The Marshallese Dispersion: Loss of a Homeland with Benetick Kabua Maddison

Saturday, August 9, 6:00 - 7:00 pm CT
Virtual via Zoom

This presentation will focus on the ongoing impact of the United States’ nuclear testing program on the Marshall Islands.  A diaspora refers to a group of people who have been forced out of their homeland and then scattered in other places. As the population in the Marshall Islands continues to decline and the diaspora grows, the situation becomes more complex for Marshallese residing in the United States. The American public might benefit from a deeper understanding of these realities. The presentation will highlight the Compact of Free Association, the challenges and barriers faced by the Marshallese diaspora, and the work of the Marshallese Educational Initiative in addressing these issues.

Benetick Kabua Maddison is the Executive Director of the Marshallese Educational Initiative (MEI), a nonprofit organization based in Springdale, Arkansas (which has the highest concentration of Marshallese individuals in the US). In his role as Executive Director, he leads various initiatives aimed at raising public awareness about the complex and multifaceted repercussions of the nuclear testing legacy, including the biological, ecological, and cultural implications. Benetick also passionately emphasizes the urgent threats posed by climate change. He has delivered several addresses at the United Nations General Assembly and the Human Rights Council, and he strives for a world where the rights and dignity of all people (especially marginalized communities) are upheld and respected.

$5 per person; please register online at shalomretreats.org or by calling 563.582.3592 by Friday, August 8.