What's Race Got To Do With It?
(PRWEB) June 12, 2000
WhatÂ’s Race Got To Do With It?
33rd Race Relations Institute
Explores Impact of Race on the Life Cycle
NASHVILLE, TN --- While racial incidents continue to plague communities across America, Fisk University’s Race Relations Institute (RRI) gears up for a one-week seminar devoted to the impact of racism on the lifecycle. The 33rd RRI is scheduled this year from July 10th – 16th on the school’s historic campus in Nashville, Tennessee.
RRI Director Raymond Winbush says this year’s conference is timely, necessary and needed. “In the wake of police brutality all across the nation and the very serious allegations being made right here in this city, it is important to continue examining the causes and solutions to racism.
“It’s fashionable these days to call race relations – ‘diversity.’ But the fact of the matter is that while we are improving nationally in our efforts to become more inclusive and diverse, we are still in the remedial stage of race relations. Just because we are not hearing much on a national level does not mean that the problem has improved or is no longer important.”
Winbush said this yearÂ’s lineup of speakers for the 33rd Institute are racially diverse, interesting, and represent a variety of perspectives. Confirmed speakers for this yearÂ’s national dialogue on race include:
Dr. Henry Foster, chair, President Clinton's Advisory Council on Adolescent Pregnancy; Errin Cosby, photographer (daughter of Bill and Camille Cosby); Jill Nelson, journalist and author of Police Brutality: An Anthology, Volunteer Slavery, and Straight, No Chaser; Minister Benjamin Chavis Muhammad, Nation of Islam; James Allen author of Without Sanctuary: A Pictorial Essay of Lynching in America; Molefi Asante, educator, Professor of African Studies, Temple University; Dr.
Joycelyn Elders, former Surgeon General of the United States; Jawanza Kunjufu, educator and author of The Conspiracy to Destroy Black Boys; Joy DeGruy Leary, lecturer on Post-Traumatic Slave Syndrome; Beatrice Medicine, educator specializing in Native American issues; Paula Young Shelton, early childhood specialist, Black Child Development Institute, Inc.; Lee Mun Wah, filmmaker and producer of the documentary The Color of Fear; John Artis, social worker who was arrested with Rubin "Hurricane" Carter; Sheila Peters, assistant professor of psychology, Fisk University; Oba T'Shaka, professor of Black Studies, San Francisco State University; Renita Weems, minister and author of Just a Sister Away and Listening for God; Arthur Bronner, founder of Sta Sof Fro and publisher of Upscale Magazine; Melodye Stewart, educator and author; Roberto Almazan, Race Relations Specialist; Henri Brooks, chair, Tennessee State Government Black Caucus; Chike Kani Omo, filmmaker, producer and actor in the film Amistad; Meschach Taylor, actor in TV's award-winning series Designing Women; James Earl Jones, actor; Catherine Wyatt Morley, AIDS Activist; Katherine Bankole, director, Center for Black Culture, West Virginia University; Linda Ammons, professor of Law Cleveland State University and author of What's God Got to Do With It; Frances Cress Welsing, psychiatrist and author of The Isis Papers; Neely Fuller, lecturer and author of The United Independent Compensatory Code/ System/ Concept (The Code); Lonnae O'Neal Parker & Kim McClaren, cousins who appeared on ABCÂ’s Nightline to debate their familyÂ’s racial identity; and, Naomi Tutu, program director, Race Relations Institute, Fisk University.
The public is invited to participate in the dialogue to discuss solutions to the problems of race relations and to create strategies for healing an ailing society in America and around the world in the 21st Century.
Each day of the Institute will focus on the impact of racism on different stages of the life cycle. Tuesday’s “Seeds of Hope” session will focus on the effect of racism from the prenatal stage through infancy. Wednesday’s session, “Innocence Betrayed,” takes a look at the impact of racism on children. Thursday’s “Caught in the Middle” session explores racism in the adolescent years. Racism in the adult years is the topic of Friday’s session, “Still I Rise.” And, Saturday’s session “I’ve Known Rivers” is devoted to how racism impacts the lives of senior citizens.
The Evening Dialogues are free and open to the public and begin at 7:00 P. M. in the universityÂ’s Memorial Chapel.
Early registration is encouraged since space is limited to 300. Conference fees are $275 early registration; $375 on-site; $75 students/senior citizens; $225 per person for groups with five articipants or more. The individual day rate is $65.
The Institute welcomes leaders in academia, politics, community-activism, religion, health, media, entertainment, and business. It is through the Institute that a network of scholars from the social and natural sciences as well as medicine and the humanities will donate their time to focus on the specific issue of racism throughout the life cycle.
The historical summer Institute is one of the premier models for racial dialogue in America. Designated “Promising Practice” by the White House, the Race Relations Institute at Fisk University is funded with grants from the W. K. Kellogg Foundation, Pitney Bowes, GTE Wireless, and Beaman Automotive Group.
For more information contact Jackie Jones at (615) 327-1002 or email SMACGJJ@AOL. COM
