The Nineteenth Annual Reverend Doctor Martin Luther King, Jr. Symposium at the University of Michigan: Homepage

Thursday, January 10

Rose Moss, Reading From Her Work 4:30 PM • 2239 Lane Hall, 204 S. State St. Ann Arbor• Sponsored by Women's Studies Department, MFA Creative Writing Program and Institute for Research on Women and Gender• Click here for more information.

Since immigrating from South Africa to the United States in 1964, Rose Moss has published four books, prize-winning stories and articles. Her most recent book, IN COURT, published in South Africa as a Penguin Modern Classic, brings together short stories written over many years.

Her novel, THE TERRORIST, also published as THE SCHOOLMASTER, presents a man anguished at apartheid. He eventually bombs the Johannesburg train station. Her non-fiction account of two defendants in a major treason trial, SHOUTING AT THE CROCODILE, presents leaders of the non-violent, non-racial internal anti-apartheid movement of the 1980's. This book is currently optioned for a documentary movie. Other short stories, set in the United States, present dilemmas that juxtapose art and suffering, beauty and cruelty, kindness and guilt.

Rose Moss now lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts and teaches creative writing at Harvard Law School and in Harvard's Nieman Program for mid-career journalists. For more information, please see her web page www.rosemosswriter.com.


Contact: Donna Ainsworth { 763-2047 }

The Diary of Immaculee 6:30 PM • Maize & Blue Room- 1st floor of Student Activities Building• Sponsored by OAMI• Click here for more information.

Film screening of "The Diary of Immaculee", an eye-opening story of how Immaculee Iligazia survived the genocide which took place in Rwanda. Film screening will be followed by discussion about the film and bringing awareness and positive action to injustices that are currently taking place worldwide.

Contact: Theda Gibbs { (734) 936-1055 }

Friday, January 11

Civic-Engagement and the Politics of Race & Gender in the Aftermath of Proposition 2 9:00 AM • Ginsberg Center 1024 Hill Street Ginsberg Center is located in the Madelon Pound House, Diagonal to East Quad• Sponsored by Co-sponsored by Arts of Citizenship and the Ginsberg Center• Click here for more information.

An MLK Holiday panel discussion co-sponsored by Arts of Citizenship and the Ginsberg Center.

9 - 10:30 am, with breakfast

**What does the passage of Proposition 2 mean for UofM faculty and graduate students seeking to build university-community collaborations in the state of Michigan?
**How did the loss of affirmative action change the way we work to become a civically engaged campus?
**What is our responsibility as scholars and citizens to the work for racial and gender justice at the state and local level?

Our panel will include Sue Kaufman, Associate Director for Advocacy at the Center for the Education of Women at the University of Michigan

Maria Cotera, Assistant Professor of American Culture and Women’s Studies

Angela Dillard, Associate Professor in the Center for Afroamerican & African Studies and the Residential College

Matthew J. Countryman, Associate Professor of History and American Culture and Faculty Director of Arts of Citizenship

Graduate and undergraduate students, faculty, staff and community members are encouraged to attend.


Contact: Kamilah Henderson { kamilahh@umich.edu, 734.647.9423 }

An Evening with Carl Mack 6:00 PM • Walgreen Drama Center - Stamps Auditorium• Sponsored by National Society of Black Engineers• Click here for more information.

Come experience the powerful and dynamic words of Carl Mack. Carl Mack is the Executive Director of the National Society of Black Engineers, the largest student run organization in the country with over 20,000 members nationwide. He was the President of the Seattle Branch of the NAACP from 2003 to 2004. He has also been featured on television, on the radio and in newspapers around the country. Carl Mack has received numerous awards for his involvement in the community and his humanitarian efforts.

Contact: Stephen Hill { 313/671-4422, sbhill@umich.edu }

Tuesday, January 15

Addressing Health Disparities in African American and Latino Populations 11:30 AM • Palmer Commons Forum Hall 4th Floor• Sponsored by Cosponsored by the School of Nursing Office of Multicultural Affairs, Grants and Research Office and the MESA Center for Health Disparities• Click here for more information.

School of Nursing Research Seminar and Poster Session
Moderator-Dr. Patricia Coleman-Burns
Overview of MESA Project-Dr. Antonia Villarruel
Dr. Carolyn Sampselle -Investigator Panel including:
Dr. Cynthia Arslanian-Engoren
Dr. Karen Stein
Jody Lori

Dr. Barbara Therrien-Student Panel including:
Bayyinah Muhammad-Junior Nursing Student
Maria McDade PhD Student

Finale: Debut of 2007 Cuidate! Video

Refreshments served following the discussion panel
session.


Contact: Irene Felicetti { 734-764-9519, ilf@umich.edu, www.nursing.umich.edu }

The N Word: who can say it, who shouldn't and why-School of Nursing Book Club Discussion 5:00 PM • School of Nursing Room 1334 400 N. Ingalls• Sponsored by School of Nursing Office of Multicultural Affairs• Click here for more information.

Book Club Discussion Facilitated by Dr. Patricia Coleman-Burns, Director of the Office of Multicultural Affairs and Assisant Professor at U of M School of Nursing.
Book Synopsis
What's in a word? When it comes to "nigger," the better question is what isn't? Whatever one thinks of its usage, the granddaddy of ethnic slurs is much more than a stick or stone that can be deflected with self-esteem and forgotten until the next encounter.
Please join us for this in depth and controversial discussion!

Contact: Paige Prieskorn { ppriesko@umich.edu 734-936-1615 www.nursing.umich.edu/oma }

Unveiling Injustice, Erasing Pain: The Art of Spoken Word 7:00 PM • Michigan League Underground• Sponsored by Zeta Sigma Chi Multicultural Sorority, Incorporated• Click here for more information.

Contact: Chanel Harris { harriscl@umich.edu }

Wednesday, January 16

NO! The Rape Documentary Film Screening and Discussion with Director Aishah Simmons 7:00 PM • Lorch Hall Auditorium• Sponsored by Sexual Assault Prevention and Awareness Center (SAPAC), Women's Issue Commission (WIC), and the Michigan Student Assembly Budget Priorities Committee• Click here for more information.

NO! The Rape Documentary unveils the reality of rape, other forms of sexual violence, and healing in African-American communities. This documentary by Aishah Simmons features testimonials from Black women survivors who defy victimization. Violence prevention advocates, sociologists, historians, anthropologists, and other leading scholars provide an interdisciplinary context with which to examine sexual violence in African-American communities. Impacting archival footage, spirited music, dance, and performances from award-winning poets take viewers on a journey from enslavement of African people through present day.

Since 1992, Aishah Shahidah Simmons has used the written word and the camera lens as a producer, writer, and director, to make central the impact of the intersections of oppressions on the lives of Black women. She is an award-winning African American feminist, lesbian independent documentary filmmaker, television and radio producer, published writer, international lecturer, and activist based in Philadelphia. Her previously completed internationally acclaimed short videos Silence…Broken and in In My Father’s House explore the issues of race, gender, homophobia, rape and misogyny.

Alice Walker, the Pulitzer Prize winning author of The Color Purple says, “If the Black community in the Americas and in the world would save itself, it must complete the work ‘NO!’ begins.”

Join us on the evening of Wednesday, January 16, 2008 to view NO! and to discuss with Ms. Simmons the issues raised by her film. Additionally, SAPAC will hold a brown bag lunch the following afternoon during which attendees of the previous evening’s event can engage in a more intimate conversation with Ms. Simmons about the important work that she does.


Contact: Alexis Watts and Jamie Budnick { 734.998.9368 SAPAC Business Office }

Discussion of Environmental Justice and Opportunities to Make a Difference 8:00 PM • Michigan Union. Specific Room TBA• Sponsored by MSA Environmental Issues Comission• Click here for more information.

Contact: Maia Dedrick { (651)-303-0490, maiad@umich.edu }

Thursday, January 17

Jews & Blacks in New York City 12:00 PM • Frankel Center for Judaic Studies 202 S. Thayer St., Room 2022 Ann Arbor, MI 48104• Sponsored by Frankel Institute for Advanced Judaic Studies• Click here for more information.

How is Harlem represented in modern African-American literature? And how is the Lower East Side portrayed in modern Jewish-American literature? In this presentation, Catherine Rottenberg, a Frankel Institute Fellow, will compare the depiction of these two "ethnic" enclaves in the works of Michael Gold, Nella Larsen, Wallace Thurman, and Anzia Yezierska, arguing that the representation of city space can tell us about the different ways these minority groups understood their "racial," class, and gender identities in the early twentieth century.
Catherine Rottenberg is Lecturer in Gender Studies at Ben-Gurion University. She is at the Frankel Institute for Advanced Judaic Studies for the 2007-08 academic year.

Contact: Matt Weingarden { JudaicStudies@umich.edu }

Terrence Roberts of The Little Rock Nine: Lessons from Little Rock 3:00 PM • Michigan Union, Pendleton Room• Sponsored by the Office of Academic Multicultural Initiatives• Click here for more information.

Dr. Roberts was one of the Little Rock Nine (the nine children who were the first to integrate the Little Rock Public Schools in 1957). In his presentation, Dr. Roberts guides participants through the exploration of the lessons to be learned from the chaotic episode at Central High School. He believes that there are still great strides to be made in terms of interactions across lines of demarcation. He endeavors to alleviate the confusion in all the various arenas of difference and diversity that characterize our nation. Little Rock offered dramatic examples of negative approaches to difference and the problem those approaches create. The major part of Dr. Roberts presentations is devoted to identifying the lessons and urging the audience to commit to using this information.

Dr. Roberts holds a Ph.D. in Psychology from Southern Illinois University and a MSW from the University of California, Los Angeles. He is licensed in California as both a psychologist and a social worker. He has served since 1975 as CEO of Terrence J. Roberts & Associates, a management consultant firm. This group has provided consultation to a wide variety of clients including Cedars Sinai Hospital, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Internal Revenue Service and Pepperdine University. The group offers expertise in several areas, including managing racial and ethnic diversity and developing multicultural awareness.

Since 1998, Dr. Roberts has been a desegregation consultant for the Little Rock School District. A published author, he also maintains a general psychology practice in Pasadena, CA. He has received numerous awards and is a member of several boards, including Pacific Oaks College Board of Trustees and the Little Rock Nine Foundation.


Contact: Theda Gibbs { 734-936-1055 }

Were we always Christian? 6:00 PM • Michigan League Hussey Room• Sponsored by University Unions Arts and Programs, Iota Phi Theta• Click here for more information.

Be it Catholicism, baptist, evangelical or non-denominational, the majority of Americans practice Christianity. According to the 2001 U.S. Census, 77% of Americans identify themselves as Christian. African-Americans more specifically are not an exception to this rule; and in fact, Christianity has played an important role in the historical struggles and progression of black life. So it begs the question: Were African Americans always Christian? Join us in a short film and presentation/discussion session by a faculty member in the Near Eastern Studies Department on the influences and presence of Christianity and what is often seen as the "other " religion" in black life: Islam. Food will be provided.

Contact: Nicholas Smith { 734-763-3202, filmconnect@umich.edu, www.umich.edu/~uuap }

Power of Hair 7:00 PM • The Union - 2105A• Sponsored by Sigma Lambda Gamma• Click here for more information.

A program to discuss the role of hair in our lives as minority women.

Contact: Erica Galvan { emgalvan@umich.edu }

The Other Side of the Milk Carton: The Disappearance of Minorities 7:00 PM • Michigan Union• Sponsored by Zeta Sigma Chi Multicultural Sorority, Incorporated• Click here for more information.

Contact: Chanel Harris { harriscl@umich.edu }

Asian American Activism Now and Then: Fireside Chat with Dan Tsang from East Wind 7:00 PM • Yuri Kochiyama Lounge, South Quadrangle (west side)• Sponsored by United Asian American Organizations, Asian/Pacific Islander American Studies• Click here for more information.

The Asian American Movement, a legacy of the Civil Rights Movement, has always been seen as a coastal movement, where large populations of Asian Americans resided. Little do we know about our own campus, and our own activism history that began in 1971, when East Wind, the first Asian American student organization, was formed.

Dan Tsang, a founder of East Wind, will be speaking to us about his activism experiences on University of Michigan campus as an Asian American and a member of the LGBT community. He will also be speaking directly to the challenge of coalition building, as our campus climate is at a crucial point after the passing of Proposal 2.

Refreshments will be provided.

Contact: C.C. Song { ccsong@umich.edu }

Friday, January 18

Ross Net Impact Forum 8:00 AM • Michigan Union, 2nd floor• Sponsored by Stephen M. Ross School of Business Net Impact Club• Click here for more information.

We cordially invite you to join us for the 2008 Ross Net Impact Forum: Leading in Thoughtful Action. This year's forum will explore the positive role that business can play in society. Corporations across the globe are recognizing the value of incorporating social and environmental issues into their core strategies, and civil society organizations are increasingly partnering with the private sector to achieve public benefits. Through career-specific and industry-specific panels, the Ross Net Impact Forum will allow attendees to network with representatives from the private, non-profit, and public sectors and learn more about the significance of these issues for future leaders.

Contact: Nina Henning { http://webuser.bus.umich.edu/Organizations/netimpact/forum2008 }

Linguistics Colloquium Series presents Benjamin Bailey 4:00 PM • 4448 East Hall• Sponsored by Department of Linguistics• Click here for more information.

Benjamin Bailey is an Associate Professor in the Department of Communication at UMass-Amherst. His research addresses questions of language, identity, and social categories, especially focused on issues of race. He has published work on multilingualism, interethnic communication and conflict, and immigrant communities in the United States, particularly Dominican Americans.

Contact: Sandra Petee { 734-764-0353, linguistics.colloquium.committee@umich.edu }

MLK Linguistics Colloquium - Benjamin Bailey (UMass)
Language and Social Boundaries 4:00 PM • 4448 East Hall• Sponsored by Linguistics Department• Click here for more information.

"In this talk I examine ways in which language is used to reflect and reconstitute social identities. Through talk we position ourselves and others relative to co-present interlocutors, the communicative activities in which we are engaged, and various dimensions of the wider world, including social identity categories and their relative value. The indexical dimension of language is a key to these negotiations, as linguistic forms and ways of speaking invoke particular historical and social associations. Indexical meanings are not fixed: while popular indexical associations may pre-exist any given interaction, the mean-
ings of any form are also negotiated and contested in individual interactions. Because social identity negotiations involve both received and negotiated meanings, they provide a means of linking meaning making processes in interactions at the local level with larger social and historical processes, e.g., racial formation. These ideas will be illustrated with examples that highlight the agency of individuals and the indexical power of language in the constitution of ethnic and racial identities."


Contact: Kristen McLeod { 764-0353 }

Sunday, January 20

"Something the Lord Made," Movie Showing 6:00 PM • W.M. Trotter Multicultural Center 1443 Washtenaw Ave. Located off "Frat Row." For directions, call: 734-763-3670 (Trotter). For more information on this event and other events sponsored by the Office of Multi-Ethnic Student Affairs, call our offi• Sponsored by Office of Multi-Ethnic Student Affairs & W. M. Trotter Multicultural Center• Click here for more information.

The 2004 Emmy Away and 2005 Peabody Award-HBO movie is about two doctors working in the South, amidst the lofty Jim Crow Laws. This movie explains how the black legendary cardiac pioneer, Vivien Theodore Thompson, embarked upon curing the, "Blue Baby Syndrome," with white doctor Alfred Blalock. This remarkable surgery happened to mark a profound turning point in the field of cardiac medicine and intervention.

You are invited to enjoy freshly popped, movie style popcorn, drinks and other refreshments and watch the movie, "Something the Lord Made," starring Mos Def. This is the perfect opportunity for individuals to gain a better understanding of the work Mos Def does as a an actor, outside of his professional career as a hip-hop artist.

Limited parking is available in the back lot of the Trotter Multicultural Center.

Contact: Kathleen Kirkland { 734-763-9044 }

Monday, January 21: Reverend Doctor Martin Luther King, Junior Day

15th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. National Day of Service 8:00 AM • University of Michigan Dearborn University Center• Sponsored by Student Activities Office• Click here for more information.

Volunteers will be dispersed throughout the Metro Detroit area and will provide much needed support to local community agencies. After volunteering, participants will return to the UM-Dearborn campus for an afternoon program.

Contact: Randy Dillard { Phone: 313-593-5667, email: rdillard@umd.umich.edu }

MLK Children & Youth Program: A mixture of creativity, dialogue, and entertainment for the K-12 community. 8:30 AM • Modern Language Building, 812 East Washington, Ann Arbor• Sponsored by School of Education• Click here for more information.

The K-12 community throughout Washtenaw County is invited to explore the life and legacy of Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, in a day of planned entertainment, dialogue, and creativity. Parents may drop off their children and pick them up at the end of the program schedule. The schedule is as follows:

8:30-9:10 Registration
9:10-3pm Program (Lunch will be served)
3:00pm Pick up




Contact: { Pre-register at http://www.umich.edu/~tauep/mlkkids.html }

ISR MLK, Jr. Day Reception 9:00 AM • ISR-Thompson Bldg., room 6050 426 Thompson Street, Ann Arbor• Sponsored by University of Michigan Institute for Social Research• Click here for more information.

You are invited to join your colleagues on this special day to celebrate the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.:

*Participate in a multimedia event commemorating MLK, Jr.'s commitment to racial and social justice.
The multimedia slide presentation will run all day in room 6050

*Learn about continuing events honoring MLK, Jr. across campus and at the Institute for Social Research.

Refreshments will be provided.


Contact: Margaret C. Levenstein { 734- 615-9088, maggiel@umich.edu }

Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Lecture 10:00 AM • Hill Auditorium• Sponsored by Office of Academic Multicultural Inititatives• Click here for more information.

Lou Gossett Jr. remains one of the most sought after and busiest veteran actors in the film and television industry today. His unique talent for portraying powerful and charismatic characters has charmed audiences worldwide, resulting in an impressive amount of coveted awards, including an Oscar, Emmy, and Golden Globe.

Gossett first gained recognition in the New York theatre scene, where at the age of 16, he won a Donaldson award for “Best Newcomer,” beating out a young James Dean. Soon he was offered a prestigious Broadway role opposite Sidney Poitier in A Raisin in the Sun and he went on to star in the film version, paving the way for a long and rewarding career.

In 1977 Gossett captured an Emmy, television’s highest honor, for his compelling portrayal of “Fiddler” in the historic television mini-series, Roots. In 1982, he electrified the screen with his unforgettable portrayal of a relentless military sergeant in the hit film An Officer and a Gentleman, earning him to the ultimate acting honor, an Academy Award for “Best Supporting Actor.” He struck gold again in 1992 for his poignant work in HBO’s The Josephine Baker Story, and garnered a Golden Globe. Even in a guest-starring role for the popular CBS series Touched by an Angel, Gossett’s work was singled out and he received the 1998 NAACP Image Award.

Throughout his career, Gossett has turned in numerous outstanding performances, resulting in eight additional Emmy nominations. His passion for his work is matched only by his strong belief in helping others by giving back to the community. He serves as a spokesperson and a behind the scenes leader for many charitable organizations. Gossett is currently developing a nonprofit foundation, The Eracism Foundation, with the aim of developing and producing entertainment that brings awareness and education to issues such as racism, ignorance, and societal apathy.

Contact: Theda Gibbs { (734) 936-1055 }

Simulcast of the 2008 MLK Symposium Keynote Address by Lou Gossett, Jr. 10:00 AM • Gallery in the Duderstadt Center, North Campus, 2281 Bonisteel Boulevard• Sponsored by Digital Media Commons• Click here for more information.

Watch a simulcast of the 2008 MLK Symposium Keynote Address by Lou Gossett, Jr. from North Campus. This simulcast is provided for the convenience of people unable to attend the live event in Hill Auditorium on Central Campus. The keynote will be streamed live and projected on a large screen.

Contact: Glenda Radine { 763-3266, dc-events@umich.edu, www.dc.umich.edu/dmc }

March & Rally to Reverse the Drop in Minority Enrollment and Undo Proposal 2 11:00 AM • Gather at South University and South Forest and March Rally at 12noon at the Diag• Sponsored by BAMN• Click here for more information.

Contact: Liana Mulholland { 734.904.4424, liamul@umich.edu, bamn@umich.edu }

"Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere": A dialogue with Spero M. Manson 11:45 AM • Dow Auditorium in the Towsley Center, UM Hospital, Second Floor• Sponsored by Sponsored by the Schools of Dentistry, Medicient, Nursing, Public Health, Social Work, College of Pharmacy and the University of Michigan Hospitals and Health Centers• Click here for more information.

Spero M. Manson, Ph.D. (Pembina Chippewa) is a member of the US Institutes of Medicine and Professor of Psychiatry and heads the American Indian and Alaska Native Programs at the University of Colorado at Denver and Health Sciences Center. Spanning 8 national centers, totaling $63 million in sponsored research, program development, training, and collaboration with 102 American Indian and Alaska Native communities, Dr. Manson is widely recognized as the
foremost authority in the nation on American Indian and Alaska Native health, with special emphasis on alcohol, substance abuse, and mental health. Dr. Manson will discuss the intersections of social justice, strategies for addressing and resolving health disparities in the
United States.

Contact: Valener Perry, Assistant Dean for Student Services, College of Pharmacy { 764-5550, vlperry@umich.edu }

Women’s Resource Center presents: The Second Annual Noon Day Observance Program 12:00 PM • University Center - Kochoff Hall University of Michigan Dearborn• Sponsored by UMD MLK Committee and the Student Activities Office• Click here for more information.

Students, faculty, and staff will join together in commemorating the life and the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The program will once again feature a graceful performance from the UM-Dearborn campus-wide choir.

Contact: Randy Dillard { rdillard@umd.umich.edu, Phone: (313) 593-5390 }

The Roots of Soul Food: African American Nutritional Traditions of the late 19 C in SE USA 12:10 PM • 182 Dennison Auditoriums Church Street UM Main Campus, Ann Arbor MI• Sponsored by BIO 102 Practical Botany, Dept of Ecology and Evolution• Click here for more information.

This event is an MLK day teach-in lecture at the time and place when BIO 102 Practical Botany would otherwise take place. The topic is related to the subject matter of the course, but also oriented toward African American culture of the late 19th century in SE USA. The lecture discusses the home gardens of plantation slaves, how these gardens complement other food provided, and the nutritional value of the resulting diet.

Contact: Professor George F. Estabrook { gfe@umich.edu (734) 764-6219 }

Environmental Justice and Environmental Health 1:00 PM • The University of Michigan School of Public Health, Community Crossroads Building• Sponsored by The EHS Student Organization and the EHS Department• Click here for more information.

We are sponsoring a mini-symposium on Environmental Justice to commemorate one of the many important legacies of Dr. King. Full details are pending and will be available on our Department's website in the weeks preceding the event(http://www.sph.umich.edu/ehs/index.html).

Contact: Howard Hu, M.D. { howardhu@umich.edu }

Civil Rights Behind Bars? The Voices of the Incarcerated on Dr. King’s Dream_ 1:00 PM • Anderson Room: Michigan Union• Sponsored by Prison Creative Arts Project• Click here for more information.

In this year’s MLK Symposium, incarcerated citizens will respond to the messages of Martin Luther King Jr. and discuss current civil rights issues. We will receive the prisoners’ responses through mail correspondence and will print the responses into an anthology. Some of these responses will be read at the event by our speakers. We hope to expose students to a new perspective on incarcerated citizens and on civil rights issues that affect this population. The United States currently has the highest incarceration rate in the world, with rates disproportionately high for the African American population. Our goal is to give a voice to a community that is often not heard, especially in regards to civil rights issues. By exposure to the thoughts of incarcerated citizens, we hope that the University of Michigan and Ann Arbor community can better understand current civil rights issues and reflect on the ideals of Martin Luther King Jr.

Contact: Ollie Ganz { ganzo@umich.edu }

Socio-Economic Barriers to Health 1:00 PM • 3735 CCRB (Bickner Auditorium) 401 Washtenaw Ave Ann Arbor, MI 48109• Sponsored by Kinesiology Student Government• Click here for more information.

This will be a panel discussion regarding health care disparities.

Contact: Tim Martin { martints@umich.edu }

An Afternoon with Martin and Langston, Featuring Dramatic Presentations by Ben Vereen and Felix Justice 1:00 PM • Power Center for the Performing Arts 121 Fletcher Street Ann Arbor, MI 48109 • Sponsored by Business and Finance Diversity Committee• Click here for more information.

This program will draw the audience inside the worlds of two of the greatest orators of the 20th century. Felix Justice transforms into Martin Luther King Jr. through recitation of Dr. King's most memorable speeches, recreating the power of the man and his message. Justice then introduces "an old friend of mine," and Ben Vereen portrays one of the greatest American writers in modern history, Langston Hughes. After the performance, Vereen and Justice will answer questions from the audience. Refreshments served following the question-and-answer session.

Contact: Madolyn Lottman { bfdiversity@umich.edu }

Simulcast of An Afternoon with Martin and Langston, Featuring Dramatic Presentations by Ben Vereen and Felix Justice 1:00 PM • Gallery, Duderstadt Center (North Campus)• Sponsored by Digital Media Commons• Click here for more information.

Watch a simulcast of the presentation by Felix Justice and Ben Vereen. This simulcast is provided for the convenience of people unable to attend the live event in Power Center on Central Campus. The presentation will be streamed live and projected on a large screen.

Contact: Glenda Radine { 763-3266, dc-events@umich.edu, www.dc.umich.edu/dmc }

Rackham Graduate School's "Journeys Toward Understanding" 1:30 PM • Amphitheatre, 4th flr, Rackham Graduate School 915 E. Washington Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48109• Sponsored by • Click here for more information.

Rackham Graduate School presents, “Journeys Toward Understanding. Three films will be shown that illustrate how racism can be eradicated when there is concern and commitment toward equality for everyone — no matter where or how it occurs.

Cry, The Beloved Country
Start time: 1:30 p.m.
Directed by: Darrell Roodt
Starring: James Earl Jones and Richard Harris
Release date: 1995
Running time: 106 minutes
Genre: Drama

Referred to as part of the South African collective zeitgeist, “Cry the Beloved Country” is a poignant tale of two prominent members, one white, one black, of the same small town. However, because of racial segregation, the two men do not know each other until a similar tragedy hits them both. It is this twist of fate that brings them together and allows them to begin healing both emotionally and metaphorically as a nation. It is clichéd to say that the world would be a better place if we were collectively more understanding and tolerant of those who were different from us, but “Cry the Beloved Country” brings this sentiment forward in a way that is realistic and powerful.

(Break: 15 minutes)

Journey to Little Rock
Start time: 3:30 p.m.
Directed by: Rob Thomson
Released: 2001
Running time: 52 minutes
Genre: Documentary

Critically acclaimed “Journey to Little Rock” is the story of Minnijean Brown Trickey, a member of the Little Rock Nine. Motivated by the decision of Brown vs. The Board of Education in 1954, nine African American students enter an all-white school in 1957 against the will of many, including the Arkansas Governor and the National Guard. In their fight for an education that was rightly theirs, Minnijean and the eight other students have become iconic figures in the fight for civil rights. This film is a winner of the Audience Choice Award: Feature Film Category at the Sprockets Toronto International Film Festival for Children (April 2004) and the Best of Fest Award at the 2003 Chicago International Children’s Film Festival (CICFF), chosen over 200 films from 40 countries. It was the first time in the 20-year history of the CICFF, the only Academy Awards® qualifying children’s festival, that a documentary was voted as the best film.

(Break: 8 minutes)

4 Little Girls
Start Time: 4:30 p.m.
Directed by: Spike Lee
Released: 1997
Running time: 102 minutes
Genre: Documentary

This Spike Lee film retells the story of four African American girls who lost their lives in the racially motivated bombing of the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church in Birmingham Alabama in 1963. A terrorist attack, orchestrated by Robert “Dynamite Bob” Chambliss, the bombing was one in a series of racial attacks against Black people across the country, but one that had a tremendous impact on America. Told through the eyes of people who were there—survivors, witnesses, defenders and prosecutors, we observe not only the pain caused by this tragedy, but we also see its lingering effects.


Contact: Lynne Shivers { lshivers@umich.edu }

"Divided We Fall: Americans in the Aftermath" Documentary Screening and Discussion with Filmmaker Valarie Kaur 2:00 PM • Michigan Union Ballroom• Sponsored by University Library, Bentley Historical Library, Information Technology Central Services, Law Library, School of Information, and University Housing• Click here for more information.

A powerful new feature-length documentary film on hate violence in the aftermath of 9/11. Driven to action by the murder of a turbaned man in her community, a college student drives across America in the aftermath of 9/11 to discover stories that did not make the evening news. From the still-shocked streets of Ground Zero to the desert towns of the American West, Valarie Kaur's inspiring journey uncovers remarkable stories of hate violence, fear, and unspeakable loss – until she finds the heart of America halfway around the world, in the words of a widow. Five years in the making, Divided We Fall deftly explores race, religion, and identity in times of national crisis.

Filmmaker Valarie Kaur present for Q&A following the screening.

Open to the public
Free admission

About the Filmmakers
VALARIE KAUR began this film in fall 2001. It became part of her senior honors project at Stanford, where she graduated in 2003 with a double major in religious studies and international relations. She recently completed a master's degree at Harvard Divinity School and will enter Yale Law School in 2008. Valarie Kaur has been interviewed by numerous media outlets, including NPR and the BBC, and her story was featured in a book by Frances Moore Lappe, You Have the Power: Choosing Courage in a Culture of Fear (2004).

SHARAT RAJU graduated from the University of Michigan and received an MFA in directing at the American Film Institute. American Made, his thesis film, earned both of the AFI's top two honors in directing. The film has won seventeen international awards. Among the accolades are: Tribeca Film Festival Student Visionary Award; Angelus Award Grand Prize; San Diego Film Festival Best Short Film and British Academy of Film and Television Arts and Sciences (Los Angeles) Excellence in Short Filmmaking Award. It has been screened on PBS television stations across the country. He is currently a directing fellow with the ABC-Disney Television Group.

Contact: Helen Look { http://www.lib.umich.edu/mlk }

The Elite Latino/ Black/ Asian/ Multi-Racial: Educated, Successful, and Confused. A conversation on race, class, and privilege. 2:00 PM • Union: 2:00-4:00 PM Lecture in Kuenzal Room 5:00-8:30 PM Workshop in Parker Room• Sponsored by Sigma Lambda Beta, Zeta Chapter• Click here for more information.

Michael Benitez Jr will speak about the different perspectives of minorities in leadership roles through the eyes of different communities. How is a person of color supposed to adapt to the workforce? What are the ways a person can give back, help facilitate change and bring up his or her old communities: educationally, financially, structurally? What are the challenges that are presented in the workforce, community and family of a professional minority?

Contact: Sigma Lambda Beta, Zeta Chapter { slbzeta@umich.edu }

Circle of Unity 3:00 PM • Diag• Sponsored by Michigan Community Scholars Program, Lloyd Hall Scholars Program, Health Science Scholars Program, Comprehensive Studies Program, Ginsberg Center, Couzens Hall, Adelia Cheever, Residential College, WISE and Michigan Research Community• Click here for more information.

The 2nd annual "Circle of Unity", sponsored by the MCSP Program & Adelia Cheever Program, will take place on the Michigan Diag on Jan. 21, 3-4 pm. Help fill the entire Diag in songs of freedom and spoken word performances with your fellow students, staff, faculty, and community members. Free wristbands for first 250 participants.

Contact: Amanda Hooper or Jelani Bayi { 734-647-4860, amhooper@umich.edu or sdotbayi@umich.edu }

Character Isn't An Audible: Growth With Integrity 2:00 PM • Rackham Auditorium• Sponsored by Stephen M. Ross School of Business• Click here for more information.

Speaker: Tiki Barber
Retired NFL Running Back, NBC Today Correspondent, "Football Night in America" Analyst

Lecture to be folowed by book-signing

Contact: Lynnette Iannace { events@umich.edu }

Law School Presents James Forman, Jr 2:30 PM • 250 Hutchins Hall• Sponsored by Law School Office of Student Affairs and Various Law School Student Groups• Click here for more information.

James Forman, Jr., co-founder of the See Forever private school and the Maya Angelou Public Charter school, both in Washington, DC. He is currently teaching at Georgetown University Law School. The title for his talk is "Race, Crime and Schools: A Civil Rights Agenda for This Generation".

Contact: Trudy Feldkamp { Phone: 734-936-0776; tfeldkam@umich.edu }

A Time to Break the Silence 2:30 PM • Michigan League - Vandenburg Room• Sponsored by School of Music, Theatre & Dance• Click here for more information.

Panel discussion on The Arts and Social Justice
Panelists to include Aaron Dworkin of The Sphinx Organization.

Contact: Daniel Washington { 734 615-3734, dawash@umich.edu }

Jobs and Housing: Trust, Distrust, and Social Class in the Black Community 3:00 PM • Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy Annenberg Auditorium, 1120 Weill Hall 735 S. State Street Ann Arbor, MI• Sponsored by National Poverty Center and the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy• Click here for more information.

Symposium featuring Mary Patillo (Princeton University) author of "Black on the Block: The Politics of Race and Class in the City" and Sandra Smith (University of California, Berkeley) author of "Lone Pursuit: Distrust and Defensive Individualism Among the Black Poor." Both scholars will discuss their books with comments by University of Michigan professor David Harding. Reception and book signing to follow.


Contact: Sarah Marsh { skmarsh@umich.edu, npc.umich.edu }

Black Indians: An American Story 4:00 PM • School of Social Work, MacGregor Commons• Sponsored by School of Social Work• Click here for more information.

"Black Indians: An American Story" is a distinguished documentary which presents the rarely-told story of the racial fusion of Native and African-Americans. It is a story which literally begins with the birth of America, in the presence of the mixed-race Boston Massacre martyr Crispus Attucks, and which follows the deadlier aspects of the 19th century through the Seminole War (where runaway slaves joined Seminole warriors in Florida in armed conflict against the invading U.S. Army) and the expulsion of the Cherokee nation on the infamous Trail of Tears (where black Indians within the Cherokee orbit faced the no-win choice of either leaving with their brethren into forced exile or staying behind to live in slavery). Rich with interviews with people of Native and African-American heritage, the documentary addresses issues of silence, invisibility, and justice. Professor Momper will introduce the documentary and facilitate a 30 minute panel discussion and community dialogue after the presentation. Light refreshments will be available.













Contact: Sandra Momper { smomper@umich.edu, 998-6323 }

School of Music, Theatre & Dance Concert 4:00 PM • Lydia Mendelssohn Theatre• Sponsored by School of Music, Theatre & Dance• Click here for more information.

Faculty and student performers

Contact: Daniel Washington { 734 615-3734, dawash@umich.edu }

Marjorie Lee Browne Colloquium: Juan Meza presents "I Want to Be a (Computational) Mathematician" 4:00 PM • 1360 East Hall, 530 Church Street• Sponsored by Department of Mathematics• Click here for more information.

Dr. Juan Meza, Head of the High Performance Computing Research Department, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.
Abstract: Twenty years ago Halmos wrote a wonderful book entitled, "I Want to Be a Mathematician", describing his life as a mathematician, while also giving us a history of mathematics from the 1930's to the 1980's. I read his book while in graduate school and delighted in the stories and his perspectives on life as a mathematician. In this talk, I'd like to give my own perspective, beginning when I became interested in mathematics as an undergraduate to today, focusing on some recent work on new algorithms, massively parallel computers, and the application of both to some of today's most challenging problems. This combination of mathematics with computers has given rise to the field of computational mathematics, which has helped to advance computational science to the point that many people today now view it as the third pillar of science alongside experiments and theory. I will give examples of the power of computational mathematics drawn from my personal experiences and explain how mathematics amplifies scientific research. I will conclude with some thoughts on the future of computational and applied mathematics and what I see as the challenging new opportunities for helping science and society as a whole.


Contact: Suzanne Rogers { suzannej@umich.edu }

The My Lai Massacre in Vietnam: A Film and Panel on the 40th Anniversary of the Massacre 7:00 PM • East Quad, Room 126• Sponsored by Residential College• Click here for more information.

There will be a showing of the film, "Remember My Lai," and a panel discussion on war crimes - in Vietnam and elsewhere.

Contact: Henry Greenspan { hgreensp@umich.edu }

MOS DEF Big Band: A Tribute to Detroit's J Dilla 7:30 PM • Hill Auditorium• Sponsored by University Musical Society• Click here for more information.

For additional information and tickets you may contact The University Musical Society via website at http://www.ums.umich.edu/s_current_season/artist.asp?pageid=451

Contact: { }

Tuesday, January 22

Multicultural Career Fair 2:00 PM • Michigan Union• Sponsored by The Career Center, Division of Student Affairs• Click here for more information.

The Multicultural Career Fair is an opportunity for students and alumni to interact with employers actively seeking to diversify their workforce.



Contact: Steve Williams { 734 764 7460, stwi@umich.edu }

Wednesday, January 23

The Social Identity Binary: Who Gets Left Behind? A Brown Bag 12:00 PM • MSA Chambers• Sponsored by The Program on Intergroup Relations• Click here for more information.

In talking about issues of social justice, social identity is often discussed as a binary: men/women; people of color/white people; LGB/heterosexual among others. To what extent is a binary construct necessary to bring about social change? To what extent is it harmful? In a binary construction of identity, who gets left behind and why? This brown bag session will explore these questions and engage Dr. King’s assertion that "injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”

Contact: Joseph Person { personj@umich.edu, 734.936.1875, www.igr.umich.edu }

Book Club Sponsored by the Mardigian Library & Student Activities Office 12:00 PM • University Center, Kochoff Hall B University of Michigan Dearborn• Sponsored by UMD MLK Committee and the Student Activities Office• Click here for more information.

The Mardigian Library has scheduled a special session of their R.E.A.D (Read, Eat, Discuss) program in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The selected reading for this event will be.
A Call to Conscience: The Landmark Speeches of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Contact: Randy Dillard { rdillard@umd.umich.edu, Phone: (313) 593-5390 }

“Meeting Martin and Malcolm” 1:30 PM • University Center - Kochoff Hall C University of Michigan Dearborn• Sponsored by UMD MLK Committee and the Student Activities Office• Click here for more information.

An interactive character portrayal of a meeting between Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X. Jeffrey May and Corey Baskin will provide riveting social commentary and debate on issues both old and new.

Contact: Randy Dillard { rdillard@umd.umich.edu, Phone: (313) 593-5390 }

From Silent Spring to Silent Night:What have we learned? 6:00 PM • Rackham Auditorium• Sponsored by Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program• Click here for more information.

Tyrone Hayes, Professor Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, will speak about his experiences conducting research on the herbicide atrazine, a potent endocrine disrupter that chemically castrates and feminizes exposed male amphibians. His findings threatened the corporate sponsor of his research and led to attacks on his academic credentials and personal integrity.

Professor Hayes is a Professor of Integrative Biology at the University of California, Berkeley. Pesticides like atrazine are ubiquitous, persistent contaminants and, though more pronounced in amphibians, the effects described above occur in all vertebrate classes (fish, amphibians, reptiles, and mammals) examined, via common mechanisms. These observations demonstrate the critical impact that pesticides have on environmental health.

Furthermore, reproductive cancers and birth defects associated with exposure to many of these same chemicals (e.g. atrazine) via identical mechanisms demonstrate that the impact on environmental health is an indicator of a negative impact on public health. Many of these mechanisms are being revealed only now in the scientific literature and agencies (such as the US Environmental Protection Agency) are ill-equipped to deal with this emergent science and translate it efficiently into health-protective policies.

In particular, ethnic minority and lower socio-economic communities are at risk: More likely to live in contaminated communities, work in occupations that increase hazard exposure and less likely to have educational and healthcare access.

Given the importance of this science and relevance to public health, there is a strong need to translate this information and provide public access to this knowledge. Command of the science and active involvement by the public in policy decisions is vital.

Contact: Sandra Gregerman { 615-9000 sgreger@umich.edu }

Thursday, January 24

The Diagnosis and Management of Autoimmune Blistering Disease in the 21st Century 8:30 AM • 1911 Taubman Center• Sponsored by Department of Dermatology• Click here for more information.

Jennifer Haley, M.D.
Assitant Clinical Professor
Department of Dermatology
David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA

Dr. Haley is the MLK Visiting Professor to the UM Department of Dermatology. Her lecture will take place in the dermatology conference room. Space is limited.

Contact: Lisa Clark { lisclark@umich.edu }

The Multiple Identities We Bring to our Clinical Work 8:30 AM • East Hall• Sponsored by University Center for the Child and the Family• Click here for more information.

This retreat will focus on helping participants to identify the multiple identities which they have, and how these impact our work with others. (CLOSED EVENT: FOR UCCF STAFF AND STUDENTS ONLY)

Contact: Jerry Miller { jmmiller@umich.edu }

Foreclosing on the American Dream 6:00 PM • Art + Architecture Building, Room 2104• Sponsored by UP-MLK Committee, Department of Urban Planning and Regional Planning, Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning, and the School of Social Work• Click here for more information.

Why have people of color been more affected by the recent home foreclosures? Should homeownership be the ideal for all families? The Urban Planning MLK committee will bring together a panel of local community leaders, civil rights activists, and university professors to examine why this problem occurred and better understand the impact on our communities.

Contact: Rachel Wells { rbwells@umich.edu }

Memorial Fundraising Dinner Sponsored by Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. & Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. 7:00 PM • Fairlane Center North Quad E (Conference Hall) University of Michigan • Sponsored by UMD MLK Committee and the Student Activities Office• Click here for more information.

The goal of this event is to help raise money as a campus community in order to honor a man whose speeches, sermons and public addresses presented themes of democracy deeply embedded in the American conscience. Your support would allow us to make a donation on behalf of the University of Michigan-Dearborn, all funds raised will be go towards the development and construction of the King Monument in our nation’s capital.

Contact: Randy Dillard { rdillard@umd.umich.edu, Phone: (313) 593-5390 }

Tau Beta Pi Luncheon: Energy Independence: Sustainable or unattainable? 11:30 PM • Johnson Rooms, Lurie Engineering Center, North Campus• Sponsored by Tau Beta Pi and the College of Engineering• Click here for more information.

The 10th Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Winter Luncheon Series Hosted by the College of Engineering and Tau Beta Pi

All events are from 11:30 – 1:00 PM (discussion begins at 12:00) in the Johnson Rooms, Lurie Engineering Center.

Contact: Samantha Stewart { samjstew@umich.edu }

Friday, January 25

A Conversation on Race: Featuring Tim Wise Author of: “White Like Me: reflections on race from a Privileged Son” 1:00 PM • University Center- Kochoff Hall University of Michigan Dearborn• Sponsored by UMD MLK Committee and the Student Activities Office• Click here for more information.

A open and honest discussion on race from a White male perspective. Is White Privilege reality or just rhetoric from minorities? Tim Wise will answer those questions and more.

Contact: Randy Dillard { rdillard@umd.umich.edu, Phone: (313) 593-5390 }

A Conversation on Race: Featuring Tim Wise Author of: “White Like Me: reflections on race from a Privileged Son” 1:00 PM • University Center- Kochoff Hall University of Michigan Dearborn• Sponsored by UMD MLK Committee and the Student Activities Office• Click here for more information.

A open and honest discussion on race from a White male perspective. Is White Privilege reality or just rhetoric from minorities? Tim Wise will answer those questions and more.

Contact: Randy Dillard { rdillard@umd.umich.edu, Phone: (313) 593-5390 }

Theresa Perry: co-author To Be Young Gifted and Black: Promoting High Achievement Among African American Students 1:00 PM • Michigan Union, Pendleton Room• Sponsored by the Office of Academic Multicultural Initiatives• Click here for more information.

Theresa Perry is a Professor in the Departments of Africana Studies and Education at Simmons College and Director of the Simmons College/Beacon Press Race, Education and Democracy Lecture and Book Series. Her current writings and work have focused on the development of a theory of practice for African American achievement and a meta-analysis of educational environments that normalize high achievement for Black students. Dr. Perry is co-author, with the late Asa Hilliard III and Claude Steele of Young Gifted and Black: Promoting High Achievement Among African American Students, co-editor with Lisa Delpit of The Real Ebonics Debate: Power Language and the Education of African American Students, editor of Teaching Malcolm X, and co-editor of Freedom's Plow: Teaching in the Multicultural Classroom. She is completing a book entitled, Educating African American Students: What Teachers, Teacher Educators and Community Activists Should Know.

1:00pm- Lecture start time with Dr. Theresa Perry.

Lecture Title: "Now I know the Pathway from Slavery to Freedom..." (Frederick Douglass) - Toward a New Conversation About African American School Achievement

2:30-4:30pm- Workshop with Dr. Perry, teachers, parents, and other interested students, educators, and community members

Workshop Title: Raising the Achievement of African American Students: Interrogating our Beliefs, Changing our Practices



Contact: Theda Gibbs { 734-936-1055 }

Saturday, January 26

Alfred L. Edwards 32nd Annual BBSA Conference 8:00 AM • Four Points Sheraton• Sponsored by Black Business Students Association at the Ross School of Business• Click here for more information.

Please join the Ross BBSA on January 24 – 27, 2008 for what promises to be an exciting opportunity for business professionals and students to exchange knowledge, experience and wisdom, in addition to networking and social opportunities. The weekend also offers an opportunity for every member of the greater Ross BBSA family to reaffirm their commitment to the development of business acumen and opportunity within the African-American community, especially in the face of adversity.
The theme of this year’s annual conference is Advancing Diversity in Times of Adversity. Join us as we explore the issues facing the African American community in the wake of events such as Proposal 2. The Ross BBSA is proud to present keynote speakers; Ramsey Jay Jr. – Associate Analyst at Ares Management, Carla Harris – Managing Director of Global Capital Markets at Morgan Stanley, and Ed Gordon – Emmy award winning broadcaster.
For more information please visit - www.rossbbsa.com/conference

Contact: { www.rossbbsa.com/conference }

Sunday, January 27

Strip Yourself of Discrimination 8:00 PM • Michigan Union Ballroom• Sponsored by Boxes and Walls• Click here for more information.

The event will run from January 28th- February 1, 2008 from 6-10. Each tour is 30-45 minutes long. Boxes and Walls is a student organization that hosts an interactive museum where in each room, there is a type of discrimination being portrayed. Visitors will go through a tour in which they visit all of the rooms and experience the discrimination. This term's rooms focus on the minority groups of women, the LGBT community, Arab Americans, Mixed Students, and South Asians, and we also have a room exploring socioeconomic status.

Contact: Aissatou Barry { bwcore@umich.edu, www.umich.edu/~umboxes }

Monday, January 28

/Killer of Sheep/: Film Screening and Q-&-A with Filmmaker 7:00 PM • Michigan Theater 603 East Liberty Street Ann Arbor, MI 48104 http://michtheater.org • Sponsored by Michigan Theater; UM Center for Afroamerican and African Studies• Click here for more information.

Filmmaker Charles Burnett will visit Ann Arbor as part of the 2008 MLK Symposium. His celebrated film, /Killer of Sheep/ (1977) will screen at the Michigan Theater on Monday, January 28th at 7pm. Open to the Public, tickets are $5. A short Q & A with the filmmaker will follow the film. Visit < http://www.killerofsheep.com > for more information about Mr. Burnett and his critically-acclaimed film.

Contact: Rachel Quinn { quinnra@umich.edu }

Tuesday, January 29

"Brown Bag" Discussion with Filmmaker Charles Burnett 12:00 PM • Center for Afroamerican and African Studies 505 S. State St. 4701 Haven Hall Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1045 (734) 764-5513 • Sponsored by Michigan Theatre; UM Center for Afroamerican and African Studies• Click here for more information.

Please join us for a free, pubic "Brown Bag" Discussion with filmmaker Charles Burnett. Mr. Burnett will discuss his career as a filmmaker, as well as his celebrated film /Killer of Sheep/. (Please note: /Killer of Sheep/ will screen at the Michigan Theater on 28 January at 7P; the screening is open to the public, at a cost of $5. Please see the event listing on the MLK 2008 Symposium web page for further details.)

Visit < http://www.killerofsheep.com > for more information about Mr. Burnett and his critically acclaimed film.

Contact: Rachel Quinn { quinnra@umich.edu }

North Campus MLK Spirit Awards Ceremony 4:30 PM • Slusser Gallery, School of Art and Design• Sponsored by Taubman College of Architecture & Urban Planning; School of Art and Design; College of Engineering; School of Music, Theatre & Dance• Click here for more information.

Please join the North Campus community as we celebrate the recipients of the 13th Annual North Campus MLK Spirit Awards.

Contact: Jennifer Wegner { 647-7155 }

Thursday, January 31

Bitter Sweets: Labor, Militarization and the Human Rights Crisis in the Philippines 7:00 PM • Angell Hall Auditorium C• Sponsored by Asian Languages and Cultures Department, the United Asian American Organizations• Click here for more information.

"Bitter Sweets: Labor, Militarization and the Human Rights Controversy in the
Philippines": Thursday, January 31//7-9PM//Auditorium C, Angell Hall

Purpose: To raise awareness and funds for the families of those killed and/or missing due
to extra-judicial killings and human rights violations in the Philippines. This will be
done through the screening of a documentary called "The Philippines - State of Denial,"
made by the Foreign Correspondent regarding the disappearance and potential slaying of
two University of the Philippines students (also students of Professor Barrios). A
discussion will be led by Professor Barrios, a leading activist, poet and organizer from
the University of the Philippines; a speaker from the Film Studies Department will also
be featured.

Cost: $3 for the screening, as well as an all-you-can-eat chocolate buffet. The buffet
will consist of fondue, a chocolate fountain, chocolate tortillas (yes, they're actually
quite good!), homemade chocolate truffles and cake, brownies/cookies, chocolate snacks
and fresh hot cocoa. *All* proceeds will be for charity and to benefit the victims'
families.

Message: The theme "Bitter Sweets" came about because we wanted to convey the
"bitterness" of reality regarding the social and political unrest in the Philippines --
compounded by effects of militarization, colonization and immense poverty -- contrasted
with the tendency to sweeten, or sugar-coat the truth. This is an issue many Filipino
American students are largely unaware of, and the event can also resonate with anyone
familiar with human rights crises in Sudan or the plight of organized unions in Latin
America.

"Why chocolate?": Aside from serving as the "sweet" component of the theme, we want to
make a stand against Nestle Chocolates, as the two most recent presidents of the Nestle
Workers Union (the largest union in the Philippines) were murdered by the military for
holding strikes and protesting for decent wages/rights.


Contact: Professor Joi Barrios { jbarrios@umich.edu; (617)894-7490 }

Standing on Stolen Land: Poetry from the Margins 9:00 PM • U-Club Michigan Union• Sponsored by U-Club Poetry Slam, Women's Forum• Click here for more information.

The U-Club Poetry Slam with Women's Forum will be hosting a poetry slam with open mic and a featured poet. Poetry emerging from the intersections of race, gender, sexuality, class, etc. will be presented in order to educate others as well as celebrate our own multiple identities. Bring your own poems or just listen.

Contact: Amy Bowers { bowersam@umich.edu }