CARP in the Capital

A new Collegiate Association for the Research of Principles (CARP) chapter was just launched in the nation’s capital, where Unificationists in the Washington, D.C. area—including Maryland and Virginia—have hit the ground running with a slew of outreach projects.

“There is a providential need for CARP,” said Jinil Fleischman, a member of the national CARP team and former president of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) chapter.

A faith-based, campus-driven organization, CARP members, who are typically college students themselves, share the core teachings of the Unification movement among their peers and extended social networks. They also initiate service projects, as well as interfaith and cross-cultural events, to broaden and strengthen community relations.

“The new CARP members are doing very well,” said Adelina Lazar, a program staffer of Generation Peace Academy (GPA), which is a post high school program that often trickles members to CARP once they pursue higher education. “There is more clarity moving forward with the new D.C. chapter and it was really moving to see the CARP members take initiative in creating a vision and direction for this chapter.”

In recent weeks, CARP members have familiarized themselves with various neighborhoods of D.C. by talking with locals about the recent memoir of Mother of Peace Dr. Hak Ja Han Moon, co-founder of Family Federation for World Peace and Unification (FFWPU) with her late husband Rev. Dr. Sun Myung Moon.

“They were looking for people who would respond to Mother Moon’s message of ‘peace starts with me’ and people who were interested in her memoir or joining the virtual Rally of Hope,” said Fleischman, who shared his own experience at UNLV with CARP members. “It’s important that our young people have a balance between academics and CARP activities.”

The D.C. CARP chapter has already raised funds for its student housing and to purchase a van to share with the local Youth and Young Adult Ministry (YAYAM) chapter of FFWPU-USA. They also joined YAYAM Director Kaeleigh Moffitt on a recent visit to The Revelation Universal Evangelical Ministries, an African church in Silver Spring, Maryland.

“It was a good experience to actually start building relationships with those around here and even expand the culture they have created within the new CARP chapter,” said Moffitt.

Still, a lot more is on the horizon.

The CARP chapter aims to build a presence at the University of Maryland (UMD) in College Park. Several new CARP members also expressed interest in participating in an online course at the Unification Theological Seminary (UTS) in New York, according to FFWPU-USA Southeastern Director Rev. Ernest Patton. CARP organizers plan to focus on faith education, implementing different workshops and activities where former CARP members and UTS graduates can mentor and share their experiences with current CARP students.

“The CARP members here are really inspired and blessed to be in D.C., and I believe all of them can feel our support and gratitude in this community,” said Rev. Patton.

To learn more about CARP and its chapter activities, click here.