Gandhi Institute names new director
Katherine Miller aims to educate the University, Rochester community about nonviolence
mgrecolo@ur.rochester.edu
MillerThe M. K. Gandhi Institute for Nonviolence has named Katherine Miller as the center’s new director.
Based on the ideals and life of Mahatma Gandhi, the Gandhi Institute for Nonviolence was founded in 1991 by his grandson, Arun Gandhi, and his late wife, Sunanda Gandhi. The institute moved to the University from Christian Brothers University in Memphis in 2007.
In her new role, Miller intends to carry out the institute’s mission to educate the university and greater Rochester community about nonviolence. Through creative programming efforts that include student-led workshops, documentary film screenings, and lectures from community activists, Miller hopes to achieve several goals.
“I’d like to create programs that share the specific tools Gandhi used to build programs that support people,” Miller says. “And I think it’s important to look at sustainability and how we as a community can live more lightly.”
Miller also plans to focus on teaching restorative justice. She notes that the institute’s inspiration for including such work into its message stems in part from Martin Luther King Jr.’s message, “If you want peace, work for justice.”
Prior to joining the University, Miller spent more than five years working for the Bay Area Non-Violence Communication, an organization based in Oakland, Calif., that offers nonviolence training and leadership skills through workshops and retreats and counseling to members of the community. A resident of Rochester, Miller worked remotely, traveling each month to California to oversee the center’s operation. After assessing the environmental impacts of her frequent air travel, Miller decided to pursue a position that would reduce her carbon footprint.
In the month that she has been on campus, Miller and her staff have organized several events. A monthly program, “Being the Change,” teaches students, faculty, staff, and community members how to apply Gandhian principals to challenges they face every day. The workshops focus on stress management, developing a centered clarity, and learning how to practice nonviolent communication. Upcoming “Being the Change” sessions are slated for Thursday, Nov. 12, and Thursday, Dec. 3, from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. in Goergen 108. In addition to the monthly workshops, Miller is planning lectures, film screenings, and other programs for the “Season of Non-Violence,” a 64-day period from January 30 to April 4. For more information about the institute’s upcoming activities, visit www.gandhiinstitute.net and become a fan on Facebook.
| Next story |
