Returning to the Nazareth Student Center on Nov. 5, Marywood enthusiastically encourages students to attend Advocacy and Social Justice Day.

This event is an ideal opportunity to engage in enlightening conversation, inform yourself about pressing contemporary issues and receive an all-encompassing look at the recent advocacy Marywood students and faculty have engaged in.

The heart of the event includes the IHM center rededication, an informative screening of “Making NEPA Home,” and countless student activities. According to event co-organizer Monica Law, “It’s one way that we can live our mission and core values… Through the events of the day, I hope students feel empowered to raise their voice and feel compelled to get involved.”

The emphatic mantra of this year’s Advocacy and Social Justice Day, “Raise your voice, shape your future,” is one of resounding accuracy and relevance. The motto, originated by Marywood graduate student Emily Englert, serves as a thematic North Star for the annual event.

“For me,” states Englert, “this phrase is a call to action, it’s a reminder that our voices have real power, and that choosing to speak up can be the first step toward real change.” The root of the event’s mantra communicates the very real truth that each individual voice has power.

Event leaders Law and Amy Fotta are dedicated to making sure each Marywood student understands that truth at this year’s Advocacy and Social Justice Day.

Composed of various interactive activities such as panel discussions, informational seminars and discussion circles, this year’s Advocacy and Social Justice Day is certainly coming in hot. Each year, the evolving matter that is expanding involvement in student advocacy at Marywood only grows more complex. This year’s event co-organizers are hopeful students will connect with the very relevant pressing matters available for discussion.

“We have new and timely topics this year, including sessions on AI ethics, technology and what advocacy can look like in many different forms,” Fotta said.

The event will also further Marywood’s mission of increased sustainability and eco-friendly practices that encourage waste reduction and recycling. This is portrayed throughout the event in the all new clothing swap.

“Our clothing swap — ‘Swap, Don’t Shop,’ encourages sustainability while giving students something fun and meaningful to participate in,” Fotta said.

The focal point of this year’s Advocacy and Social Justice Day is a screening of the documentary “Making NEPA Home.”

“The documentary shares real human stories about individuals who are here in our community, the process that they’ve gone through, how they feel like they have transitioned into Northeastern Pennsylvania and have been able to kind of make this their home after, you know, many years of transition,” Law said.

This documentary is a reflection of the social service programs that have acted as pillars in the local community over the years. “This documentary shares real stories of individuals who have come to Northeastern Pennsylvania and made it their home,” Fotta said. “It highlights resilience, unity, cultural diversity and the ways new neighbors enrich our communities.”

Following the screening will be a panel discussion made up of the team behind the project: Kara Washington, WVIA; Julie Schumacher Cohen, University of Scranton; and Ushu Mukelo, Congolese Community of Scranton. The panel discussion is aimed to be an engaging conversation regarding the messages and themes of the documentary.

One of the more meaningful aspects of the event includes the rededication of the Mother Teresa Maxis IHM center. The rededication serves as a powerful reminder of Marywood’s mission and core values. “At 3:00, we’ll be holding a special session with Sister Cor Immaculatum Heffernan and President Lisa Lori to rededicate and celebrate the Mother Teresa Maxis IHM Center,” Fotta explained. “That session will honor Mother Teresa Maxis as an advocate and pioneer, while also reflecting on how we can carry her mission forward today.”

The celebration serves as a reminder of how deeply rooted advocacy and service are to Marywood.

“This closing event really captures what Advocacy and Social Justice Day is about: celebrating our history while shaping our future,” Fotta said.

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