OLEAN — Members of the Olean Rotary Club recently welcomed Kennedy Scott of Love in Action, Cattaraugus County for a discussion on the philosophy and practice of nonviolence during their biweekly meeting at Mickey’s.
Love in Action is a community-based collective dedicated to promoting nonviolence. The group meets monthly at various locations, including the Olean Public Library, to explore and practice the principles of nonviolence. Founded in May 2024, Love in Action currently has about 17 members representing diverse viewpoints, all committed to learning and applying nonviolent principles in their daily lives.
Scott described Love in Action as a principled nonviolence practice group. She said members participate in learning events, engage in hands-on projects, and share reflections on how their practices are working in various areas of life. Members learn together, practice together, and reflect on what is effective and what is not.
The group’s mission is to alleviate oppression toward all people through hands-on local projects supported by learning and advocacy programs, Scott said.
Scott also outlined the group’s broader vision, which centers on creating a community and world where all people recognize that they are deeply interconnected and interdependent. In this vision, individuals treat one another with dignity and respect and meet needs in nonviolent ways to demonstrate and build peace for all.
Love in Action’s purpose, Scott explained, is to address injustice through the principles and practices of nonviolence both locally and globally. She referenced Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., noting that injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.
Paula Bernstein, current area governor and future president of the Olean Rotary Club, added that it is important to re-examine how people treat one another every day through their interactions in the community, whether navigating a traffic jam on West State Street or simply holding the door for someone. She noted that kindness and nonviolence offer a meaningful philosophy for modern life.
