Will Rapp, GLSEN • 2418 E 9th St N, Wichita, KS 67214
Join us to learn from Will Rapp, the Managing Director for the Kansas chapter of GLSEN, a grassroots initiative working locally in our community to ensure safe schools for all students, regardless of sexual orientation and gender identity.
Potluck with Poetry by Big Poppa E and McKinney-Vento Donation Drive • 2418 E 9th St N, Wichita, KS 67214
Join us for a special performance by Big Poppa E during our monthly potluck (for Pride Month our theme is rainbows!) and quarterly donation drive.
About Big Poppa E: Three-time cast member of HBO's Def Poetry, National Poetry Slam Champion, and he's been paid to perform his original poetry in 45 States, including twice in Hawaii and three times in Alaska. His style is a mixture of spoken word, stand-up comedy, dramatic monologue, storytelling, and performance-based poetry. He is funny as s***. Content of this performance will be suitable for all ages.
About McKinney-Vento: Every quarter we collect shelf-stable food items to assemble "snack bags" for students and families in the USD 259 McKinney-Vento program during our monthly potluck. You can sign up to contribute to the donations here: www.bit.ly/WichitaOasisMV
The McKinney-Vento Program provides services for students and families to help overcome obstacles and barriers, such as homelessness, so that students can be successful in school. Wichita Oasis’ core values include “meaning comes from making a difference” and “human hands solve human problems”, and helping McKinney-Vento aligns with these values.
Wichita Oasis is a secular community that meets weekly on Sunday mornings to connect, be inspired, and feel empowered.
Our Activities
Throughout history beliefs, dogmas, and ideologies have divided people and have been the source of wars, persecution, and other conflicts. The Oasis movement values the well-being of people over any abstract belief, dogma, theology, or philosophy. Our common humanity is enough to bind us together in meaningful community. (And, yes, we are fully aware that this is also a belief—but we’re just fine with a little irony in our lives!)
Most religions claim to have special insight into the nature of reality on the basis of revelations given by supernatural beings. As a secular movement, the Oasis communities are committed to exploring and understanding reality on the basis of empirical evidence and rational discourse.
Oasis communities strive to be places of acceptance for all people. We embrace and celebrate humanity in all its diversity and we foster an environment of compassion and kindness without regard to race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, and family structure.
Oasis communities do not exist only to satisfy the needs of their members or perpetuate the Oasis movement. Rather, Oasis communities are committed to service projects and civic engagement that improve the lives of others locally, nationally, and internationally.
Some of the ways in which the Wichita Oasis chapter is making a difference in the wider community are:
Donating snack bags, toiletries and school supplies for children and teens in the USD 259 McKinney Vento Homeless Program
Fundraising for community members in need
Supporting HumanKind's Operation Holiday as a collection hosting site
The challenges facing humanity are largely created by humans themselves. We don’t wait for divine intervention. If the world is to become a better place for all people; it is up to us to make it happen through our collective wisdom, resources, and efforts.