New CARP Chapter Founded in Chicago Community
Photo courtesy of CARP
“We wanted to create something not just for our new friends, but for our brothers and sisters in our community,” says Zaiya, a young Unificationist from Chicago who spearheaded a new CARP chapter at her alma mater.
After more than four years, efforts to establish a CARP chapter at Harper Community College in Schaumburg, Ill. finally paid off with its launch during the spring 2022 semester. Zaiya, now an alumnus of Harper, led a group of community members determined to bring CARP to the school’s campus.
“CARP Harper was officially established in early February,” says chapter president Shinya, a current student. “We hope to provide service work opportunities and host Divine Principle retreats this semester.”
It’s a long-awaited victory for Zaiya, who received unwavering support from the community, including Harper students and alumni, Chicago Pastor Kunihiro Sagisaka and his wife, and a dedicated core team. Inspired by her time on STF Europe, Zaiya joined a few existing CARP chapters in Los Angeles and Las Vegas before deciding to create a local one.
“There were plenty of people in the community who attended Harper College, and we felt it was the perfect campus for CARP,” she says. Over time, Zaiya and another alumnus found more people who wanted to develop a chapter. There were young people and parental figures alike from the Chicago community, as well as new students they met on the campus. “I couldn’t have done it without them,” says Zaiya, looking back on the group’s journey.
The pandemic put a halt to the application process for student organizations on Harper’s campus in 2020. Still, despite the challenge, the group consistently hosted online events and invited more people from the community to take on leadership roles. By fall 2021, the school reopened for in-person classes, and the search took off for a faculty member to become the CARP advisor.
“After taking time to pray about it, we were inspired to reach out to people from the department for international students, as CARP was attracting many international students,” says Rosia, a CARP supporter. The group soon connected with the school’s coordinator for international student services.
“She agreed to be the faculty advisor after discovering that there were no interfaith, non-denominational groups on campus,” says Rosia. “Her only requirement was that she wanted to be involved in the club, and she has come to almost every CARP Talk so far.”
For Zaiya, she is thankful for the personal commitment of the many people who bring this vision to life. “This is what CARP stands for,” she says. “With its emphasis on relationships and faith, [CARP addresses] things that don’t usually get taught in class.”
You can learn more about CARP USA here.