Sabo Center News

by Ethel Zidenga

When I first began my internship at the Sabo Center for Democracy and Citizenship, I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect. I knew I’d be challenged. I hoped I’d be changed. What I didn’t anticipate was how deeply this experience would shape not only my understanding of community engagement, but also my place within it.

One of the most transformative parts of this internship was the opportunity to explore the meaning of community engagement. I spent time researching how it is defined and practiced, and I quickly realized that true community engagement must be intentional. Whether it’s a partnership between an institution and a community, or among individuals, both sides need to be fully invested and both must receive equitable benefit. Just as importantly, both parties must have an equal voice in setting the goals and defining what success looks like.

Too often, institutions hold the upper hand in these relationships, directing the terms and outcomes. But if we are serious about creating anti-oppressive and anti-racist models of engagement, we must center the voices of marginalized communities. Their leadership, knowledge, and lived experiences must guide the work, not be tokenized or added on as an afterthought. This shift in power is not optional; it is essential.

During my time at the Sabo Center, I also had the opportunity to dive into powerful readings that pushed me further in my thinking. One that left a lasting impact was Hospicing Modernity by Vanessa Machado de Oliveira. I truly believe everyone should read this book. I only wish I had encountered it at the beginning of my MSW journey, but perhaps it wouldn’t have impacted me the way it just did. Sometimes the right book finds you when you’re ready.

In Hospicing Modernity, Vanessa challenges us to unlearn everything we’ve been taught by oppressive systems. She calls on us to recognize the harms embedded in modernity, systems that reward domination, extraction, and control, and instead be part of birthing something new. Her words awakened something in me: a deeper responsibility not just to question oppressive systems, but to actively participate in creating liberatory ones. She reminded me that being uncomfortable is necessary and that unlearning is a lifelong process.

I am also incredibly thankful for the mentorship and support I received from my field supervisor, Dr. Alex Fink, and my task supervisor, Ms. Jenean Gilmer. They created a brave and safe space where I could make mistakes, ask hard questions, cry when I needed to, and grow into a more critical and reflective practitioner. Their encouragement helped me find my voice and stay grounded, even when I was struggling to extend grace to myself. I will forever be grateful for the compassion, honesty, and guidance they offered throughout my internship.

Reflecting on this journey, I truly believe that the MSW program and the Sabo Center are a perfect partnership at Augsburg University. I may be biased, but the way both programs embrace holistic approaches to learning, justice, and community makes them a powerful team. The MSW program gave me the theoretical foundation, while the Sabo Center gave me a living, breathing classroom in the real world. Together, they shaped an experience that was not just educational but transformative.

As I close this chapter, I carry with me more than new skills. I carry a renewed sense of purpose and commitment. I will continue to unlearn, to listen, to act with intention, and to walk alongside others as we collectively build a more just and compassionate world.

Ethel Zidenga completed a Master of Social Work in Spring of 2025. She spent a year as an intern in the Sabo Center with Jenean Gilmer and Alex Fink, developing an extensive Community Partner Database, researching definitions and practices of community engagement, participating in relationship building and community development in the Cedar-Riverside Neighborhood. Her contributions are deeply appreciated and continue to provide meaningful support.

Author: Greta Klawiter-Lein, Community Garden Coordinator

Fall is the perfect time to harvest veggies. And as the weather cools, stews and soups are a wholesome way to utilize these garden goodies! This fall, the Augsburg Community garden got to play host for a super special plant-based cooking class. In collaboration with Edible Boulevards; a food initiative focusing on supporting Green Zone residents, and the amazing Ifrah Hashi, we saw how to turn a bountiful fall harvest into a warm, delicious meal. It was such a warm, cozy early afternoon full of good food, good people, and beautiful stories.

Ifrah walked us through how to make a vegan lentil stew that hit all the right fall notes—hearty, flavorful, and perfect for chilly evenings. While she chopped garden kale and peppers, she shared about growing up cooking and peeling potatoes with her Somali mom in London. Her stories were personal and heartfelt, and made the food feel even more meaningful and filling.

The class brought together a really lovely mix of people—gardeners, students, neighbors, and community members, all learning together. The room was relaxed and welcoming, and of course, there were door prizes of dried lentils and culinary spices!

Big shoutout to Edible Boulevards for the work they do helping people grow food right in their boulevard spaces, and for hosting monthly plant-based cooking classes that bring folks together around healthy, accessible meals. Every month is a different cooking class, in a different community garden with rotating hosts. While the location and chef might change, the meal prepared is always vegan and focuses on elements of the chef’s cultural heritage.

Events like this remind us why the Augsburg community garden exists in the first place—to connect, to learn, and to grow (literally and figuratively).

HAPPY CONSTITUTION DAY!

Constitution Day is an American federal observance that recognizes the adoption of the United States Constitution and those who have become U.S. citizens. It is celebrated on September 17, the day the U.S. Constitutional Convention signed the Constitution in 1787 in Philadelphia.

Make a plan to vote on November 4.

This year local elections will be held on November 4 and Augsburg has made election day a holiday during which classes are canceled so that all eligible voters have time to vote. The office of the Minnesota Secretary of State has sample ballots and information about voting. If you have questions feel free to reach out to the Sabo Center staff, we’d love to help.

Written by Imogen Page, MSW Intern with Campus Kitchen

On the ground floor of the Anderson residence hall, the Augsburg Campus Cupboard is buzzing with activity. A student worker reminds fellow Auggies to grab a box or a bag for their free groceries, and around 15 students are shopping in Augsburg’s free food cupboard.

Today, there is plenty of fresh produce – salad greens, apples and pears, onions and potatoes in addition to fresh herbs and berries. A refrigerator stands full of milk, yogurt, cheese, and dairy alternatives, and a freezer contains frozen chicken, ready-to-eat meals, and tortillas. The week before, the cupboard distributed a shipment of halal beef, goat meat, and salmon. Students browse canned goods, fresh bread, dried beans, pasta, and rice in addition to coconut milk, oil, vinegar, ketchup, fish sauce, Tabasco, and salad dressings. 

“These condiments literally kill, dude” one student says to his friend as they choose from the shelves.

This is all part of the daily routine at the Campus Kitchen, where a team of student workers, interns, and staff operate the Campus Cupboard six days a week. We’re always busy – whether unloading boxes of produce from our trusty old van, stocking shelves, distributing hot meals and groceries to our neighbors, or cooking together in the food lab. 

Abi Hilden at the Augsburg Echo recently covered Campus Kitchen’s work, interviewing student worker Heldon Centellas about the cooking workshops, grocery distribution, SNAP application help and other work we do in our community.

“During the summer and fall months on Saturdays, we glean leftover produce from local farmers at the Mill City Farmers Market and redistribute it to our neighbors at Riverside Plaza! On Fridays during the majority of the year, we help distribute free produce to our neighbors there!” shares Centellas. In addition to these seasonal efforts, Campus Kitchen “[has] a community garden for people to grow their own food behind the Hagfors building, meal deliveries to Ebenezer Towers and Bethany Church, serving warm food at the Brian Coyle Center, provide assistance in SNAP applications, host giveaways, have open Food Lab hours, offer Cupboard online orders, and more!”

Our work at Campus Kitchen is possible because of support from Augsburg’s community. With growing food insecurity in our communities and the rising price of basic essentials, we need your help to keep providing nutritious food in our community. Your donation today helps to keep our community well-fed, healthy, and thriving. You can give here, and designate your gift to “Campus Cupboard.”

The Sabo Center’s Campus Kitchen program invites you to support our 2022 Give to the Max fundraiser. This year, we are raising funds for two important initiatives: The Augsburg Campus Cupboard and food access programming in Cedar-Riverside.

First, the Campus Cupboard provides free groceries to Augsburg students. Campus Cupboard use has rapidly expanded in the last three years, in response to increased food insecurity among Augsburg’s diverse student population. In 2019, an average of 50 students visited the Campus Cupboard to pick up free groceries each week. By September 2022, that average increased to 220 students per week. We regularly receive feedback from our students that the groceries we provide make a huge difference in their ability to access high-quality, healthy foods. Many students and their families now see this service as a critical piece of meeting their basic food needs.

In order to expand this work, we are raising funds to purchase culturally appropriate food items for our diverse student population. With your support we will be able to offer a wider variety of foods, providing our students with the specific staple foods they request regularly.

Second, we are seeking support for our food access and education work in our surrounding community of Cedar-Riverside. The Campus Kitchen program provides free meals, fresh produce, and cooking programming for our neighbors in Cedar-Riverside. A $60 donation covers supplies needed for one cooking class for neighborhood youth. Your donation will make a significant difference in our ability to meet the growing and diverse food needs of Augsburg’s student body and our neighbors in Cedar-Riverside.

Please support this work with a donation here.

Thank you for your generosity.