M.K. Gandhi Institute for Nonviolence

Community Dinner (August)
2023-08-31 18:00 - 20:00 (America/New_York) | M.K. Gandhi Institute, 929 S Plymouth Ave, Rochester, NY 14608, USA, Rochester, NY, 14608, United States
Let’s connect, talk, mourn, celebrate, exchange stories, create ideas, dream, and get to know each other over a shared meal! Bring a dish if you would like to, but don’t worry, we’ll be cooking up a few of our own. Everyone is welcome — you can donate if you would like to, but all we ask is that you bring curiosity, respect, and an appetite!
If you want to join, or if you are bringing dishes or snacks, please let us know by emailing erin@gandhiinstitute.org

Breakfast Chats
2023-05-09 08:00 - 09:00
Join our Directors for breakfast & conversation!
Come to get to know us and talk about your part in supporting nonviolence in Rochester and beyond. Share breakfast with Gwen & Erin, our Co-directors of the Gandhi Institute for Nonviolence. Chat with us to learn more about the Institute’s programs and plans.
Stay for some good breakfast, conversation, and company!
Dates:
The second Tuesday of the month!
May – 5/9 – 8:00 am

Communicating for Change (April-May '23)
2023-04-18 17:30 - 2023-05-16 19:00
Join Bianca, Gwen, & Jonathon for 5 weeks of online exploration and practice in Nonviolent Communication through thought, speech, and embodied practices.
We will explore how to apply this framework through discussions, interactive break-out rooms, & roleplays.
If you have any questions or requests please feel free to contact: bianca@gandhiinstitute.org

Breakfast Chats
2023-04-11 08:00 - 09:00
Join our Directors for breakfast & conversation!
Come to get to know us and talk about your part in supporting nonviolence in Rochester and beyond. Share breakfast with Gwen & Erin, our Co-directors of the Gandhi Institute for Nonviolence. Chat with us to learn more about the Institute’s programs and plans.
Stay for some good breakfast, conversation, and company!
Dates:
The second Tuesday of the month!
April – 4/11 – 8:00 am
May – 5/9 – 8:00 am

Online Grief Circles (March-April)
2023-03-30 12:00 - 2023-04-20 13:00
Join Bianca Pointner and Kit Miller for weekly virtual circles to honor our pain for the world and to unlock that stored energy for present and future good.
All people, and every kind of grief, are welcome.
You are welcome to join all sessions or you can drop in for as many sessions that work for you.

"Healing Resistance" Book Group
2023-03-14 18:00 - 2023-03-28 19:30
Join Jonathon Jones for a three-part book group during this year’s Season for Nonviolence. Explore nonviolent action and restorative societal transformation through Kazu Haga’s book “Healing Resistance.”
This book group will meet online on Tuesdays from 6:00 – 7:30 pm. Participants will be emailed the meeting link upon registering.

Breakfast Chats
2023-03-14 08:00 - 09:00
Join our Directors for breakfast & conversation!
Come to get to know us and talk about your part in supporting nonviolence in Rochester and beyond. Share breakfast with Gwen & Erin, our Co-directors of the Gandhi Institute for Nonviolence. Chat with us to learn more about the Institute’s programs and plans.
Stay for some good breakfast, conversation, and company!
Dates:
The second Tuesday of the month!
March – 3/14 – 8:00 am
April – 4/11 – 8:00 am
May – 5/9 – 8:00 am

Community Dinner
2023-03-02 18:00 - 20:00
Let’s connect, talk, mourn, celebrate, exchange stories, create ideas, dream, and get to know each other over a shared meal! Bring a dish if you would like to, but don’t worry, we’ll be cooking up a few of our own. Everyone is welcome — you can donate if you would like to, but all we ask is that you bring curiosity, respect, and an appetite!
If you want to join, or if you are bringing dishes or snacks, please let us know by emailing bianca@gandhiinstitute.org
We ask folks to remove their shoes in the house if that’s comfortable for you and we also keep vegetarian within the house. We are not requesting folks to mask inside the house at this time; you are welcome to do so. If you are having symptoms, we ask you to join another time.

Breakfast Chats
2023-02-14 08:00 - 09:00
Join our Directors for breakfast & conversation!
Come to get to know us and talk about your part in supporting nonviolence in Rochester and beyond. Share breakfast with Gwen & Erin, our Co-directors of the Gandhi Institute for Nonviolence. Chat with us to learn more about the Institute’s programs and plans.
Stay for some good breakfast, conversation, and company!
Dates:
The second Tuesday of the month!
February – 2/14 – 8:00 am
March – 3/14 – 8:00 am
April – 4/11 – 8:00 am
May – 5/9 – 8:00 am

Conversations on Race and Poverty in Rochester
2023-02-01 18:00 - 20:00
What are the connections between race and poverty in greater Rochester? Why are things the way they are?
This interactive workshop will include small-group and whole-group discussions that explore the connections of race and poverty in Rochester’s community. Staff from the Gandhi Institute for Nonviolence and Saint Joseph’s Neighborhood Center will facilitate this discussion.
This in-person workshop will take place at the Paul J. Burgett Intercultural Center at the University of Rochester. Pizza will be provided.
This workshop is free, but you are welcome to donate if you would like to support the work of the Gandhi Institute and/or Saint Joseph’s Neighborhood Center.

Weekly Grief Circle
2023-01-19 12:00 - 2023-03-09 13:00
“People are not going to find their truth-force, or inner authority, by listening to the so-called experts, but by listening to themselves. Every one of us is an expert on what it is like to live on an endangered planet.” – Joanna Macey
Join Kit Miller and Bianca Pointner for weekly virtual circles to honor our pain for the world and to unlock that stored energy for present and future good. All people, and every kind of grief, are welcome.
We will meet Thursdays at 12pm EST throughout January and ending March 9th. You are welcome to join all sessions, or you can drop in for as many sessions that work for you.
*Postponed until January 19th*
Thanks for your patience.
Please email bianca@gandhiinstitute.org if you have any questions.

Breakfast Chats
2023-01-10 08:00 - 09:00
Join our Directors for breakfast & conversation!
Come to get to know us and talk about your part in supporting nonviolence in Rochester and beyond. Share breakfast with Gwen & Erin, our Co-directors of the Gandhi Institute for Nonviolence. Chat with us to learn more about the Institute’s programs and plans.
Stay for some good breakfast, conversation, and company!
Dates:
The second Tuesday of the month!
January – 1/10 – 8:00 am
February – 2/14 – 8:00 am
March – 3/14 – 8:00 am
April – 4/11 – 8:00 am
May – 5/9 – 8:00 am

Online Book Group: Pro Voice
2023-01-09 19:00 - 2023-02-06 20:30
New Book Group! Pro-Voice: How to keep listening when the world wants a fight by Aspen Baker.
Join us for this timely read about the work of one woman and Exhale, the organization she co-founded. Exhale has been standing between the ideological armies of pro life and pro choice since 2000, and works to bring a consistent, nonviolent lens to offering support for and lifting the voices of those who have had an abortion.
This book group will meet for five weeks on Mondays from 7:00 – 8:30 pm ET, beginning January 9th and running until February 6th. The virtual discussions will be facilitated by Gwen Olton and Kit Miller.

Capacity is limited, please register below to reserve your spot. In an effort to make our events as accessible to as many people as possible we offer this book group on a sliding scale basis; If you have any questions feel free to reach out to: gwen@gandhiinstiute.org.

Breakfast Chats
2022-12-20 08:00 - 09:00
Join our Directors for breakfast & conversation!
Come to get to know us and talk about your part in supporting nonviolence in Rochester and beyond. Share breakfast with Gwen & Erin, our Co-directors of the Gandhi Institute for Nonviolence. Chat with us to learn more about the Institute’s programs and plans.
Stay for some good breakfast, conversation, and company!
Dates:
Tuesday, 12/20 – 8:00 am

Book Launch Party!
2022-12-16 19:00 - 21:00
We’re thrilled to celebrate the release of Co-Director Gwen Olton’s new book, “From Conflict to Community: Transforming Conflicts without Authorities.” Just in time for the holidays, this festive gathering will offer participants an opportunity to hear a short excerpt from the book and practice a skill or two for working through tough conversations. Come for as much of the party as you’d like – snacks, wine, and other beverages will begin promptly at 7, reading and practices at 7:15 with mingling to follow! As a special gift to the Gandhi Institute all proceeds of Gwen’s book for the month of December will go right to our Annual Appeal campaign.Hope to see you there!

Holiday Talking Circle
2022-12-10 17:00 - 18:30
The holidays can be a joyous time for some and a grievous time for others.
Some struggle with feeling excluded. Others struggle with concerns about consumption.
Whatever your mix of experiences, we welcome you to bring your truth and complexity to this annual event.
Join the circle. Be heard.

December 10th, 5:00 – 6:30 pm

This will be an in person event at the Gandhi Institute limited to 15 people, so register now
For any questions feel free to reach out to: bianca@gandhiinstitute.org

"Thinking with the Body--Somatic Cognition in Health Humanities"
2022-12-07 10:00 - 2022-12-14 16:00
One of our community members, Michelle Burack, is presenting an interactive exhibit at the Gandhi Institute. The exhibit will be on display in our meditation room December 7th -14th. There are four interactive elements that invite 5-10 minutes of contemplation each, plus some visual works.

The exhibit will be available for viewing during the following blocks of time, during which Michelle will be on site to guide you through the pieces:

10AM-4PM on Wednesday, December 7th, Saturday December 10th, Sunday December 11th, and Wednesday December 14th.
4PM-7PM on Thursday, December 8th, Friday December 9th, and Tuesday December 13th

The meditation room is fairly small and can accommodate 2 or at most 3 guests at a time. Please use the Signup Genius below to let Michelle know when you plan to visit, so that she can ensure the exhibit is not already fully occupied when you arrive.

Youth Restorative Leadership Training
2022-12-03 10:00 - 2022-12-10 16:00
Join the Gandhi Institute in collaboration with Partners in Restorative Initiatives, for this youth-focused Restorative Leadership Training. Participants will learn group facilitation skills, including how to lead their own community-building circles. This training series gives young people a chance to meet and build community amongst each other, while also learning leadership and restorative practices that they can implement in their own communities.

Breakfast Chats
2022-11-29 08:00 - 09:00
Join our Directors for breakfast & conversation!
Come to get to know us and talk about your part in supporting nonviolence in Rochester and beyond. Share breakfast with Gwen & Erin, our Co-directors of the Gandhi Institute for Nonviolence. Chat with us to learn more about the Institute’s programs and plans.
Stay for some good breakfast, conversation, and company!
Dates:
Tuesday, 11/29 – 8:00 am
Thursday, 12/8 – 8:00 am
Tuesday, 12/20 – 8:00 am

Communicating For Change
2022-11-03 17:00 - 2022-12-08 19:00
For many folks, effective communication has never felt harder or more important. Given the challenges our communities have been facing, it can be easy and almost irresistible to disengage from others, rather than talking about what’s really going on and to share a vision of where to go from here. Learning Nonviolent Communication offers one avenue for engaging deeply with ourselves and one another so we’re better equipped to keep doing the work of building a future that works for all.
Join us Bianca Pointner and Jonathon Jones for four weeks of online exploration and practice in Nonviolent Communication through thought, speech, and embodied practices.
We will explore how to apply this framework through discussions, interactive break-out rooms, & roleplays.

Online Grief Circle
2022-11-03 12:00 - 2022-12-22 13:00
“People are not going to find their truth-force, or inner authority, by listening to the so-called experts, but by listening to themselves. Every one of us is an expert on what it is like to live on an endangered planet.” – Joanna Macey
Join Bianca Pointner and Kit Miller for weekly virtual circles to honor our pain for the world and to unlock that stored energy for present and future good. All people, and every kind of grief, are welcome.
We will meet Thursdays at 12pm EST through November and until December 22nd. You are welcome to join all sessions or you can drop in for as many sessions that work for you.
For questions feel free to reach out to: bianca@gandhiinstitute.org

Dinner with the Community
2022-10-26 18:00 - 2022-12-07 20:00
Let’s connect, talk, mourn, celebrate, exchange stories, create ideas, dream, and get to know each other over a shared meal! Bring a dish if you can, but if you can’t don’t worry, we’ll be cooking up a few of our own. Everyone is welcome — you can donate if you would like to, but all we ask is that you bring curiosity, respect, and an appetite!
If you want to join, or if you are bringing dishes or snacks, please let us know by emailing bianca@gandhiinstitute.org
We ask folks to remove their shoes in the house if that’s comfortable for you and we also keep vegetarian within the house. We are not requesting folks to mask inside the house at this time; you are welcome to do so. If you are having symptoms, we ask you to join another time.

Dialogue Circles
2022-10-13 18:00 - 2022-10-27 19:30
Dialogue is an incredible tool. By using skillful dialogue, we can harness the power of diversity. Join us for this three-part workshop series to deepen your knowledge about using dialogue as a peacebuilding and conflict resolution strategy. Youssef Slilem, our Community Solutions Program Fellow, developed and refined this workshop in Morocco. We are excited to share Youssef’s knowledge and experience with our Rochester community. Some MKGI staff will join Youssef to facilitate this series.
Workshops will include dialogue circles, interactive exercises to learn and apply communication strategies, and space for each person to express their beliefs and perspectives.

Conflict De-Escalation Workshop 2.0
2022-10-09 15:00 - 18:00
This in person session is designed to help us develop and exercise skills to transform conflict and de-escalate tense situations within ourselves and with others. We’ll work through scenarios and practices to collaboratively respond to potentially violent situations in ways that enable and promote safe outcomes.
*This is for participants who have already attended a de-escalation workshop or have pre-existing experience in de-escalation.
If you want to join and haven’t been in a workshop before, please contact gwen@gandhiinstitute.org.

Nonviolence Debate
2022-09-24 18:00 - 19:00
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12th Annual Open House
2022-09-24 13:00 - 16:30
It’s time for our annual Open House celebration! We’re thrilled to open our doors and green spaces to our community *in person* this year. Whether you’re a long-time friend of the Gandhi Institute or have never checked us out before, we hope you’ll join us for this all-ages, joyous, and connecting event. Here are some of the things we’re excited to share with you at the Open House:

Delicious food!
Face painting!
A labyrinth scavenger hunt!
Music!
Games!

…And more! We hope you’ll join us and celebrate community together for as much or as little of the time as you can make. Feel free to register or just show up. Bring folks in your circles, and please spread the word – see you soon!

Garden Work Party
2022-09-17 12:00 - 2022-11-19 15:00
Drop by our community garden any time between 12:00 and 3:00 pm on Saturdays to help us plant, weed, and tend the garden, and deliver food and flowers to our neighbors. Wear casual clothes and closed-toe shoes that you don’t mind getting dirty. Tools and gloves will be provided.

Transformation Technologies
2022-09-16 09:00 - 16:30
Join us for this special event with friend of the Institute, Petra Kumm who will be visiting us from Germany!
Based on the work of facilitator and author, Kelly Bryson, this workshop will introduce participants to exercises that build connection and establish fields of trust within groups that allow us all to show up authentically. Bryson described these games and exercises as Connection Exercises. One of them is the Forum, an exercise that was developed in the German community ZEGG which Bryson described as “…the greatest tool for a community to communicate with itself.”
We hope you’ll join us for this exciting opportunity to learn, play, and build community in person at the Gandhi Institute on September 16 from 9 am to 4:30 pm. Space is very limited for this special event, so please register soon!

Yoga in the Labyrinth Fundraiser
2022-09-08 18:00 - 19:00
Join us on Thursday September 8th for a fun, relaxing summer fundraiser. We’ll spend the evening doing yoga on our outdoor meditative labyrinth. Tickets start at $5, please give what you can.
Bring your own mat if you can, but we will have extras.
Our flow will be led by Eileen Casey-Campbell, who teaches all body types.

Yoga in the Labyrinth Fundraiser
2022-08-25 18:00 - 19:00
Join us on Thursday August 25th for a fun, relaxing summer fundraiser. We’ll spend the evening doing yoga on our outdoor meditative labyrinth. Tickets start at $5, please give what you can.
Bring your own matt if you can, but we will have extras.
Our flow will be led by Eileen Casey-Campbell, who teaches all body types.
