Two Ball State student organizations were awarded for excellence in their use of non-violent activism yesterday in the Student Center. Dr. George Wolfe, Director for the Center for Peace and Conflict Studies at Ball State, presented Michelle Hudson, representative for the Black Student Association, and Carmen Siering, representative for PeaceWorkers, with awards regarding the acknowledgement of their non-violent activism through off-campus media.
The Black Student Association was recognized by the Muncie Star Press and Channel 6 in Indianapolis for their silent sit-in at the Art and Journalism Building protesting unfair journalism practices. PeaceWorkers was acknowledged by the Indianapolis Star for their March 5th peace walk followed by a teach-in.
Susan Drake Emmerich spoke following the awards with her presentation entitled, "Environmental Stewardship and Conflict Resolution: Lessons from the Faith-Based Community of Tangier Island, VA."
Emmerich is a former U.S. Representative to the United Nations on Environmental Affairs with the Department of State. She is the founder and CEO of Emmerich Environmental Consulting, a faith-based organization that promotes peaceful resolutions to environmental conflict and sustainable development.
Emmerich explained her experience working to alleviate the conflicts between the watermen of Tangier Island, who depend on the Blue Crab as their source of income, and the Chesapeake Bay Foundation who is concerned with the depletion of natural resources and the pollution of the Bay. The conflict between the two groups resulted in tension and violence and even led to arson on the CBF Building. She used scripture teachings as a way to unite the two groups and to get them thinking alike. Through her work, Emmerich achieved less pollution and feasible regulations that both groups could appreciate.
Emmerich said that though the watermen were very much opposed to women's involvement as they lived in a very traditional society, the women were the main catalysts of change in the community.
"In action research you never know how things will turn out because you are dealing with people and people don't always act rationally," said Emmerich.
Emmerich accounted her struggles about being at odds with the citizens of the town of Tangier, who initially felt that she was working for CBF. She attributes her gender and church background to her final success.
"I think if I had been a male I would have been run-off or probably killed," she said. "But because the society was so traditional they had strong ethics to never touch a woman."
Emmerich left the Department of State in 1995 to work at a local level saying that "the UN doesn't always do so well in global crises."
She is now working on her doctorate degree with the University of Wisconsin in Madison.
The presentation was in collaboration with Earth Day 2003. Earth Day events will be held on campus from Monday, April 14 through Tuesday, April 22.
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