Tickets must be purchased for events featuring Attorney General Holder and Common. All other panels are free to attend, but registration is required.
Day 1: Monday, September 10
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Join us as we honor Ida B. Wells-Barnett and her many contributions to the struggle for civil rights and equality for African Americans.
Reception Sponsor:
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Michelle Duster |
Panelists
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Lawrence Brown |
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Guian McKee |
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Stephanie Vomvouras, MD MBA |
Moderator
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Melissa Hogan |
Day 2: Tuesday, September 11
When Martin Luther King, Jr. read the words to the African American hymnal “We Shall Overcome” to the throngs of protestors in Washington, D.C. in March 1968, he underlined the importance of music in the movement for civil rights. From Sam Cooke and Nina Simone to folk artists like Pete Seeger, the revelry and community-building power of music helped inspire millions to stay the course through a fight that is long from over. Join us as renowned jazz musician Ramsey Lewis and former WBEZ radio personality Richard Steele discuss the impact of musicians and song on the ongoing struggle for African American civil rights.
Panelists
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Maggie Brown |
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Ramsey Emmanuel Lewis, Jr. |
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Paul Wertico |
Moderator
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Richard Steele |
Since the early 1990s, the prison population of the United States has exploded, with African Americans disproportionately represented. From policing to prosecutions to sentencing, African Americans and their communities continue to be treated more harshly than other Americans. The events in Ferguson, Missouri, the shootings of unarmed African Americans and the Black Lives Matter movement have all helped bring fresh attention to this urgent social justice issue. This panel will bring together leading voices in the areas of policing and mass incarceration to discuss how we can reform these institutions and fight racist policies.
Panelists
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Jamelle Bouie |
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Natalie Moore |
Moderator
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Heather M. Dalmage |
Day 3: Wednesday, September 12
Over the past year, women have come forward in every sector of society to report sexual harassment and other forms of gender-based violence in and out of the workplace. The #MeToo movement has galvanized a new conversation about women’s civil rights in and out of the workplace. A generation after the Equal Rights movement, how far have we come as a society in combatting gender-based violence and discrimination, and what still needs to be done. Join us as prominent commentators assess the state of contemporary feminism and talk about how society can finally confront and overcome misogyny, violence and discrimination.
Panelists
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Rebecca Traister |
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Maudlyne Ihejirika |
Moderator
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Marjorie Jolles |
Join us as the 82nd Attorney General of the United States, Eric H. Holder, Jr. discusses the pressing issue of voting rights in the United States. The U.S. Constitution famously failed to guarantee citizens the right to vote in elections. And since the turn of the new century, many states have made it harder for individuals to vote, by passing restrictive voter ID laws and engaging in purges of voter rolls and rollbacks of early voting. Especially since the Supreme Court’s 2013 decision striking down key provisions of the Voting Rights Act, states have felt free to openly pursue voter suppression schemes. Can the long struggle for voting rights in the U.S. finally be won, even in this hostile legal and political climate? With his unique insights from the front lines of this fight, and his recent work on the National Democratic Redistricting Committee, Mr. Holder will share his appraisal of the past and his vision for the future with our community.
Keynote Sponsor:
Panelist
Moderator
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Judge Ann Claire Williams |
Day 4: Thursday, September 13
Academy Award, Golden Globe, Emmy and Grammy-winning actor and musician Common leads this timely conversation about the need to inspire our young students to enact positive change in our communities. Through his years of experience as an activist and philanthropist, Common will share his thoughts on how we can continue to produce generations of dreamers and leaders who make a difference in a polarized society.
Panelist
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Mary Ellen Caron, PhD |
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Janice K. Jackson, PhD |
Moderator
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Tom Philion |
Day 5: Friday, September 14
Getting involved is easy — simply sign up for one or more of our service activities. More info forthcoming.