Week of the Peacemaker
The Iona University Office of Mission & Ministry is dedicated to building a community of faith and compassion. As a university in the Catholic and Christian Brother traditions, Iona prizes the values of peace and social justice, so integral to this heritage.
For over 40 years Iona University has chosen the time period following Veterans Day to dedicate academic and co-curricular attention to peacemaking. This annual observance honors the selfless dedication of veterans for the cause of peace, freedom, and justice. Each year, the University chooses a theme for its Week of the Peacemaker and through lectures and activities coveys this theme in diverse and dynamic ways.
2024 Week of the Peacemaker, November 17-23, 2024
From November 17-22, the Office of Mission & Ministry partnered with various departments across campus to host the annual Week of the Peacemaker. This year’s week, entitled Inequality by Design: Unfair Housing, Past, Present & Future, shed light on past and present inequitable housing practices, and advocated for solutions for a better future.
The week included a variety of events, including lectures, presentations, panels, student activities and a film screening, all of which explored the week’s topic from varying perspectives. More than 350 members of the Iona community attended events from this year’s Week of the Peacemaker.
Events from this year’s week included:
- Keynote Address: We Don't Need Any More Observers- Andrew Lunetta, Founder and Executive Director, A Tiny Home for Good. A recording of the keynote can be viewed here.
- Housing and Community Development Considerations in New Rochelle- Yadira Ramos-Herbert, Mayor of New Rochelle; Adam Salgado, Commissioner of Development, New Rochelle; Jorge Ventura Ovalles, Deputy Commissioner of Development, New Rochelle
- Housing Policy Solutions: Increasing Supply and Affordability- Chase Hatchett, Principal Associate at the Pew Charitable Trusts Housing Policy Initiative
- Affordable Housing in Global Perspective- Dr. Muhammad (Arif) Qayyum, Mario J. Gabelli Endowed Professor of Finance and Associate Professor in Iona's Finance, Business Economics & Legal Studies Department
- Interreligious Coalition of New Rochelle Panel on Housing- Zoovia Hamiduddin, M.D.; Min. Mark McLean, President, Inter-Religious Coalition of New Rochelle, President, NAACP New Rochelle Branch; George Morris, Iona Class of 1970, Secretary, Inter-Religious Coalition of New Rochelle; Laila Shakir, Iona Class of 2026
- Empowering Action Against Homelessness- Educational simulation on homelessness led by campus Ministers Emily Rivera, Iona Class of 2025 and Marie Marra, Iona Class of 2025.
- Senior Student Social Work Presentations:
- Concerning Veterans Facing Insecure Housing Issues
- Navigating Gentrification: A Social Work Perspective on Community Displacement and Advocacy
- The Middle-Class Squeeze: Navigating Housing Affordability Amidst Financial and Social Instability.
A special thank you to all presenters and the Commitee Members for the 2024 Week of the Peacemaker:
- Megan Conti, DSW, LCSW-R, Clinical Lecturer, Social Work Department
- Tameka Hastick, Mission Education Coordinator, Office of Mission & Ministry
- Joshua Klein, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Criminal Justice Department
- Alison Munsch, Ph.D., Chief DEIB Officer, Associate Professor, Finance, Business Economics & Legal Studies Department
- Connor Murray, Iona Class of 2025
- Liz Olivieri-Lenahan, Associate Dean of Students
- Ali Swoish, M.A., Ed.M., LMHC, Iona University Counseling Center
- Rachana Umashankar, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Chair, Religious Studies Department
- Sharon Williams, D.Litt, Clinical Lecturer, Religious Studies Department, Director, Peace and Justice Studies
- 2024: Inequality by Design: Unfair Housing, Past, Present & Future
- 2023: So What About Health? Who is Healthy, Who is Not, and Why? Understanding and defining health & exploring our health disparities.
- 2022: This Land is...Whose Land? Exploring our Complex Connections to Land—Locally, Nationally and Globally.
- 2021: Cutting Through the Noise: Dialogue in an Age of Polarization
- 2020: Racism and the Pandemic: Who is Safe? Who is Well?
- 2019: Guns And Roses: A New Dialogue on Violence in the U.S.A.
- 2018: Homeland (In)Security: Immigrants and America
- 2017: Self+Other+Earth=A Formula for our Future
- 2016: #JustDemocracy
- 2015: Building Bridges of Understanding and Respect across Race, Religion and Gender
- 2014: Poverty, Power, and Privilege: Seeking Peace While Working for Justice and Equality
- 2013: Swords to Plowshares: Seeking Peace in a Violent World
- 2012: The Impact of Social Media
- 2011: Got Work? Seeking Jobs With Justice
- 2010: Advocacy: Speaking Out for Justice
November 2022
"Close to the Edge: SBU's Relentless Pursuit to Reclaim The Land"
Dr. Melissa Barber, Founding Member and Advisory Board Member at South Bronx Unite delivers Keynote Address for the 2022 Week of the Peacemaker at Iona University.
