Arthur Kegerreis
2039 N Las Palmas Ave. #324
LA, CA 90068
(323) 573-4758
librlart [at] gmail.com
Quakers are organized locally into monthly meetings, which are similar to a church; regional quarterly meetings, composed of many monthly meetings – ours includes southern California; and yearly meetings, including two or more quarterly meetings.
Pacific Yearly Meeting (PYM) includes all of California, Hawaii, Nevada, and Mexico City, and is composed of College Park Quarterly Meeting and Southern California Quarterly Meeting (SCQM). All of these are run by members, and include committees coordinated and led by clerks.
As an attender at Pasadena’s Orange Grove Monthly Meeting (OGMM), I have initiated and led many events and served as a representative to the Southern California Quarterly Meeting (SCQM) and American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) as a member of the OGMM Peace and Social Concerns Committee. I am currently clerking the SCQM Peace and Social Concerns Committee as well. I also initiated and facilitate a UU/Quaker Social Change Ministry group in partnership with our nearby Neighborhood Unitarian Universalist Church (NUUC). I am also a member of the PYM Communications Committee, helping maintain and tailor the Yearly Meeting’s online offerings to the needs of our members.
OGMM AFSC Representative Fall 2016-ongoing
OGMM Peace and Social Concerns (P&SC) Committee Member Fall 2016-ongoing
OGMM UU/Quaker Social Change Ministry Group (QSCM) Facilitator November 2016-May 2019
SCQM Peace and Social Concerns Committee Clerk April 2018-ongoing
SCQM Peace and Social Concerns (P&SC) Committee Member April 2017-2018
SCQM Representative for OGMM 2013-2015
PYM Communications Committee Member 2018-ongoing
AMERICAN FRIENDS SERVICE COMMITTEE
OGMM MEETING REPRESENTATIVE
Fall 2016-ongoing
Led 39 Questions for White People Workshop April 30, 2017
Racism awareness workshop based on participatory art installation by Naima Lowe
Meeting Representative
AFSC Centennial Conference, Philadelphia, PA
April 20-22, 2017
Participated in workshops on border militarization, racism awareness, and rewriting narratives to facilitate social change with those of opposing political perspectives
Led group participation in online AFSC
Changing Systems Changing Ourselves (CSCO) Class May, June, July, August 2018
AFSC informational conference calls
Calls for Spirited Action
Transcribed monthly conference calls on Quaker Social Change Ministry, Palestinian Relief Efforts, and Sanctuary Training and shared them on OGMM website (later migrated to Google Group)
OGMM
PEACE AND SOCIAL CONCERNS COMMITTEE
Lobbying:
FCNL Faith Based Lobbying Training April 1, 2017
Senator Feinstein Lobby Visit November 9, 2017
Adam Schiff Lobby Visit Nov 21, 2017
Co-authored Immigration Reform Minute with Anthony Manousos and Edie Salisbury – Approved October 2018
Ministry and Worship Development:
Quaker Center Consultation October 20-22, 2017
Wrote summary, published in OGM Record, and presented it to business meeting
Designed “Immigrants Know Your Rights” lawn sign 2018
Created Peace and Social Concerns and Immigration Resource lists for OGMM website/Google Group
Attendee participant:
Clerking Workshop February 26, 2017 Santa Monica Friends Meeting
Clerking Workshop February 3, 2018 OGMM Barbara Babin (Resource List)
(Unitarian Universalist and) QUAKER SOCIAL CHANGE MINISTRY GROUP
OGMM Feb. 2017 – On-going
Initiated, leading, and facilitating spiritual and social activism group meeting every two weeks
Initiated partnership with Neighborhood Unitarian Universalist Church, July 2017-ongoing
Wrote publicity for community awareness:
• Article for NUUC, OGMM Record, “Quaker Social Change Ministry:
What is the connection between spirit and activism? History, Progress, and the Future” Aug./Sept. 2017
• Condensed AFSC QSCM Manual for adult ed discussion – QSCM Condensed Manual
• Co-led Adult Ed Immigration Minute Advocacy Action Session and designed flyer Dec 2 2018
• Facilitated Covenant Writing Workshop with Greg Boyd of Neighborhood Unitarian Universalist Church (NUUC) March 7, 2017 including discussion of online video
• Researched and published online immigration advocacy group resource list
• Immigrant Legal Resource
Removal Defense seminar
March 18-19, 2019
• Initiated and Setup legal procedure summary workshop for detention center visitors with Betty Guthrie, BIA Certified Representative
• Group member Cate Smith initiated a similar Skype conference with Sarah Zelcer, an Esperanza attorney in San Bernadino. (notes available at previous link)
• Helped organize NUUC Immigration Themed Church Service November 2018
• Research and initiation of partnerships and activity with legal and advocacy groups CHIRLA, NDLON, Esperanza, CIVIC/Freedom for Immigrants, CLUE, Matthew 25, and POP! Pasadenans Organizing for Progress
Rapid Response Training CLUE Feb 28 2018
Participated in rapid response training for ICE raids at NUUC
UCARE Coalition CLUE April 13, 2018
Researched and publicized regional interfaith advocacy efforts for unaccompanied immigrant children
Initiation of Immigration Advocacy Informational Workshops
SCQM/OGMM:
1) “Defending the Rights of Immigrants – A Workshop with Pedro Rios” May 20, 2017
Designed publicity flyer, publicized event, facilitated attendees and refreshments
2) “Immigrant Incarceration: US Criminal “Justice” System and the Profit of Private Prison” and “Confronting the For-Profit Prison Industry” Emily Verdugo, AFSC Tucson, May 6, 2017
Arranged presentations for visiting AFSC representative with Neighborhood UU Church and ICUJP Inter-faith Peace Organization, as well as OGMM.
• Border Watch Encuentro, School of the Americas Watch, Nogales, AZ Nov 10-12, 2017
• Border Watch Encuentro, School of the Americas Watch, Nogales, AZ Nov 16-18, 2018
Demonstration participation in Nogales and Tucson, AZ
Co-led Young Adult Friend group with Mary Klein and Jim Summers in 2018
• CLUE “Know Your Rights” Workshop, OGMM, Pasadena, CA
April 13, 2019
Provided immigration rights workshop for neighbors of OGMM with translators and free lawyers providing legal immigration advice. (initiated by Anthony Manousos)
Adelanto ICE Processing Center
Monthly interfaith detention center visitation
Trainings:
2017-06-20 Adelanto Bus Trip – 50+ inter-faith leaders attend orientation and attempt to visit detained immigrants. GEO locked down the facility when we arrived, called the police, and wouldn’t let anyone in, even sending lawyers and families home.
2017-10-30 Attended Freedom for Immigrants Database Training
2017-11-06 Database Training follow-up
2017-12-03 Liza Diniakis at OGMM via Skype. Helped organize and present immigration detention center visitation training workshop
2018-03-24 Facilitated OGMM Liza Diniakis Visitation Training
Adelanto Visits:
2017-08-08 Adelanto East: Fabiola from Santa Ana/Mexico
2017-09-11 Adelanto West: Muhammad from Pakistan
2017-10-13 12.15.24 Adelanto East
2017-12-12 Adelanto East: Fabiola
2018-01-18 Adelanto West
2018-02-22 Adelanto West: Ghana (deported after 3 years)
2018-10 Adelanto East: Bryan, El Salvador, released November 2018 with our help. Wrote blog post about the visit: “The imprisoned path to asylum at Adelanto”
2018-12-12 Adelanto West: Muhammad, Pakistan (deported)
2019-01-17 Adelanto West: Mohammed from Afghanistan/Sacramento (released) represented by USC Immigration Clinic
2019-02-12 Adelanto West: Mohammed, Bangladesh
• Coordinated with visitation leaders in Orange County, Jan Meslin & Betty Guthrie; and Thousand Oaks, Liza Diniakis
• Organized group attendance and ticket purchasing for Immigration related theater events:
Actors Gang: Refugee Project/The New Colossus March 8, 2018
Pasadena Playhouse: Culture Clash: Bordertown Now June 19, 2018
Asylum Anguish: Stories From The Border Benefit for Friends of Orange County Detainees February 10, 2019
Participant:
Santa Monica Friends Meeting Retreat October 2018
Lucy Duncan presenting Quaker Social Change Ministry
SOUTHERN CA QUARTERLY MEETING
LEADINGS WORKSHOP ORGANIZER:
• Researched leadings teachers online
• Visited and established relationships with Diego Navarro and Betty deValcourt (Santa Cruz), and Steve Smith and Judith Favor (Claremont) as potential workshop instructors.
• Presented workshop idea to OGMM M&C, then SCQM Ministry and Counsel Committee for approval and sponsorship
• Organized and presented leadings workshop with Betty deValcourt from Santa Cruz
• Arranged accommodations for speaker
• Helped coordinate food for workshop
• Reserved Meeting House for presentation and rehearsal
• Designed publicity flyer
• Promoted workshop via regional meeting email lists and in person announcements
• Organized follow-up Fall Fellowship 2018 Interest Groups with Judith Favor, and mini-Clearness Committees with Gail Thomas
SCQM PEACE AND SOCIAL CONCERNS (P&SC) CLERK beginning April 2018
• Facilitated communication between neighboring meeting committees
• Organized Fall Fellowship Interest Group Workshops with Gail Thomas, M&C November, 2018:
• Music Workshop with Annie Patterson
• Prophetic Witness: Drawing on our Quaker roots to help with issues facing our country today (Immigration, Racial Justice, etc)
with Peter Blood-Patterson
• Leader: Immigration Advocacy and Direct Action
Orange County – Betty Guthrie – Immigration direct action;
SMFM – Cristine Reynaert;
LaJolla – Jim Summers – Nogales Border Encuentro;
OGMM – Edie and Arthur Kegerreis – Adelanto Visitation and Know Your Rights Workshops
• Leader: Into Action with Quaker Minutes of Concern (P&SO Committee Interest Group)
Participants Share recent minutes from Monthly Meetings, discussing approaches to action inspired by them
• Mini Clearness Committees with Gail Thomas
• Restorative Justice with Peggy Craik of FCLCA
• Helped with travel and housing arrangements for keynote speakers Annie Peterson and Peter Blood
• Initiating online workshop presentations and discussions using Zoom
Restorative Justice with Peggy Craik February 26, 2019
• Organized Border Tour with Pedro Rios, San Diego, April 28, 2019 PDF
SCQM P&SC COMMITTEE MEMBER beginning April 29, 2017
Helped plan, setup and promote special event workshops
1) Defending the Rights of Immigrants – A Workshop with Pedro Rios
May 20, 2017 OGMM
Designed publicity flyer, publicized event, facilitated attendees and refreshments
2) George Lakey – “Viking Economics”
June 17-18, 2017
Book release presentations coordinated at OGMM and SMFM
OGMM SCQM REPRESENTATIVE 3 years 2012-2015
• Attended Fall and Spring Quarterly Meetings Gatherings
• Presented report to OGMM Business Meeting about the gathering Jan 2016
• Arrangements Committee 2014-2015
Picked up and returned building keys during Temescal Canyon weekend retreat, managed fellowship refreshments, and setup for retreat events
PACIFIC YEARLY MEETING
COMMUNICATIONS COMMITTEE
WEBSITE SUBCOMMITTEE
PRIVACY POLICY WORKING GROUP
• Website User Testing
Nov 20-21, 2017 Rob Cimorelli and Pat Wolff
Feb 6, 2018 Cliff Lester
• File Management Plugin Software Evaluation and Testing
• Created WordPress testing site for trial modifications and site re-design
• Website Structure Evaluation and Redesign
• Web Style Guide Development
• GDPR Compliance evaluation and recommendations May 9 2018
• Leading Privacy Policy development working group February 2019
• Annual Session Ride Sharing Coordinator March – July 2014
• Attended RepComm Mar 2-4, 2018
• Attended RepComm March 1-3, 2019
ORANGE GROVE RECORD
Bimonthly Newsletter Contributor
• Nov 9, 2017 AFSC /QSCM Updates Jan 8, 2017 & Short Adelanto photo update
• Quaker Center Consultation Summary Oct 2017
• “Quaker Social Change Ministry:
What is the connection between spirit and activism? History, Progress, and the Future” Aug./Sept. 2017
• “How to…” contribution and meeting communications 2017
• Jan 21, 2017 Womens’ March Photos
• Mar 1, 2016 Union Station Homeless Feeding Kitchen Crew Photos
• Two Who Dared and The Little Polish Boy – Artemis Joukowsky, Peter Fischl and Maria Wida December 2013
OGMM
Ad-Hoc Fellowship Planning Committee March-April 2016
Committee researched and summarized fellowship procedures from over twenty neighboring meetings to restructure fellowship committee, responding to member burn-out
PDF: Fellowship Survey Results Combined