As the Season of giving continues, the Center of Community Engagement would like to highlight some more initiatives organized and led by students at the University of Rochester. The Douglass Leadership House (DLH) for example is the only living learning center on campus with the mission of “establishing an engaging intellectual community where students of all cultural backgrounds can come together and raise awareness of the many facets of the black experience; including culture, politics, history, and Diasporic roots,” as stated in their constitution. The house is organized around 4 project areas including the Ella Baker Project: Community Engagement.
With their motto, From Vision to Action, in mind Serenity Henlon, current DLH president, shares insight into their goals for this year and the service they have started to meet them: “The Douglass Leadership House has taken a proactive approach to bridge the gap between student leaders on campus and the Rochester community in need. Throughout the semester, every month, we’ve organized a series of service opportunities open to both residents (Douglass leaders) and non-residents. These initiatives ranged from sandwich making and meal prepping to soup kitchen assistance and needs distribution to homeless and recovering populations with mental health and substance use disorders. Additionally, we successfully conducted the first phase of our community engagement pillar project called “HERDRIVE”, a women’s toiletry drive that will distribute donations to local women’s shelters and centers. These service opportunities were made possible through partnerships with off-campus community organizations such as A Meal and More, Recovery All Ways (RAW), Bethany House and the Father Tracey Advocacy Center. Looking ahead, the Douglass Leadership House aims to build upon existing partnerships while also forging new ones to extend their service efforts into other areas for the upcoming spring semester.”
– Serenity Henlon, Class of 2024 President of Douglass Leadership House
Stay up to date and get involved with the ongoing work of the Douglass Leadership House by following the Instagram linked here.