The OMNI Center for Peace, Justice and Ecology is a multipurpose organization active mostly in Arkansas and its surrounding states in the United States. It was founded by retired University of Arkansas English professor James R. Bennett in 2001. Besides organizing peace demonstrations and forums on issues like climate change in the Fayetteville, Arkansas area, it sponsors awards programs that have recognized literary and peace work on local, national and international issues.
OMNI Center for Peace, Justice and Ecology
Founded
2001
Founder
James R. “Dick” Bennett
Type
Nonprofit
Focus
Peace, social and economic justice, equality, healthy environment
Location
Fayetteville, Ark.
Area served
Mostly Arkansas, Missouri, Kansas, and Oklahoma. But addresses global issues.
As an English professor at the University of Arkansas from 1965 to 1997, Bennett incorporated peace issues into his courses. While teaching, he joined the local Peace Organization Committee, a group that protested the Vietnam War, and continued engaging in such activities throughout his career. When he retired, he founded the OMNI Center with help from friends, including Dana Copp.[2][3]
The first office was in the basement of the Presbyterian Church’s university campus ministry. They liked the "OMNI" name since it signified being inclusive of all people and issues. They originally called the organization the "OMNI Center for Peace and Justice" but later added "Ecology" to appeal to environmental groups like the Sierra Club.[4]
Activities expand as OMNI growsedit
The organization grew following the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq. Besides organizing large protests, members developed educational activities. An open mic event and a commemoration for the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki began in 2001. The commemoration became an annual event to honor the dead from all wars, while open mics also became regular occurrences.
OMNI hired a paid executive director starting in 2012. Gladys Tiffany became the director in 2013 and spearheaded new programs, including a low-power radio station run by volunteers, activist training workshops, women’s support groups, and movie screenings. The group collaborated with other community organizations to stage events such as a Civil Rights Roundtable and lent financial support to other projects. [5]
In 2019, OMNI began a new student activism support group at the University of Arkansas to mentor students. In January 2020, about 100 people attended a demonstration organized by OMNI and the Arkansas Nonviolence Alliance in Fayetteville to protest a potential war with Iran. [6]
International PeaceWriting Awardedit
Bennett established the International PeaceWriting Award program in 1999 to recognize fiction and nonfiction book-length works that focus on the causes, consequences, and remedies of wars, as well as those covering nonviolent peacemaking and peacemakers. After forming OMNI two years later, that center became one of the sponsoring organizations of those awards, along with the Peace and Justice Studies Association of Georgetown University.
Honorees of the program, who received a cash prize along with recognition, include:
Novelist Mark C. Hungerford, The Quiet Bower, 2004
Playwright Monica Raymond, The Owl Girl, 2008
Children’s author Jan Sherbin, Under Fire, 2005
Polish teacher Stanley Opalka, Escape from Russia, 2005
Novelist Kathleen Kern, Where Such Unmaking Reigns, 2003
Arkansas Peace and Justice Heroes Awardedit
In 2004, OMNI and the American Friends Service Committee started the Arkansas Peace and Justice Heroes Award program to recognize advocates throughout the state. Honorees who have been recognized at a formal banquet include:
Jacob David George, Afghanistan war veteran who raised awareness for peace through music and a cross-country bicycle riding group, 2011[7]
Referencesedit
^"IRS Form 990 2017" (PDF). Retrieved February 8, 2020.
^"OMNI leaders". OMNI Center for Peace, Justice and Ecology. Retrieved February 8, 2020.
^"OMNI Center for Peace, Justice and Ecology Records Addendum". University of Arkansas Libraries, Special Collections Department. Retrieved February 8, 2020.
^"OMNI Center for Peace, Justice and Ecology". Central Arkansas Library System Encyclopedia of Arkansas. Retrieved February 8, 2020.
^"OMNI seeks world peace with new strategies". The Free Weekly, Jan. 23, 2014. Retrieved February 8, 2020.
^"Antiwar protesters take a stand in Fayetteville". Northwest Arkansas Democrat Gazette, January 5, 2020. Retrieved February 8, 2020.
^"Jacob David George". Northwest Arkansas Democrat Gazette, October 1, 2014. Retrieved February 8, 2020.
External linksedit
OMNI Center for Peace, Justice and Ecology
James R. "Dick" Bennett’s Peace, Justice and Ecology newsletters
January 01, 1970
omni, center, peace, justice, ecology, multipurpose, organization, active, mostly, arkansas, surrounding, states, united, states, founded, retired, university, arkansas, english, professor, james, bennett, 2001, besides, organizing, peace, demonstrations, foru. The OMNI Center for Peace Justice and Ecology is a multipurpose organization active mostly in Arkansas and its surrounding states in the United States It was founded by retired University of Arkansas English professor James R Bennett in 2001 Besides organizing peace demonstrations and forums on issues like climate change in the Fayetteville Arkansas area it sponsors awards programs that have recognized literary and peace work on local national and international issues OMNI Center for Peace Justice and EcologyFounded2001FounderJames R Dick BennettTypeNonprofitFocusPeace social and economic justice equality healthy environmentLocationFayetteville Ark Area servedMostly Arkansas Missouri Kansas and Oklahoma But addresses global issues Executive DirectorGladys TiffanyRevenue 88 904 2017 1 Websiteomnicenter wbr org Contents 1 Formation 2 Activities expand as OMNI grows 3 International PeaceWriting Award 4 Arkansas Peace and Justice Heroes Award 5 References 6 External linksFormation editAs an English professor at the University of Arkansas from 1965 to 1997 Bennett incorporated peace issues into his courses While teaching he joined the local Peace Organization Committee a group that protested the Vietnam War and continued engaging in such activities throughout his career When he retired he founded the OMNI Center with help from friends including Dana Copp 2 3 The first office was in the basement of the Presbyterian Church s university campus ministry They liked the OMNI name since it signified being inclusive of all people and issues They originally called the organization the OMNI Center for Peace and Justice but later added Ecology to appeal to environmental groups like the Sierra Club 4 Activities expand as OMNI grows editThe organization grew following the September 11 2001 terrorist attacks and invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq Besides organizing large protests members developed educational activities An open mic event and a commemoration for the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki began in 2001 The commemoration became an annual event to honor the dead from all wars while open mics also became regular occurrences OMNI hired a paid executive director starting in 2012 Gladys Tiffany became the director in 2013 and spearheaded new programs including a low power radio station run by volunteers activist training workshops women s support groups and movie screenings The group collaborated with other community organizations to stage events such as a Civil Rights Roundtable and lent financial support to other projects 5 In 2019 OMNI began a new student activism support group at the University of Arkansas to mentor students In January 2020 about 100 people attended a demonstration organized by OMNI and the Arkansas Nonviolence Alliance in Fayetteville to protest a potential war with Iran 6 International PeaceWriting Award editBennett established the International PeaceWriting Award program in 1999 to recognize fiction and nonfiction book length works that focus on the causes consequences and remedies of wars as well as those covering nonviolent peacemaking and peacemakers After forming OMNI two years later that center became one of the sponsoring organizations of those awards along with the Peace and Justice Studies Association of Georgetown University Honorees of the program who received a cash prize along with recognition include Playwright Catherine Filloux Lemkin s House 2006 Ground Zero Minnesota founder and professor Michael Murphy Andregg On the Causes of War 1999 John Carroll University professor Philip Metres Behind the Lines War Resistance Poetry in the United States 1940 2000 2002 Nuclear Age Peace Foundation founder David Krieger Today Is Not a Good Day for War 2005 other poetry collections in 2007 and 2010 Retired English professor Alexander Blackburn The Physicist 2003 Pax Educare founder Mary Lee Morrison The Life of Elise Boulding 2002 Journalist Kevin James Shay Walking through the Wall 2002 Business consultant Ken Beller Great Peacemakers True Stories from Around the World 2007 Playwright Molly Hersage The Perfect Endgame 2006 Playwright Anita Yellin Simons Ladies First 2006 Novelist Mark C Hungerford The Quiet Bower 2004 Playwright Monica Raymond The Owl Girl 2008 Children s author Jan Sherbin Under Fire 2005 Polish teacher Stanley Opalka Escape from Russia 2005 Novelist Kathleen Kern Where Such Unmaking Reigns 2003Arkansas Peace and Justice Heroes Award editIn 2004 OMNI and the American Friends Service Committee started the Arkansas Peace and Justice Heroes Award program to recognize advocates throughout the state Honorees who have been recognized at a formal banquet include Writer and artist Diana Rivers 2005 History professor and genocide expert Samuel Totten 2007 Jonesboro youth program leader Rennell Woods 2007 Citizens First Congress director Bill Kopsky 2007 Community activist Eleanor Johnson 2007 Bridge of Peace co founder Hamsa Newmark 2008 Attorney Michael R McCray 2008 Habitat for Humanity director Patsy Brewer 2008 Community advocate Vickie Tidwell 2008 Jacob David George Afghanistan war veteran who raised awareness for peace through music and a cross country bicycle riding group 2011 7 References edit IRS Form 990 2017 PDF Retrieved February 8 2020 OMNI leaders OMNI Center for Peace Justice and Ecology Retrieved February 8 2020 OMNI Center for Peace Justice and Ecology Records Addendum University of Arkansas Libraries Special Collections Department Retrieved February 8 2020 OMNI Center for Peace Justice and Ecology Central Arkansas Library System Encyclopedia of Arkansas Retrieved February 8 2020 OMNI seeks world peace with new strategies The Free Weekly Jan 23 2014 Retrieved February 8 2020 Antiwar protesters take a stand in Fayetteville Northwest Arkansas Democrat Gazette January 5 2020 Retrieved February 8 2020 Jacob David George Northwest Arkansas Democrat Gazette October 1 2014 Retrieved February 8 2020 External links editOMNI Center for Peace Justice and Ecology James R Dick Bennett s Peace Justice and Ecology newsletters Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title OMNI Center for Peace Justice and Ecology amp oldid 1053486751, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
