University YMCA Goes Green

By Matt Rundquist

‘Green’ is not something that’s new to the University YMCA.

YMCA students and staff were among the first to take on environmental issues in the 1960’s and 70’s. The first Earth Day and Allerton Park’s continued existence are testaments to that era of YMCA environmentalism.

The Y is now home to 5 environmental student groups; Students for Environmental Concerns, Engineers Without Borders, the Campus Vegetarian Society, Red Bison, and of course the Green Observer. 

5 years ago, in the midst of renovation and construction, the YMCA Board of Governors and Building Committee began to champion the idea that our building is a part of our program. Any decision we make about the building, they reasoned, should reflect the organization’s mission, which includes “protecting the integrity of our natural environment” as a major pillar. With that framework, the building committee chose to add nearly three quarters of a million dollars in energy retrofits to the renovation.

They effectively launched a new era of environmentalism at the YMCA.

The year since the renovation has been just as exciting.  The Building committee chose to hire a Sustainability Coordinator to organize our efforts, which is now my position here at the YMCA. With the help of Learning IN Community (LINC, ENG-315), the staff has been busy writing grants and making plans.

Just last month, the Board voted to begin a Sustainability Committee, to act as advocates for the environment and develop green programming at the Y.

You can expect to see some exciting things coming from the Y. From a proposed bike-share program, to solar panels and a green roof, to enhancing local nutrition and healthy food, it really is an exciting time!

The Y is seeking applicants for next semester’s sustainability coordinator. The application process will begin in the coming months, please contact me at MattRundquist@gmail.com if you are interested!

Do I look like an American to you?

Do I look like an American to you?  The question can and does result in some intriguing answers.  For Francisco Baires,a C-U Immigration Forum member of mixed Anglo and Latino descent, the reactions, he says, are mixed. “Some people tell me ‘yeah, of course, you do’ but others want to talk more about the question itself.  It has led to some really interesting conversations,” he says.  "I take it as an opportunity to talk about how as a U.S. Citizen, born in Central America, America means more to me than just the United States.” 

It's opportunities like these that student leaders at the University YMCA want to encourage on campus and in the community. That’s why they have launched a t-shirt campaign to show that there is no race, religion or philosophy that impacts our status as an American. The photo and t-shirt campaign, led by Interfaith in Action, La Colectiva and Amnesty International, encourages people from all backgrounds to share the photos and stories they receive when donning the black t-shirt with the message “Do I Look Like an American to You?” in white block letters. 

This campaign was inspired by several recent events. Among them, is February 13th of 2012.  That day, a protest was held outside of a Muslim fundraiser. A mass of flag-wielding “patriots” were screaming at them that Muhammad was a false prophet and a pervert, chanting "U-S-A!", telling them to go home and beat their wives. Elected officials even spoke at the event.  Attendees entered the benefit silently as they were shouted at, and they prayed while protesters banged on the windows, yelling at them to "go back home" and that they "aren't wanted in this country."

But this is their country, too.

“Just because I’m a Muslim doesn’t make me any less American,” Maheen Saddiqi, an attendee to the fundraiser, told Al-Jazeera.

Moved by this and other events, student leaders at the University YMCA want to challenge the definitions of an American to those who may have a closed mind.  We hope that wearing these t-shirts not only expresses solidarity but also inspires questions and dialogue about the problems of inequality in our society.  That’s why the campaign is being run in conjunction with Immigrant Justice Month, an initiative of the Allies of Faith.  The Allies of Faith is an inter-faith coalition involved in the Champaign-Urbana Immigration Forum, which is working to make our community a welcoming space for all our neighbors, regardless of the color of their skin, the languages they speak, their country of origin, or their immigration status.

To celebrate Immigrant Justice Month, wear your shirts to the upcoming lecture by Jose Antonio Vargas, Pulitzer Prize winning journalist and undocumented American, on October 25 at 7 PM (location to be announced) to participate in a group photo and stand in solidarity with Mr. Vargas.  For more information on upcoming Immigrant Justice Month events, click here.

More photos from the campaign can be found at http://www.facebook.com/doilookamerican and http://www.flickr.com/photos/universityymca/sets/72157627977149491/

Buy it, wear it, share it. T-shirts are currently on sale at the University YMCA (1001 S. Wright St., Champaign) for $15 ($10 for students) or online at doilooklikeanamericantoyou.org. All proceeds benefit UIUC Interfaith in Action and local immigrant outreach and services. 

Third Floor Residents Reunite!

Recounted by Ryan Stanis, who graduated in 2008.

Johan Tota (NRES 07 ENVRM ENG 09) sent out email invitations to everyone he could remember back when he lived at the YMCA. Living in Canada, he was the only one to make it an international trip to reunite with the 3rd floor crew from the University YMCA. 

In the end, there were six who made it for a night in Chicago. 

• Sean EE ENG 07  who lives and works in Plainfield, IL
• Hari EE ENG  who lives and works in Chicago
• Peter  NUCL ENG 09 who lives and works in Chicago
• Steve EE ENG 08 who lives and works in LA
• and Ryan KINES 08 who lives in the South Suburbs and works for a Wellness Center. 

Interestingly, the two married guys who lived their whole education at the Y, Calvin MAT ENG Joliet, IL and Bertrand  EE ENG Singapore 08 were not able to make it and were greatly missed. 

As Labor Day weekend unfolded, it was Ryan and Johan, floormates for 3 years and roomates for over a year, that met up for a stroll through Grant Park in Chicago. The others, at a mutual friend's wedding wouldn't arrive until the next night. 

Going around the Chicago night life, we found we were all unmarried, looked the same, people turned out as you thought they might, and for a first no one said a word about getting home to study for an exam. 

We all recounted our favorite YMCA memories: the unique roommates that came and...stayed, the personalities that evolved, and the feeling of having a whole building left to 12 guys each night the YMCA closed.

Before the YMCA went through it current renovations and everything looked like a historic building of secret rooms around every corner, there was the 2004-2008 group that accepted and depended on that old 3rd floor, and there we were 4 years later as if it was just another bar on Green Street and 3 blocks down we'd be back home at the Y. 

Ryan went on to be an English Teacher in South Korea 09-10, until returning back home and using his degree to be a Personal Trainer. 

Ryan's first roomate of 2 years, Paul INT STUDIES, who is living and working in South Korea as week, wasn't there and was missed. 
 
Through the night though, tbe most talked about roommate who wasn't there was Victor, Dong Xu Yang, FINANCE 07, 09. The Victor saga will remain unclosed as no one has been able to locate his whereabouts for a few years. Through his time at the Y, each one of the guys helped and taught Victor the different lessons of American life, and he always managed to keep his own personality, culture, language and philosophy alive. Though at times seeming to be new to American ways, he would later offer a certain mature and wise advice to any of us on anything we were thinking of. As having his family in China and coming to Oklahoma at 16, the guys on the floor always saw themselves as his second family. 

Before leaving Chicago, a late night diner brought us together once more as we thought of where would be the next time we'd do this, and would we all have wives and children? Would it work out? 

"Las Vegas," Sean said.