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Sabo Center News

You can eat processed meats and red meats, but can you digest cancer?

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As a way to further reflect on their experience with Campus Cupboard, polish their communication skills, and explore new topics related to food and sustainability, Campus Cupboard volunteers will be publishing weekly blogs this fall. Check back each week for new musings from the students!

By: Oscar-Martinez-Armenta (’16)

The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), an intergovernmental agency forming part of the World Health Organization (WHO), recently served us a mouthful. On Monday, October 26, the IARC reported that processed meats and red meats are linked to cancer.

After analyzing 800 scientific studies, the IARC categorized processed meats as a Group 1 Carcinogenic. Under this category, “there is enough evidence to conclude that it can cause cancer in humans.” Red meats were placed in Group 2A, which means that there is probable cause of cancer, but the evidence is inconclusive.

Processed meats are those altered through methods like salting, curing, and fermentation. Bacon, ham, and sausage are prime examples. Eating 50 grams per day of these meats can increase the risk of colorectal cancer by 18%. Continue reading “You can eat processed meats and red meats, but can you digest cancer?” →

Educating, Organizing, and Thinking Democracy (pt. 2)

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Education Week
Bridging Differences
http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/Bridging-Differences/
by Mike Miller

 

In the final piece of the rich “Educating, Organizing, and Thinking Democracy” Education Week blog exchange between Deborah Meier and Harry Boyte, Deborah says about her work in New York City, “…[I]n the early 1990s we invented a possible answer [to how to do democratic education] that, alas, we were never able to test out…If we hadn’t been stopped by a new chancellor and a new state superintendent we’d have learned a lot.”  Observing a similar experience in Boston, she writes of a similar democratic effort, “[T]hose in power seemed remarkably uninterested in this public solution, and preferred to put their money into charter chains or vouchers.”  She notes a similar experience in 39 NYC high schools, “Again with relatively little attention.  Amazing.”

She is, she says, “desperate” to broaden understanding of these efforts, presumably so they can be expanded upon in public schools systems.  She notes one consequence when they aren’t, “Some of the young admirers of these efforts feel stymied and turn to opening ‘mom and pop’ small charters with more autonomy…” and she asks, “How can we break through the silence by making these public alternatives more visible before they die off as their autonomies are chipped away?”

Continue reading “Educating, Organizing, and Thinking Democracy (pt. 2)” →

Educating, Organizing, and Thinking Democracy

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Education Week
Bridging Differences
by Deborah Meier and Harry Boyte

Dear Harry and friends,

So what do I know from experience, observation and research about the essentials of schooling for democracy?    I know that education which prepares the young to join and even surpass the adult world, where learning sticks with them, happens best (maybe only)  when the novice is in the company of experts who accept the child as is and takes it for granted that she will become an expert over time.  It requires that the adults demonstrate their expertise in action, and the novice can observe, ask questions, and try out new knowledge in a setting where he/she can fail without shame.  That’s the setting children find themselves in at birth, with a ratio generally of several experts per novice.

What are the special features of such learning?  The novice is accepted lovingly, is assumed to be able to become an expert (an adult), has many chances to observe and to experiment, and has good reason to trust the setting and the people there. Adults delight in children’s early mistakes because we can see the beginning of understanding and competence.  We even cherish their mistakes.

Most rarely reach such a space again in life which rich and poor share. Continue reading “Educating, Organizing, and Thinking Democracy” →

My Passion for New Adventures

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As a way to further reflect on their experience with Campus Cupboard, polish their communication skills, and explore new topics related to food and sustainability, Campus Cupboard volunteers will be publishing weekly blogs this fall. Below, Malia kicks off the “Food and Sustainability Series” by exploring new food adventures. Check back each Monday for new musings from the students!

By Malia Thao (’16)

Living in a big and dynamic world, I have a strong passion to travel across the globe, for new adventures and to learn more about the various cultures out there. Food is always a big part of that learning.

Last semester, I was fortunate enough to studied abroad in two countries: El Salvador for a short term winter break, and South Korea for a semester long. Both of these international experiences were wonderful and awesome learning abroad experiences. The biggest highlight of everything was the authentic foods from these places. One of my favorite foods in El Salvador was Pupusa which is a thick tortilla bread stuffed with a bean paste. On the other side, my favorite food in South Korea was Kimbap and Dakbokki. Kimbap, is a steamed rice wrapped with all kinds of vegetables and Dakbokki is a spicy rice cake stew. Just thinking about these foods makes me really want to go back to visit El Salvador and South Korea. Continue reading “My Passion for New Adventures” →

MARTIN OLAV SABO SYMPOSIUM: ECONOMICS AND THE ENVIRONMENT

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A conversation about Pope Francis’s Encyclical

October 27, 2015, 7:00-8:30 p.m. | Hoversten Chapel, Foss Center

Rev. Mark Hanson, former Presiding Bishop of the Evangelical Church of America, and Dr. Frances Homans, Professor of Applied Economics and Agricultural Education at the University of Minnesota will offer their reflections on Pope Francis’s encyclical, “Laudato Si, On Care for our Common Home”, then participate conversation moderated by Tom Berg.

Biodiesel: Fueling an Open Mind

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As a way to further reflect on their experience with Campus Cupboard, polish their communication skills, and explore new topics related to food and sustainability, Campus Cupboard volunteers will be publishing weekly blogs this fall. Below, Oscar kicks off the “Food and Sustainability Series” with a topic he has been interested in learning more about. Check back each Monday for new musings from the students!

By Oscar Martinez (’16)

Last year, Minnesota increased the mandate from a 5 percent minimal biodiesel blend (B5) in its diesel fuel supply to B10. The shift occurred because biodiesel has demonstrated substantial reduction in particulate and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. As the statue currently reads, Minnesota will be raising to B20 by 2018.

Biodiesel is a renewable, clean-burning substance made from oils and natural fats (e.g., soybean oil, and animal fats) that is reducing dependence of fossil fuels. If I was in the same mindset that I had been in three years ago and listened to these statements, I would be asking why the state is not aiming for higher biodiesel blends. Luckily (or maybe not), playing the scientist in college has opened my mind. Through lecture, lab research, and discussion, I have found that biodiesel and other renewable energy sources are not 100% practical. Continue reading “Biodiesel: Fueling an Open Mind” →

Campus Kitchen Summer Update

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It’s hard to believe summer is almost over – it feels like it just started for us! With a solid team of interns serving weekly meals, supporting the community garden, revamping our farmer’s markets, and teaching gardening and cooking classes, it was a busy but rewarding summer at the Campus Kitchen. We’re looking forward to keeping this momentum going into the school year… but before that happens, we finally have time to catch our breath and share what we’ve been up to for the past 3 months. Check out our summer updates below!

Food To Share

In addition to serving 60 packaged lunches to seniors in Phillips and Seward each week, we had a few special events at our Friday community dinners at Ebenezer Tower. Rhys led an “Easy Cooking & Eating” discussion with residents to share strategies on no-fuss healthy eating. Many thanks to The Campus Kitchens Project and AARP for sharing the curriculum and supporting these new senior outreach efforts! To celebrate Independence Day, we brought our most festive attire, some July 4th trivia, and pies graciously donated by Perkins Restaurant.

Picture1 Continue reading “Campus Kitchen Summer Update” →

HE Engagement News #18 June 2015

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Higher Education Engagement News is a periodic newsletter edited by Harry C. Boyte, Senior Scholar in Public Work Philosophy at Augsburg College, which responds to requests for updates and information about initiatives associated with the American Commonwealth Partnership (ACP). ACP was a coalition to strengthen the public purposes of higher education organized for the 150th anniversary of the Morrill Act establishing land grant colleges in 2012, on invitation by the White House Office of Public Engagement.

 This issue discusses the new climate encyclical by Pope Francis, Laudato Si as a resource for the democracy movement in higher education.

 Laudato Si

Pope Francis’ contributions to higher education

 Pope Francis’ encyclical on climate change, Laudato Si, is a challenge to business as usual. “It is time to acknowledge that light-hearted superficiality has done no good,” Francis wrote. “We must regain the conviction that we need one another, that we have a shared responsibility for others and the world, and that being good and decent are worth it.”

But one might not automatically think of the pope’s encyclical as a resource for the democracy movement in higher education. In fact it provides two enormously important resources. Continue reading “HE Engagement News #18 June 2015” →

FOSTERING COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT THROUGH CIVIC AGENCY

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May 20, 2015, 9:30-3:30 p.m. | Kennedy 303/305

A growing body of literature suggest that students develop grit, resilience, and self-directed action by working for constructive social change. This symposium provides a new lens on student success by bringing into dialogue two academic fields: cognitive science research on executive function and the theory and practice of civic agency.

Introduction: Defining Our Terms
How is “civic agency” different from “civic engagement” or “civic service”? Elaine Eschenbacher, Director, Sabo Center for Democracy and Citizenship; What is Executive Function? Phil Zelazo, the Nancy M. and John E. Lindahl Professor of Child Development, University of Minnesota

Dialogue: Fostering Cognitive Development Through Civic Agency
Moderated discussion between Stephanie Carlson, Professor and Director of Research, Institute for Child Development, University of Minnesota; and Harry Boyte, Senior Scholar in Public Work Philosophy, Sabo Center for Democracy and Citizenship. Featuring a panel of citizen young people and moderated by Peg Finders, Professor and Chair, Department of Education, Augsburg

Food Waste, Hunger, and You – By Emily Campbell (’17)

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Recently, Campus Kitchen students joined peers from across the country at the 2015 Food Waste & Hunger Summit, where we networked, shared insights, learned new ideas, and were honored with a “Going Beyond The Meal” award.  Check out Emily Campbell’s (’17) reflection and call to action below, and stay tuned for more student reflections!

The United States wastes 40 billion pounds of food each year. 40 billion. That statistic is staggering, but it’s even more unsettling knowing that 1 in 6 Americans do not consistently know from where their next meal is coming. Some throw perfectly edible food in the trash while others go hungry. It’s a paradox: in a decade, our landfills will be so full of food and other organic material that we’ll have to start exporting our trash and yet there are still people who are food insecure. I could go on with statistics about hunger and about wasted food, but I’ll cut to the chase: What can we do about it? Continue reading “Food Waste, Hunger, and You – By Emily Campbell (’17)” →