Spotlight: Jeremy Rehwaldt, Alumnus
Q: What’s your LVC story? A: I participated as a volunteer during 1992-1993 in Minneapolis; I lived in Winona House and worked as the program coordinator for the Twin Cities Coalition for Police Accountability. I was also a member of the initial LVC Journey to an Inclusive Community task force (1999–2003). I now serve as the secretary for the Lutheran Service Corps board in Omaha (2017-present).
Q: What are the top 3 ways LVC changed or impacted your life? A: Over the course of my LVC year I answered a hotline for people mistreated by the police, helped coordinate a group of women’s organizations working to end police abuse, particularly against sex workers and officers’ intimate partners, and organized a national conference of police accountability organizations. Through those experiences, I gained a visceral understanding of the effects of systemic racism and gender injustice that shape how I continue to interpret the world. By working with and learning from activists from across the Twin Cities, I gained new tools for addressing social problems. And by living in community, I gained confidence in living intentionally, choosing how to live out my values rather than following social norms.
Q: Why do you support LVC? A: I support LVC because (a) I want other people to have the opportunity to be transformed as I was during my year as a volunteer, (b) LVCers strengthen communities by providing needed capacity-building for nonprofit organizations, and (c) transformed lives and transformed organizations together can transform the world.
Q: What are you doing now and how is it related to your LVC experience? A: I now teach ethics at a small Lutheran university in the Midwest and provide professional services to progressive nonprofits, helping them put their plans into action.
