Change Agents for the Common Good

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2023-2024 Academic Year

CHANGE AGENT PROGRAM
$
MIMI’S
PANTRY
$
IMMERSIVE LEARNING
$
CIVIC ENGAGEMENT
$
RACE TOWARDS RECONCILIATION
$

Change Agent Program

Our Impact… over 15,000 impacted during the 2023-24 academic year…for the common good…

Since the inception of our Change Agent Program in 2013, over 800 collegiate change agents have served with the Institute to work directly with at-risk populations and create tangible change. These efforts have included teaching conflict resolution, anti-bullying, and literacy efforts in Atlanta Public Schools, serving in Mimi’s Pantry, registering college students and neighbors to vote, and other direct actions. These students engage in leadership and social justice training to promote and advance real-world issues.

Our ‘Change Agents’ serve at the Lowery Institute through service learning in different capacities: our Scholar Activist Capstone Program which includes an emphasis on civic engagement, Mimi’s Pantry, and through immersive learning working with youth in Atlanta Public Schools and across the nation..

SCHOLAR ACTIVIST CAPSTONE PROGRAM

In the 2023 – 2024 Academic Year

Number of Students - 50

Number of Capstone Teams - 6

Number of Different Universities - 13

  1. Clark Atlanta University
  2. Delaware State University
  3. Edward Waters College
  4. Howard University
  5. Miles College
  6. Morehouse College
  7. Morris Brown College
  8. Spelman College
  9. Stillman College
  10. Stony Brook College
  11. Tuskegee University
  12. University of Missouri
  13. Virginia Tech

Lowery Institute Capstone Focuses:

1. Civic Engagement:
The Civic Engagement Capstone team continued a multi-year examination of voter suppression and misinformation during elections. In the fall of 2023, students focused on voter education initiatives, including creating a survey to gather information about college voters preferences leading into the 2024 election and examination of the impact of artificial intelligence on elections and youth turnout.
2. Racial Justice:
The Racial Justice Capstone continued a multi-year examination of racial justice; focusing on examining the impact of racial trauma on contemporary racial issues. Their work included preparation for a grassroots campaign focused on removing the monument from Stone Mountain in Georgia.
3. Criminal Justice:
The Criminal Justice Capstone continued their multi-year examination of the intricacies of the criminal justice system in Georgia with a focus on the challenges of reintroducing offenders to society, with an emphasis on registering felons to vote. The students worked in the Fall to gather research about reintroduction of felons into society and worked with Restore Her to register felons to vote in the state of Georgia.
4. Food Insecurity:
The Food Insecurity Capstone team is continuing past efforts to advance food security on college campuses. This year, the team has been working to create grassroots campaigns to raise awareness and lobby for effective legislation in the US and Georgia State Capitols. They engaged in lobbying efforts at both the US and Georgia State Capitols to raise awareness about the issue of Food insecurity on college campuses.
5. Violence:
The violence capstone is a new capstone team created in the Fall of 2023 to examine the culture of violence in the United States and to develop strategies for mitigating violence. The group has explored the culture of violence, including mass shootings, sexually based violence, and international conflict.
6. Archival Project:
During the 2023-24 school year, two students from Spelman College, Hailey Jones and Milena Clark worked on a research project focused on examining the Lowery papers collection at the Robert Woodruff library. These students, under the direction of Dr. Nafessa Muhammad, a professor of history at Spelman College, focused on reviewing the Lowery collection and examining Dr and Mrs. Lowery’s impact on the international civil rights movement; with a primary focus on examining their work challenging apartheid in South Africa.
In addition to serving on one of these capstone teams, Lowery Institute Change Agents also supported the work of the Institute by serving as Pantry Coordinators, “The Change” podcast hosts, and by helping to facilitate leadership training sessions at partner schools in Atlanta Public Schools.

MIMI’S PANTRY 2023-2024

9 Stipend pantry coordinators

4 pantries

  1. Clark Atlanta University
  2. Morehouse College
  3. Spelman College

Pantry Data

  • Total Gross Students – 7,006
  • Total Weight Distributed (Students) – 55,005

Change from 2022

  • # of Gross Students – increased by 2,477
  • Student’s Distributed – increased 55%

The concept of a food pantry on a college campus was birthed by a Lowery Institute Change Agent, Malika Flowers, during the Lowery Institute’s inaugural “Change Agent Tank. Malika envisioned the creation of a campus food pantry to serve the students of Morehouse College, Spelman College, and Clark Atlanta University. Malika spoke passionately about her experiences and that of many students attending Atlanta University schools, forced to choose between textbooks, tuition, food, and other necessities. Since its creation, Mimi’s Pantry has worked to help alleviate these issues. (For more information about the Change Agent Tank – www.changeagenttank.org)

At Mimi’s Pantry, full-time students in the Atlanta University Center without a full meal plan receive nonperishable, fresh and frozen food items as often as needed. Our main pantry is located on the campus of Clark Atlanta University and provides a grocery shopper style feel for students. We also operate satellite locations at Morehouse College and Spelman College.

IMMERSIVE LEARNING

In-school Leadership and Literacy:

Fall 2023

8th Grade Leadership Cohort transported to Clark Atlanta University campus weekly for leadership training and life skills exploration

In the Fall, 8th graders at Herman J. Russell West End Academy participated in the Servant Leadership Studies Program. This cohort of 41 future leaders were transported to the campus of Clark Atlanta University to do a deep dive into learning the skills exemplified by Servant Leaders.

Leadership Constructs:

  • Self-Awareness
  • Listening
  • Empathy
  • Finding Your Voice 
  • Conflict Resolution
  • Non-Violent Advocacy
  • Stewardship
  • Discrimination
  • Diversity
  • Healing
  • Campus Visits – ‘Full Immersion Day’ – Atlanta University College Tour

Campus visits included a ‘full immersion day’, where these ‘rising change agents’ received a tour of Clark Atlanta University, Spelman College and Morehouse College. The day included conversations and life-skills sessions from our Scholar Activists as well as from students with Spelman College’s Bonner Scholar and Social Justice Fellows Programs, and Morehouse College’s Bonner Scholars and Oprah Winfrey Scholars programs.

Total students served

Statistics

80% of students demonstrated growth of knowledge of leadership constructs by conclusion of Fall semester

Spring 2024

In the Spring, the Leadership Studies cohort of 8th graders from Herman J. Russell West End Academy continued their Servant Leadership Studies Program at Clark Atlanta University . Every Wednesday they came to campus and entered a lecture hall where they were held accountable for note taking skills as exposed to servant leadership principles.. The students toured Morris Brown College, accompanied college mentors to classes at Clark Atlanta University, Morehouse College, and Spelman College and created a Dream Book Project that included researching a minimum of three colleges or trade schools, exploring the requirements for achieving their career goals, understanding the cost of living family budget items, and minimum wage requirements required to achieve their dream house, car, and family, completing a digital vision board, and choosing and developing a plan for how they would give back to the community by supporting a non-profit organization through either their time, talents or finances.

Total students served

Statistics

  • 81% of cohort demonstrated growth in understanding of career/college preparedness

Tank

https://www.changeagenttank.org/