See you next Semester!

Clothing Drive Update

Unfortunately, ADC and Student Development were not able to collaborate with Alliance for Change concerning the clothing drive. So, we decided to try something of a smaller scale. On December 7th Kalina Dietzel and I went door to door in the Pine and Furness dorms to pick up clothing donations. The responses were beautiful! All of the students were concerned and willing to donate. We collected three large bags in that day alone.

What We Still Need

We would still like to slip a flyer under each resident of Juniper and the Spruce dorms door, but we need help doing so. If you are a Uarts student or RA and would like to assist us, let me know.

We still need to place donation boxes in Juniper and Spruce. AASU graciously has agreed to donate their donation boxes used during the Winter Ball to assist with our project but we are still waiting for them to be emptied out.

Our Last Meeting

We also had our last meeting of the semester on yesterday. After collecting the donations, Kalina and I returned to the Pine Study room for our end of the year feast! We had pizza, compliments of Pine Street Pizza, and hand tossed salad, fresh bakery bread and butter, and drinks.

We spent the night evaluating the program and sharing our meal with those who popped in, lured by the smell of pizza.

Surely we have had a rewarding year!

What's Happening Next Semester!

Eliminating Waste in Dorm Proposal

Every semester and program's end tons of food, furniture, clothes, and supplies are thrown out. AFCOM would like to collaborate with Residential Life in order to instill a program that will take this waste and contribute it to local outreach ministries or businesses.

University Communication Proposal

Flyers are always strewed any old type of way, making it hard for the students to know what things are going on. AFCOM has a proposal to eliminate this.

Feed the Homeless with collaboration of ADC

Working with the Inner City Youth

We plan to collaborate with ADC concerning this. More details soon.

Questions? Ideas? Comments?

Join Us, All Welcome!

This organization is open to everyone! Including the public, alumni, and outside students. If you are interested, please contact me. I would also like to ask returning members to please email me their schedules for next semester so that we can choose an appropriate meeting time. I can be reached at johnsonr@uarts.edu

Acknowledgement

THANK YOU KALINA DIETZEL FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK AND DEDICATION!!!

Hope to hear from you soon!

Greetings!

Winter Ball

Our collaboration with AASU(African American Student Union), LSU(Latino Student Union), and Friends not Food, was a great success! The event took place on Dec. 4th, this past Friday. It was a learning experience for everyone, but together we were able to collect over three boxes of toys for Red Cross and over $200 for AidsLaw... And this was with the help of generally college students!

The night opened with food catered by LSU, Friends not Food, and AASU. Quizayra Gonzalez's mom threw down in the kitchen for this event with some absolutely delicious Latin American Dishes. Everyone happily talked amongst themselves while enjoying the food and before long all the food that had been ordered, including drinks, were gone.

Our opening gig, "Swift Techniques," hyped up the crowd while everyone finished up their meals and had everyone on their feet and begging for more by the end of their act.

Next our guest DJ/MC came on. We transitioned into LSU's "Salsa Lessons" and danced our feet off with the help and instruction of PhillyBloco/Alo Brasil's Angelica Cassimiro(current dance student at the Uarts). Ashley Clark also shared her time with us by taking some beautiful photos of groups of friends, couples, or singles. All of this was free with a simple donation of $5 or a toy. We were able to raffle off a few gifts and then finally at the end of night everyone banded together to help get the auditorium back into its original state.

Needless to say, I was dog-tired by the end of night but still had a fabulous time! Several people approached us during the duration of the night and shared their enjoyment and how they had been so impressed by the event.

Thank you to everyone who contributed! Especially you members of the organizations. You all worked so hard and because of this we were able to put a smile on someone's face because of the generous contributions!

Special Thanks

We would also like to especially thank Josh, City Paper Journalist, AFCOM's Advisor, Tim Appignani, and other friends for joining us and also making a notable contribution.

Myself and some of the other organization heads had the privilege of being interviewed/videotaped by Josh who was collecting research for a project. I was thankful to be of service and it was nice to talk about the organization and it's work.

Thank you again to everyone who made this project possible!

Feed the Homeless on Thanksgiving

No Meeting Next Week

Tentatives changes TBA

As I will be performing next Monday around 7pm in the Arts Bank Cabaret Space for Singer-Songwriter.

What are you doing this Thanksgiving?

I would like to cordially invite you to sacrifice an hour of your time early Thanksgiving afternoon to give back to the community. AFCOM is collaborating with Church on the Water(COTW) who will be giving out bagged meals to the homeless and less fortunate of the Camden area. Meals normally consist of a turkey sandwich with mayo packets, juice, napkins, and a slice of apple pie. The event will start approx 1:30pm at the Walter Rand Transportation Center( Martin Luther King Blvd & Broadway, Camden, NJ) and will end approx 2:30-3pm. This particular area in Camden, much like many areas in Philadelphia, is a home to many homeless, drug addicts, prostitutes, those suffering from mental illnesses, and more. Volunteers will spend time handing out meals, conversing with the public, praying, and extending an ear to those who need it. The event will end when all meals have been handed out. We are currently seeking out transportation from the school so please do not feel pressured concerning your getting there and back.

Would you like to volunteer or make a donation? Contact us.

Give out bagged meals

Thanksgiving Day

Walter Rand Transportation Center

Camden, NJ

1:30- 2:30/3pm

ADC Bake Sale

This Wednesday around lunch time!

Terra Building

We will be giving away some good ol' mama's home cooking. $1 per side. Please help support the African Diaspora Collective organization.

"Hat for my Head"

i.e. Clothing Drive

Now- thru Dec 18th

Taking ALL articles of clothing especially jackets.

Would you like to SCHEDULE A PICK UP time/place for your donations? Contact us.

Winter Ball

On last Tuesday, AFCOM had a chance to meet with the Uarts', African American Student Union(AASU). There, AFCOM, AASU, and even LSU's Mark Hernandez(president) discussed their roles as collaborators in AASU's upcoming winter ball. Once again, get your financial/ toy donations ready now as we will be assisting Aid's Law and Red Cross with their ventures. Mark the date on your calendars now!

Dec 4th

Gershman Y

Levitt Auditorium

7:30pm-12am

All students with ID must present a minimum of $5 or a toy donation for entry

Non students, minimum of $5 for entry

Come join us at this semi-formal event. There will be Latin dishes, a salsa lesson, an open gallery, giveaways, a live DJ with Dancing, and more.

Would you like to have/sale something in the Gallery? Claim your space now! Questions/concerns, please contact us.

Our meetings are every Monday @ 8pm in the Pine Study Room (across from the elevators in the Pine Dorm). Everyone is welcome including the public, outside schools, and alumni. Please bring IDs as you must sign in at the front door. The Pine dorms are located on the corner of 15th and Pine.

"AFCOM works to promote unity and change by offering resources, information, and serving as a liaison between the University organizations, outside outreach ministries, and fellow schools as inspired by I Cor. 12:12-31 & Act 4:32-37."

Follow us on FB &/or Twitter

Have a great week and hope to hear from you soon!

Holiday Dinner Give Away!

Greetings!

AFCOM had a fabulous meeting on yesterday at 8pm in the Pine Study Room. The meeting lasted no more than an hour but much progress was made! This week, AFCOM was graced by none other than our very own Marcus Myers, the Uarts, drum major who came to us a while back with the brilliant idea for a food give away! Myers wanted to extend the giving away of food to the homeless/ less fortunate community near Thanksgiving as well as Christmas. However, it was already too late in the game to pull something together for Thanksgiving.

So, instead of rummaging for resources at the last minute, AFCOM has agreed to collaborate with Church on the Water(COTW). Church on the Water is a fabulous non-denominational ministry located on the back streets and greenery of 246 Stanger Avenue in Glassboro NJ. AFCOM's very own Head Liaison, Roslynn "Renee" Johnson has been a member of this awesome ministry for about six years now. COTW will doing their annual dinner giveaway this Thanksgiving early afternoon.

COTW's Dinner Handout

Nov. 26st around 1:30pm

(Thanksgiving Day)

Walter Rand Transportation Center

527 Martin Luther King Blvd

Interested? Contact us!

AFCOM, with the help of Marcus Myers and others, will also be hosting their own dinner handout, around Dec. 12th, a Saturday. If AFCOM receives enough donations, they hope to extend this Holiday Dinner to our friends at Rittenhouse Park as well as Love Park. Our friends at Iovine Brother's Produce have already agreed to contribute! We hope to make this a wonderful event with live music and an extension of love to those who may not have as much as others during this holiday season by giving them a bagged meal.

Have ideas? Resources? Info? Contact us!

Keep an eye out for ADC's bake sale next Wednesday, Nov. 18th in the Terra Building

AASU is still planning their winter ball extravaganza for this Dec. 4th for Aids Law and Red Cross

Come Make a Change With Us!

Our meetings are open to everyone(including the public and alumni), so tell a friend, and don't forget to come out on Mondays @8pm, 15th & Pine, Pine Study Room(across from elevators). Please do not forget your ID as all guests must sign in with the guard at the front desk.

Also you can follow us on Twitter or befriend us on FB.

Hope to hear from you soon!

AFCOM meets with ADC

ADC(African Diaspora Collective)

University of the Arts is doing some big things down on South Broad Street. Kalina Dietzel, a faithful AFCOM member, and myself had the privilege of joining Ashley Akunna (ADC President) and her ADC crew at one of their weekly meetings. It was an exhilarating experience to say the least! Josiah Wise, ADC member/leader, was heading off the meeting with an introduction to Kwanzaa, ADC's next event. After all the members participated in the reading of the Nguzu Saba(the seven principles of Kwanzaa), the members passionately and energetically shared their ideas of how to make their Kwanzaa celebration and galore occasion. The meeting was quite fun as their was an exciting, positive vibe in the atmosphere.

About Uarts' ADC Organization

ADC seeks to celebrate the history and culture of all of the diaspora. What is diaspora? Diaspora: the dispersion of any people from their original homeland. As many people are not aware, African slaves were dispersed to all countries in America, thus Afro-Cubanos, Dominicans, Afro-Brazilians, Black Puerto Ricans, etc. Even African Americans fall under the umbrella of the African Diaspora. To learn more about ADC, feel free to contact me!

ADC Meets On

Tuesdays @8:30 in Steve Scaduto's (3rd floor of Gershman Y)

What was discussed?

Look out for ADC's Kwanzaa celebration around December llth

Update on Clothing Drive

ADC has agreed to collaborate with AFCOM & Steve Scaduto concerning the recent clothing drive we have been putting together. Here is how it will work...

Steve Scaduto is working with Philadelphia Cares. Keep an eye out for boxes around campus that will be used to collect coats for this year's winter season.

ADC will be working with PHMC(Public Health Management Corporation). PHMC is currently collecting clothing for a shelter for teenage runaways. They will be collecting ALL articles of clothing. PHMC also made a special request for larger clothing sizes. You can find boxes for ADC's clothing collections in the lounges of each dorm.

AFCOM

As the donation/box system sometimes appears to be ineffective, AFCOM has agreed to arrange for clothing pick-ups. Look out for flyers with more information but, basically, you will contact the designated representatives and arrange a pick-up and/or drop off(for those who do not live on campus) time. A representative will then give you all the information you need to know to make your donation! More information coming soon.

Please, don't leave your neighbor out in the cold this season. All clothing will be accepted, new or used. Please make a donation.

Coming soon!

ADC also discussed prospects of working with the Independence Charter School in Philadelphia. In an attempt to introduce students to a possible outlet in the arts ADC will be hosting dance and theater workshops for the kids! Interested? Let us know! More information coming soon.

Bake Sale Nov. 18th in Terra Building

ADC will also be having a back sale around the 18th and is looking for donations of vegetables and other goods. They will be having soul food! Help us be a success. They will be having collard greens, baked macaroni & cheese, sweet potato pie slices, pumpkin pie, and more...

Come Make a Change With Us!

Our meetings are open to everyone(including the public and alumni), so tell a friend, and don't forget to come out on Mondays @8pm, 15th & Pine, Pine Study Room(across from elevators). Please do not forget your ID as all guests must sign in with the guard at the front desk.

Also you can follow us on Twitter or learn more about us on FB.

Hope to hear from you soon!

Week of 10.26.09

Right now we are working on several Projects.

Winter Apparell

Philadelphia, where we are based, while a thriving in the arts and entrepreneurship is also home to homelessness and poverty. Every year many go without the proper winter jackets, socks, hats, and gloves during the winter seasons. Even students struggle trying to find the finances in order to be able to afford the appropriate gloves and hats in which to stay warm. AFCOM is currently working to change this issue.

Steve Scaduto, director of Uart's Student Development, is currently working with Philadelphia Cares by promoting a Winter Coat Drive. The coat drive will run from November 23rd- December 18 and donations can be dropped off at designated spots in various locations on campus. For more information please contact us at afcoministries@gmail.com

AFCOM is currently collaborating with Steve Scaduto by offering donation pick-ups to the University dormitories. We may also be able to accommodate the public by providing one familiar location in which to drop off donations. Pick-ups will begin during the week of Nov. 23rd and will persist, a few times a week, each week, until the week of Dec. 18th.

AFCOM is also working to collaborate with Uarts, African Diaspora Collective(ADC). They too will be having a winter apparel drive. Together we will combine to become one dynamic force!

Marcus Myers, a Uarts musician at the school of music, has proposed the excellent idea of a Food Drive. Many suffer from hunger during this time of giving. He is currently working closely with AFCOM to bring his vision to its feet. We hope to gather donations and have them distributed during the Thanksgiving and Christmas season.

Also, Uarts African American Student Union(AASU) will be throwing a Winter Ball extravaganza that will not only draw crowds but donations. AASU hopes to collaborate with many of the University's organizations to end the year off right by giving back to the community. They hope to gather donations for Philly's AidsLaw project and RedCross' Toy Drive.

AFCOM hopes to encourage them to include winter apparell as well as food to the Ball's agenda.

Rather than charging a fee to this formal dance/concert, students, faculty, and staff will be asked to make generous donations. There will be live music, food, and fun as we close out the year with AASU's Winter Ball.

We need donations in order to make this happen and are hoping to extend an invitation to larger organizations to help us by footing the cost and/or donating the needed foods/decorations needed to make this project possible.

Help make our dreams possible! Tell a friend! Come out to our weekly meetings on Mondays at 8pm off of 15th and Pine.

See you soon and have a great week!

Have any ideas or feedback? Feel free to share your input!

Join Us!

Alliance For Change Outreach Ministries is a new organization at the University of the Arts geared towards promoting unity and offering resources, information, serving as a liaison between the University organizations, outside outreach ministries, and fellow schools as inspired by I Cor. 12:12-31 & Acts 4:32-37.

Meetings

Are every Monday @8pm. Our meeting place HAS CHANGED. We now meet in the Pine Lounge located by the guard's desk in the Pine Dorm Rooms located on 15th & Pine. Please be sure to bring your IDs in order to sign in!

EVERYONE is Welcome

AFCOM permits students outside of Uarts, alumni, and community members to become organization members and come to Monday meetings.

We do not deny consideration for membership to any student because of gender, race, religion, creed, national origin, handicap, marital status, or sexual orientation.

Can't Make Our Meetings?

We would like to encourage you to keep up with what we are doing through our weekly mailings. You can join our mailing list by contacting us at afcoministries@gmail.com. Feel free to give feedback or make a commitment to come out to one of our events.

We are also on FB: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=151575086933

And Twitter under Afcoministries@gmail.com

Let's become the change we'd like to see in our community by combining to become a force!

Hope to hear from you soon!