“The Power of &” and MU’s Peace and Unity Rally

Photo: Marymount University Twitter, January 15, 2017

By: Theo Hinson

On June 12, 2016, partygoers at the Orlando nightclub, Pulse, were gunned down. This was just one of many incidents that seemed to plague this past summer. It was a season of chaos, from the suddenness of Brexit to the rise of Donald Trump, it was a summer that could not be predicted.

Due to the increasing tension, around the world and in our own country, members of the Marymount community took on the mission of bringing people together in these worrisome times. This summer at the Co-Curricular Council meeting, the idea to hold a peace rally was born.

The Peace & Unity Rally was the first event to come out of a new program called The Power of & Initiative, which was started by Vincent Stovall of Student Engagement.

At the rally, Brandan McCammit, SGA President, said that the initiative will be “enlightening and entertaining.” According to McCammit, it will feature artists, speakers, movies, and discussions, that will have performances that “focus on diversity and inclusion.”

Like the Power of &, the Peace & Unity Rally came together with the combined help of multiple clubs and departments. One example of this collaboration was the strong involvement of the Counseling Center.  

Meg Telfair, from the Counseling Center, said the event was not only a reaction but a proactive step that was meant to bring “people together” in these divisive times.

A wide array of campus organizations collaborated for the rally. SGA, Blue Crew, Student Engagement, and BSA were involved with the process.

Among the speakers was Marymount President Dr. Matthew Shank, noting he wanted to bring the community together and give them a place where they can find peace.

Father Thomas “Tom” Yehl then headed a moment of silence and prayer for the countless victims in the past year. Following the prayer was a poetry reading of “The Human Family”, written by Maya Angelou. The poem was read by student and member of Marymount’s International Student Association Dana Najib. After, there was a rendition of “The Prayer” by David Foster, that was sung by Abigail Mercaldo. The night ended with the reading of the Marymount Pledge. The pledge was recited in multiple languages, ending the night with a declaration of unity and peace.

While the event was only geared toward promoting peace at Marymount, those who worked on bringing it together have said that this is just the beginning. There are plans, all part of The Power of &, to have discussions, panels and town-hall style meetings that are meant to open dialogue about the events going on.

Telfair said one of  “the most important things” students can do is continue to participate in these type of programs so we can have an “open place to talk about everything going on.”

Those who attended the Peace & Unity Rally enjoyed Marymount’s willingness to start a dialogue about current issues affecting their students. Brandan McCammit called it  “effective in starting a conversation.”

This was one of the biggest accomplishments of the Peace & Unity Rally, to “[bring] the community together, in times of crises,” said Blue Crew President Hunter Hayes.