment to higher education in a religious context, giving spiritual leaders from different faiths the tools to address the ancient/medieval type problems that our society is facing today. Davis shared a short video, The Ants Trail, to demonstrate how the narrative shapes our perception of an event and the affected parties. In the video, the strategy that the ants employ to continuously identify food sources is used to compare/contrast the human quest for food and a safe environment in which to live. David pointed out a series of biblical stories, the Book of Ruth, as an example of the collapse of a political system at the same time as an environmental crisis that leads to forced immigration and the displacement of people. He compared this to a recent modern example, the conflict in Syria that was triggered by a drought in the north of the region that was not addressed and the cascading impact on the local residents. Next, we took a closer look at the California demographics and the immigration status of our residents: 27% of California residents are immigrants (compared to 22% in New York). That means that out of the estimated 45M immigrants in the US today, 11M reside in California. Within that group, 5M are already US citizens, 2.2M are eligible but have not applied, and approximately 2.9M are undocumented. Additionally, 55% of the successful billion dollar start up companies in the US were started by or managed by an immigrant. Another perspective of these demographics is that 47% of children in California have at least 1 immigrant parent. This means that how their parents are treated will have a direct impact on the value sets and perspectives of these children on their own place in the world. As a Lutheran minister, David regularly shares a variety of biblical stories to highlight other perspectives on the plight of displaced families and communities. Within each story, there is a narrative that drives the theme and how the events are framed. Rev. Dr. Vásquez-Levy closed by asking the club to consider how we will describe the challenges facing our community and environment today and how this narrative will directly impact our effectiveness and ability to address and mitigate the socioeconomic conflicts. During Q&A, club members shared their personal experiences with immigration issues and asked about hope for the future. David recommended reading the works of Langston Hughes and acknowledging the positive ways that people of African and Latino descent continue to contribute to society and expect inclusion. President Stacey thanked the speaker for his timely presentation. |
NEXT MEETING: September 25, 2020A WORLD ON THE MOVE Rev. Dr. David Vásquez-Levy serves as President of Pacific School of Religion in Berkeley, California -a progressive, multi denominational seminary and center for social justice that prepares theologically and spiritually rooted leaders to work for the well-being of all. A committed Pastor, a nationally recognized immigration leader, and a sought after speaker, Vásquez-Levy leads at the intersection of faith, higher education, and social change. Vásquez-Levy regularly contributes a faith perspective to the national conversation on immigration, including speaking at a Congressional briefing and participating in two immigration consultations at the White House. He is currently engaged in a series of public conversations with various State Attorneys around the country in an effort to reframe our national conversation about immigration. He has worked on and consulted on a number of documentaries on immigration, labor, and human rights and is the author of various publications that explore migration stories in sacred texts and in people’s lives. He has lived in four countries, including working on refugee resettlement in Canada, and taught courses and led international study and service trips across the globe. Vásquez-Levy holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science from Texas Lutheran University and a Master of Divinity and Doctor of Ministry degrees from the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago, including studies at Ludwig Maximilians University in Munich, Germany. LINK TO THIS WEEK’S MEETING ON ZOOM Date & Time: September 25, 12:30 PM Meeting ID: 948 6004 7682 For security reasons, we are now sending invitations to our members and those who specifically ask to be invited each week. The link above is now a recurring meeting link, which will work for each week. You are welcome to forward this information to anyone you would like to invite. MEETING OFWelcomeAnnouncements
RecognitionsHappy and Sad DollarsNorm’s NonsensePROGRAMSeptember 19th Program – Discuss our club response to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: our club goals and program history President Stacey Street-Spight noted that Erle’s announcement about our annual program at Peres School was the perfect introduction into our topic of the day, our club programs and Committees. Don Lau reported on the Community Services Committee program history, partnerships with other clubs, and upcoming events:
Norm Lundberg introduced the International Committee team members and invited all members to participate in the once a month meeting and consider traveling to meet our grantees in person. He reviewed the strategy and scope of the International Committee programs and the targeted populations: Health, Sanitation, and Education for women, children and people impacted by poverty. Every program must be located near our location and already have a fellowship with a local Rotary club and an existing Rotary International grantee designation to facilitate long term sustainability. Programs include:
Pierre Thompson, from the Communications Committee, advised that the speakers for the rest of the year have been scheduled and posted on the website. President Stacey thanked Pierre and committee chair, Nakele Rechenauer, for the new social media strategy to target younger potential members and the addition of an Instagram account. President Stacey noted that the Miraflores centennial project event, our opportunity to celebrate and show appreciation for our donor contributions, has been postponed due to the ongoing shelter-in-place. As a result, other in-person fundraising events like the Annual Crab Feed are being evaluated for curbside pick up or virtual versions. She also noted that we need to find a connection between our donation request and the fundraiser, create virtual events to meet new people. Next, the Zoom meeting participants were separated into breakout sessions, similar to our small lunch tables at the in-person Rotary meetings, to discuss the topic: our club response to diversity, equity, and inclusion. The group reconvened after the breakout sessions and one group had time to share their reflections: knowledge is power and education is the key. The book, An American Dilemma, written in 1944, was recommended by Stoney as a tool that can still be used to educate members on diversity, equity, and inclusion and how to use connection and inclusion to recruit new members and improve participation with existing members. President Stacey thanked everyone for their participation and pledged to incorporate breakout groups into future meetings. |
NEXT MEETING: September 18, 2020DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION As a club, we will review our goals and discuss our response to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. LINK TO THIS WEEK’S MEETING ON ZOOM Date & Time: September 18, 12:30 PM Meeting ID: 948 6004 7682 For security reasons, we are now sending invitations to our members and those who specifically ask to be invited each week. The link above is now a recurring meeting link, which will work for each week. You are welcome to forward this information to anyone you would like to invite. MEETING OFWelcomeAnnouncements
RecognitionsHappy and Sad DollarsNorm’s NonsensePROGRAMSeptember 11th Program – Pierre Thompson introduced Roger Eaton, Voices of Humanity. Roger opened the conversation by acknowledging the upcoming 75th anniversary of the founding of the United Nation in San Francisco and the original goals. He referenced a childhood story of his understanding of Adam and Eve as a reminder that we are all cousins. From there, Roger reviewed the current status of the UN goals and a recent impact analysis of climate change on the planet: a 68% decline in biodiversity and the threat of extinction for over 1 million species. He shared that the doughnut economy model is replacing the neoliberal perspective in order to identify standards to maintain our ecosystem and environment. The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals identified for 2030, abbreviated as SDGs, include a wide range of topics and areas: poverty, food insecurity, health, education, gender equality, water and sanitation, sustainable energy, economic growth, infrastructure and manufacturing, resolving inequality, creating sustainable cities, sustainable usage and consumption, mitigating climate change, maintaining ocean sustainability, supporting biodiversity, global partnerships to improve business and commerce. The former top priority, nuclear disarmament, is not mentioned in this list, but peace and global consciousness about our environment is the larger goal of Voices of Humanity. The objective of Voices of Humanity, http://voh.intermix.com, is to bring people together, identify messages from each community, about each community and build a voice for all people to combine apart and together, (A and T). The upcoming UN event on October 24th is launch day, over 100 participants from 5 nations will come together and identify international topics for the UN to address and ensure that each nation has a voice. During Q&A, Roger mentioned his work building the San Francisco UN goals website, SFUNgoals.com, which consisted of writing and presenting a resolution to make a difference. The Voices of Humanity fundraising objectives are to raise funds to hire people to perform outreach and facilitate a viral international conversation similar to the Mayors for Peace commitments. Stoney suggested reaching out to the superintendent of schools and starting early, educating children in elementary school and high school about manners, morals, and global consciousness. Roger mentioned that one project being evaluated is Adopt a Species, giving students an opportunity to study and save endangered plants and animals. Mac mentioned the model UN program that already exists in Berkeley schools and recommended we find a champion in the Richmond School district. Since the club already works with Peres elementary school and has a club member with Rotary International connections, Liliane Koziol, we can leverage those connections to identify ways that Richmond Rotary Club can promote these goals. |
