December 6, 2022: Employee volunteers from the Arizona Public Service Co. (APS) partnered with Gregory’s Fresh Market, a local nonprofit focused on providing healthy food options for area seniors and veterans, to support the Veggies-for-Veterans food distribution drive back in early December. The drive was also co-sponsored by State Farm Insurance and Peddler’s Son Produce. APS volunteers helped assemble and distribute 700 bags of fresh fruits and vegetables to veterans.
Jeff Guldner, CEO of APS, who is also a veteran, was part of the team of APS volunteers.
“I served as a surface warfare officer in the U.S. Navy, and I’m pleased to participate in the food distribution event,” said Goulder. “I couldn’t be prouder of our APS employees for demonstrating the power of volunteerism in putting energy behind Veggies-for-Veterans and improving the quality of life for veterans in need.”
Diana Gregory, CEO of Gregory’s Fresh Market, coordinates sponsors, volunteers and produce vendors to provide thousands of pounds of produce to area seniors and veterans.
“Nearly 25 percent of veterans have diabetes and many more show signs of pre-diabetes,” said Gregory. “Fresh fruits and vegetables are an essential part of any healthy diet. A goal of the program is to help educate veterans about diabetes and the role a healthy diet plays in preventing or controlling diabetes. We are thankful to APS for their help in supporting the cause.”
Held five times a year at the Carl T. Haydens’ VA Medical Center, 650 E. Indian School Rd. in Phoenix, Veggies-for-Veterans brings together community partners to offer healthy food choices for veterans. The goal of the mobile-market event is to help teach veterans how to shop healthy and to encourage them to have healthy choices in their diet.
Gregory’s Fresh Market is a division of Diana Gregory Outreach Services, whose mission is to enrich lives through healthy eating. They provide access to fresh produce for low-income seniors, veterans and vulnerable individuals experiencing health disparities. Their services are focused on holistic health, nutrition and fitness through on-site farmers’ markets and educational programs.
Rod: A creative force, blending words, images, and flavors. Blogger, writer, filmmaker, and photographer. Cooking enthusiast with a sci-fi vision. Passionate about his upcoming series and dedicated to TNC Network. Partnered with Rebecca Washington for a shared journey of love and art. View all posts
Rod: A creative force, blending words, images, and flavors. Blogger, writer, filmmaker, and photographer. Cooking enthusiast with a sci-fi vision. Passionate about his upcoming series and dedicated to TNC Network. Partnered with Rebecca Washington for a shared journey of love and art.
Why Christian clergy see risk as part of their moral calling
As clergy join protests against harsh immigration enforcement, a religious ethics scholar explains why many Christian Clergy view personal risk—arrest, backlash, even violence—as part of their vocation to protect vulnerable neighbors.
A large group of protesters, including clergy, gathered outside St. Paul International Airport in St. Paul, Minn., on Jan. 23, 2026, to demonstrate against the immigration crackdown. Elizabeth Flores/The Minnesota Star Tribune via Getty Image
As Christian clergy across the United States participate in ongoing protests against harsh immigration enforcement actions and further funding for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, many are still pondering the words of Rob Hirschfeld. On Jan. 18, 2026, Hirschfeld, Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of New Hampshire, encouraged clergy in his diocese to “prepare for a new era of martyrdom” and put their wills and affairs in order.
He asserted that “it may be that now is no longer the time for statements, but for us with our bodies to stand between the powers of this world and the most vulnerable.”
Hirschfeld’s words attracted a lot of attention, with clergy generally responding positively, though at least one priest argued that he “did not sign up to be a martyr” and had a family and church relying on him.
Other clergy have willingly facedarrest for their advocacy on behalf of immigrants, seeing it as a moral calling. Rev. Karen Larson was arrested while protesting at the Minneapolis airport. She stated that when people are being separated from their families and taken to unknown detention centers, “this is our call” to protest on their behalf.
As a scholar of religious ethics, I am interested in how Christian clergy and thinkers consider personal risk when they feel called to engage in social action.
Most data on the risks that clergy face in their roles as religious leaders comes from studies of religious leaders in institutional settings, such as hospitals or prisons.
Questions about professional risks became particularly acute during the early years of the HIV/AIDS crisis, when researchers were uncertain exactly how the disease was spread and caregivers feared they might acquire HIV through their bedside work.
In her memoir about chaplaincy with HIV patients, Audrey Elisa Kerr notes that Riverside Church in New York continued to organize funerals, ministries and support groups for HIV/AIDS patients despite “terror” in the wider community about contagion.
As a chaplain herself, Kerr says this story of “radical hospitality” inspired her to set aside her own fears and embrace her professional role caring for people who were ill and dying.
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Priests and nuns of the Catholic Church who cared for HIV/AIDS patients in the 1980s risked both the fear of contagion and the disapproval of their bishops and communities, since many of the people they cared for were men who had sex with men.
Some felt, however, that they must care for those at the margins as part of their role in the church or their monastic order. Sister Carol of the Hospital Sisters of Saint Francis felt that it was simply her moral duty as a sister to “go where she was needed,” despite potential risk.
Examination of the ethical obligations of chaplains and clergy ramped up during the COVID-19 pandemic when at least some priest, pastors and hospital chaplains felt an obligation to continue visiting patients for spiritual care.
Risks in other institutional settings are not such a matter of life and death. Because of their professional preaching function, however, clergy in church settings do accept the risk of alienating church members when they feel religiously called to speak about social issues. Rev. Teri McDowell Ott has written about taking risks when discussing LGBTQ+ inclusion and starting a prison ministry.
Risk-taking during social protest
For many clergy, religious and ethical obligations extend beyond their work in institutions like churches and hospitals and include their witness in public life.
Many feel an obligation to preach on issues of moral importance, even topics that are considered controversial and might elicit strong disagreement. It is common for priests and pastors in conservative churches to include messages against legalized abortion in their sermons.
Tom Ascol of the Center for Baptist Leadership urged Baptist pastors to preach about abortion in the lead-up to the 2024 presidential election.
Rev. Leah Schade, a Lutheran minister and scholar, has argued that since 2017, mainline pastors have preached more often on issues like racism, environmental justice or gun violence. Schade says pastors are inspired to speak more bluntly about social issues because of their religious concern for people who are at risk of harm from injustice or government policies.
Some clergy view their moral obligations as going beyond preaching and leading them to on-the-ground advocacy and protest. Rev. Brandy Daniels of the Disciples of Christ denomination examines these obligations in an article on her participation in a group of interfaith clergy in Portland, Oregon. The group was convened by a local rabbi and supported protesters for racial justice in Portland in 2017. In Daniels’ analysis, clergy took on the risk of staying in the middle of protests and facing a violent police response in order to “bear moral witness,” something they were both empowered and obligated to do as religious leaders.
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Risking their lives
There are more extreme cases in which clergy who challenged government leaders or policies were killed for their words and actions of protest.The official portrait of Archbishop Oscar Romero, displayed in the Metropolitan Cathedral for a memorial service in San Salvador, El Salvador, on March 24, 2018. AP Photo/Salvador Melendez
In a well-known historical example, Bishop Oscar Romero, canonized as a martyred saint by the Roman Catholic Church in 2018, was assassinated in 1980 after speaking out against human rights violations against poor and Indigenous communities committed by the government of El Salvador. Romero viewed himself, in his priestly role, as a representative of God who was obliged to “give voice to the voiceless.”
During recent protests against ICE in Minneapolis and elsewhere, many clergy risked arrest and bodily harm. Rev. Kenny Callaghan, a Metropolitan Community Church pastor, who says that ICE agents in Minneapolis pointed a gun in his face and handcuffed him as he tried to help a woman they were questioning, said, “It’s in my DNA; I have to speak up for marginalized people.”
On Jan. 23, 2026, over 100 clergy were arrested at the Minneapolis-St. Paul airport as they protested and prayed against ICE actions. Rev. Mariah Furness Tollgaard said that she and others accepted being arrested as a way of demonstrating public support for migrants who are afraid to leave their homes.
In Chicago, ministers have been hit with projectiles and violently arrested. Presbyterian pastor David Black was shot in the head with a pepper spray projectile while protesting outside an immigration detention center in October 2025.
As I see it, for these and many Christian clergy and ethicists, the call to ministry includes an obligation to express their values of care for vulnerable neighbors precisely through a public willingness to accept personal risk.
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Senior Assist Day Marks Four Years of Supporting Seniors in South Phoenix
Senior Assist Day celebrates four years of serving seniors at Tanner Gardens in South Phoenix, led by Assistory Outreach Services and founder Jon Taylor.
Senior Assist Day Marks Four Years of Supporting Seniors in South Phoenix
PHOENIX, AZ — Senior Assist Day reached a meaningful milestone this year, marking four years of service to seniors living at Tanner Gardens in South Phoenix. Hosted by Assistory Outreach Services, the annual event continues to provide dignity, connection, and practical support to an often-overlooked population.
A Personal Beginning
The origins of Senior Assist Day are deeply personal for Assistory Outreach Services founder and CEO Jon Taylor.
“The origin of me going to Tanner Gardens was when I was with the 100 Black Men of Phoenix. We used to do a luncheon for seniors around December.”
That early connection took on new meaning as Taylor’s mother began showing signs of dementia, inspiring him to create an event rooted in empathy and care.
“I got a great feeling from being around those senior citizens. Senior Assist Day is roughly based on my mother.”
An Event That Continues to Grow
What began as a small gathering has grown into a full community experience. Seniors now enjoy catered meals, live music, personal care services, and gifts tailored to their needs. This year’s event included authentic Mexican food, live holiday music, haircuts provided by AJ’s Barbershop, and the donation of new shoes — a moment that stood out for many attendees.
“Seeing the excitement and how they were reacting to the new shoes was incredible,” Taylor said.
Beyond a Single Day
Senior Assist Day also helps build trust between Assistory Outreach Services and the residents of Tanner Gardens, opening the door to additional programs throughout the year. Through initiatives like the Digital Access Program for Seniors (DAPs), the organization helps seniors develop basic phone and computer skills, empowering them to stay connected and informed.
Challenges and Purpose
Keeping the event going year after year requires dedication and resources. Taylor personally raises funds and helps purchase gifts for more than 130 residents annually. Despite the challenges, his motivation remains strong.
“I do feel as though this is my ministry. I’m providing services, and I’m being fulfilled at the same time.”
Looking Ahead
Looking to the future, Taylor envisions Senior Assist Day becoming an all-day celebration, offering expanded services, entertainment, and meals — all focused exclusively on the residents of Tanner Gardens. As the event enters its fifth year, Senior Assist Day stands as a testament to what consistent community engagement and compassion can achieve. About Assistory Outreach ServicesAssistory Outreach Services is a community-based nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering seniors, low-income residents, and individuals experiencing homelessness. Assistory helps senior citizens embrace technology by teaching basic cell phone and computer skills, using a formula rooted in education, love, and patience to remove fear and build confidence. In addition to senior programming, the organization focuses on serving low-income and homeless populations by providing food boxes, holiday meals, and homeless care packages known as Assist Packs. This year, Assistory Outreach Services is expanding its impact by partnering with other nonprofits and religious organizations to coordinate food distribution through its community food pantry. Coverage by STM Daily News.
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Brigitte Bardot defined the modern woman and defied social norms
Ben McCann, University of Adelaide Brigitte Bardot’s death, at the age of 91, brings to a close one of the most extraordinary careers in post-war French cultural life. Best known as an actress, she was also a singer, a fashion icon, an animal rights activist and a symbol of France’s sexual liberation. Famous enough to be known by her initials, B.B. symbolised a certain vision of French femininity – rebellious and sensual, yet vulnerable. Her impact on beauty standards and French national identity was profound. At her peak, she rivalled Marilyn Monroe in global fame and recognition. Simone de Beauvoir, France’s leading feminist writer, famously wrote in 1959 that Bardot “appears as a force of nature, dangerous so long as she remains untamed”.
A star is born
Bardot was born in 1934 to a well-off Parisian family. Raised in a strict Catholic household, she studied ballet at the Conservatoire de Paris with hopes of becoming a professional dancer.Brigitte Bardot, pictured here in 1946, studied ballet as a child.Roger Viollet via Getty Images Her striking looks led her to modelling. By 14, she was appearing in Elle magazine, catching the eye of director Roger Vadim, whom she married in 1952. She began acting in the early 1950s and her appearance as Juliette in Vadim’s And God Created Woman (Et Dieu… créa la femme, 1956) put her on the map. Bardot was instantly catapulted to international stardom. Vadim presented his wife as the ultimate expression of youthful, erotic freedom that both shocked and captivated French audiences. Watching this relatively tame film today, it’s difficult to imagine just how taboo-breaking Bardot’s performance was. But in sleepy Catholic, conservative 1950s France, it set new norms for on-screen sexuality. The film became a global phenomenon. Critics loved it, but censors and religious groups grew nervous.
An 60s icon
Bardot’s lack of formal training as an actress paradoxically became part of her appeal: she adopted a spontaneous acting approach, as much physical as verbal. She was stunning in Contempt (Le Mépris, 1963), Jean-Luc Godard’s masterpiece about a crumbling marriage. Godard used her beauty and fame both as spectacle and critique. The film’s most famous sequence was a 31-minute conversation between Bardot and her co-star Michel Piccoli. Bardot was never better. In Henri-Georges Clouzot’s intense courtroom drama The Truth (La Vérité, 1960), she showcased her dramatic range playing a young woman on trial for the murder of her lover.Bardot in a poster for The Truth, 1960.LMPC via Getty Images In 1965, she co-starred with Jeanne Moreau in Louis Malle’s Long Live Maria (Viva Maria), a rare female buddy film that blended comedy and political satire. Bardot’s anarchic energy remains a dazzling feat. A Very Private Affair (Vie privée, 1962) saw her portray a woman consumed by fame and chased by the media. The plotline was eerily predictive of Bardot’s own future. She popularised fashion trends like the choucroute hairstyle and ballet flats. The Bardot neckline – off-the-shoulder tops and dresses – was named after her. She even wore pink gingham at her 1959 wedding.
Allure and provocation
Bardot’s star appeal lay in her contradictions. She appeared simultaneously natural and provocative, spontaneous and calculated. Her dishevelled glamour and effortless sexuality helped construct the archetype of the modern “sex kitten”. She famously said “it is better to be unfaithful than to be faithful without wanting to be”. Throwing off the shackles of bourgeois morality, Bardot epitomised a commitment to emotional and sexual freedom. Her turbulent love life was a case in point. She was married four times, with dozens of stormy relationships and extra-marital affairs along the way. Forever immortalised as a free-spirited ingénue, Bardot was a muse for filmmakers, artists and musicians, from Andy Warhol to Serge Gainsbourg. Later on, Kate Moss, Amy Winehouse and Elle Fanning mentioned Bardot as an inspiration. Famously, Bardot never succumbed to cosmetic surgery. As she once noted:
Women should embrace ageing because, at the end of the day, it’s much more beautiful to have a grandmother with white hair who looks like an elderly lady than to have a grandmother who’s bleached, dyed, and […] who looks much older but also really unhappy.
Life after the movies
Bardot retired from acting in 1973, aged only 39, citing disillusionment with fame. “It suffocated and destroyed me”, she said, about the film industry. She shifted her attention to animal rights, founding the Brigitte Bardot Foundation in 1986. She became an uncompromising, vocal activist, campaigning against animal cruelty, fur farming, whaling and bullfighting. But Bardot courted controversy from the mid-1990s for her far-right political views, remarks about Islam and immigration and repeated convictions for inciting racial hatred. She publicly defended disgraced actor Gérard Depardieu and pushed back on the #MeToo movement in France. Such statements damaged her reputation, especially outside France, and created a troubling image: the once-liberating sex symbol now associated with nationalist conservatism. While she never identified as a feminist, her unapologetic autonomy, early retirement and outspoken views led some to re-evaluate her as a figure of proto-feminist rebellion. France gradually began to turn against Bardot, bothered by her outspoken views. But some applauded her couldn’t-care-less attitude and unwillingness to play by the rules. Ultimately, by rejecting fame on her own terms, she parlayed her 50s free-spiritedness into a bold stand against conformity and societal norms. Late in life, she told Danièle Thompson, the writer-director of the 2023 mini-series about her career, “I don’t understand why the whole world is still talking about me”. The answer is simple – Bardot continues to fascinate us, flaws and all. Ben McCann, Associate Professor of French Studies, University of Adelaide This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
