The Student Union of Universal Peace and Rights (SUUPR) had their first meeting on Wednesday, October 19, 2016. Their goals are centered around advocacy and promoting policies that work towards peace and rights for all beings. The main short-term and long-term goals for SUUPR include, but are not limited to:
- Volunteering for Animal Rights of Cobb County
- Hosting collaborative events with speakers from organizations like CIFAL, Friends of the Earth, Greenpeace, and Amnesty International
- Inviting speakers from Advocacy Foundations (lawyers who advocate for women, minorities, and animals), as well as speakers from other advocacy groups in/around the Atlanta area
- Currently working with Georgia Conservancy Project
WHY SUUPR WAS FORMED
The president of this student organization is Ansley Miller, a junior studying International Affairs. She has just finished the coursework for her minor in Peace Studies but was interested in being able to continue being involved in issues on campus. When she spoke to Dr. Anne Richards, a professor of English and Interdisciplinary Studies, about getting involved with a peace group on campus they both realized that there wasn’t one in place. Thus, the birth of SUUPR.
EXECUTIVE BOARD MEMBERS:
The officers of this organization play a crucial role in recruiting members, sustaining involvement on campus, making a difference, and leaving a legacy for the students to come. These women are all involved in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences and are pursuing degrees that will help them with their roles in SUUPR.
- Vice President: Sarah Fordham is a junior in Political Health Education
- Secretary: Tucker Bedingfield is a freshman studying Journalism & Mass Media
- Treasurer: Emily McMaster is a sophomore in Political Science major with a concentration in Global Studies
UPCOMING/POTENTIAL EVENTS:
NOVEMBER: Why Do Black Lives Matter booth & Alzheimer’s Awareness Month event
DECEMBER: Christmas Baskets for Under Privileged Children
EVENTS IN THE SPRING SEMESTER:
- Visiting high schools in the area with Kennesaw Pride Alliance (KPA) to address GLBTIQ issues and provide moral support to students who need it
- Visiting and volunteering for Clarkston, which is one of the largest refugee resettlement programs in the country
- Visiting immigration detainee facilities where those awaiting trial to be deported or remain in the United States are held
- Series of documentary viewings: a variety of movements throughout history that influence the way society is today
- The Peacejam in Tallahassee, Florida on March 25th & 26th: allows members to get hands-on experience with Nobel Peace Prize Laureates
- Participating in the SLUT Walk in Atlanta on April 8th: gives students on campus the opportunity to learn the difference between a woman owning her sexuality and rape culture
MEETING DATES:
Their tentative meeting schedule is every other week, either on Mondays or Wednesdays. The next meeting is scheduled the week of November 14th.
For more information, contact President Ansley Miller at amill158@students.kennesaw.edu.
Also, check out their OwlLife & Facebook pages by searching: KSU SUUPR.