Dear Alumni and Friends,
April showers have finally come once again to the San Francisco Bay Area, though the worst drought in 1,200 years somberly portends ever-increasing challenges due to global climate change. While the storms of war tragically uproot countless families, and it is indeed hard to be in a business-as-usual mode, there are some heartening and uplifting activities by and for I-House residents that offer hope for a more just and peaceful world.
At the top of this list of activities, I hope that you will enjoy reading about the recent Resident Benefit Concert for Ukraine in this issue of the I-House Connection.
Our Resident Assistants and program team have facilitated a full schedule of activities this month, including just in the week ahead a South Asian Chai Hour, Karaoke Nights, a Champions League Semi-Finals Watch Party in the Chevron Auditorium, an organized visit to a local pub, trips to the SF Asian Art Museum and Berkeley Botanical Garden, to name a few! Our resident-only Candlelight Sunday Supper, one of I-House’s oldest traditions, will keep alive the spirit of the words I-House founder Harry Edmonds wrote in the 1920’s:
“As light begets light, so love, friendship, and goodwill are passed from one to another. We who have come from many Nations to live in one fellowship at International House, promise one another to pass the light wherever we go.”
If you are on campus, be sure to visit our newly restored edmonds Café, where a whole series of events, discounts, and free merchandise are being offered during our “Sneak Preview” this Saturday for Cal Day and through next week.
Social Media Ambassador Carina Samson offers her “5 Favorite Things About I-House” in this issue as well. Finally, I’m also pleased to share an invitation below from I-House New York for our residents, alumni, and friends for another virtual event, Refugee High: Coming of Age in America to be held next Tuesday, April 26, 4:00 p.m. Pacific Time.
Sincerely,
Shaun R. Carver
Executive Director
International House at UC Berkeley
