#BringBackOurGirls Event at the Freedom Center

Re-posted from: Freedom Center Blog

#BringBackOurGirls Event Friday: Freedom Center Hosts Free Panel Discussion on Activism and Advocacy related to Nigerian kidnappings

This Friday, join local leaders and activists at the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center for a discussion of the recent kidnappings in Nigeria and the accompanying worldwide #Bringbackourgirls social media campaign. Participants will come away with a deeper understanding of the happenings in Nigeria and the implications for activism in the age of the Internet.

Rebecca Lehman, Coordinator of University of Cincinnati’s Racial Awareness Program, will moderate the discussion. Community partners include Cincinnati League of Women Voters, Cincinnati Junior League, End Slavery Now and Xavier University’s Dorothy Day Center for Faith and Justice.

This event is free and open to the public.

As an institution dedicated to the abolition of modern day slavery, the Freedom Center wants to serve as a space for the community to discuss nuanced issues like the recent kidnappings, learn about the connections to the wider landscape of human trafficking and reflect on the international community’s response to an instance of human trafficking. Freedom Center President Dr. Clarence G. Newsome recently released a statement on the kidnappings, calling on readers to speak out against actions that threaten the freedom of individuals and cause entire communities to live in fear.

Friday’s discussion will focus on these kidnappings and the international response but will also touch on some of the broader issues of modern day slavery and human trafficking— types of modern day slavery, the causes and effects of modern day slavery and the warning signs of human trafficking.

The conversation will also include the role of women’s education in combating modern day slavery. Women’s education has been one of the most powerful tools in the fight against poverty, infant mortality and violent extremism across the world. Panelists and attendees will be asked to consider the importance of women’s education and empowerment within our own communities.

Lastly, this event will address the importance of responsible social media advocacy and the role of social media in modern activism. The explosive worldwide response through #BringBackOurGirls has raised many questions about the ethics of social media advocacy— in the age of the Internet, how do we engage in the fight for freedom in a way that promotes empathy, solidarity and pluralism?

The event will take place this Friday, June 6 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. in the Everyday Freedom Hero Gallery.

Look forward to more information and advocacy opportunities from the up-and-coming organization End Slavery Now. You can find them on Twitter @endslaverynow.  Click here for more information.

-Tatum Hunter, Marketing Intern

Snapshots of RAPP in the City-Wide MLK Events

Despite the cold & snow, Greater Cincinnati came together yet again for the civil rights march on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.  Although many Bearcats were spread throughout the city doing service through the Crosstown Help Out, the Red & Black were still out in force at the march - including nearly all UC NPHC chapters (the only one not there was also out doing community service!).

Here are a few pictures from the day:

Waiting for the bus to ride down to the march!

We met up with friends in front of the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center for the start of the march.

Marching to Fountain Square

Many of us joined up with NPHC - and the several RAPPers in their leadership! - for a group photo in  front of Cincinnati Music Hall.

UC-XU Day at the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center - Nov 10th!

Saturday, November 10, 2012
11 am to 5 pm

UC-XU Day at the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center

• Free admission to UC and XU students with valid college ID.
• Discount admission for faculty, staff and others wearing UC or XU spirit wear - $8/person.
• UC student buses leave every 30 minutes starting at 10:45 a.m. from Campus Green Drive near the Alumni Center parking lot.
• Last bus leaves at 5:15 p.m. from the Freedom Center.

Cincinnati All-Women Town Meeting - Sept 29th!

Media Contact:
Robin Scullin (202.835.2358); rscullin@ywca.org
Amber Taylor (703.201.4893); amber@sambertaylor.com

YWCA USA Conducts First All-Women Town Meeting in Cincinnati
Convened by the YWCA USA and AmericaSpeaks,
Women Will Discuss Their Political and Economic Priorities, Sept. 29th

Cincinnati, Ohio – Two hundred local women will convene next month for a first-of-its-kind Town
Meeting hosted by the YWCA USA, along with the YWCA of Cincinnati and AmericaSpeaks. The
women in attendance will represent the political, economic and racial demographic mix of the
Cincinnati area and will spend the day discussing issues and policies important to their lives and
solutions relevant to their communities.

”As an organization dedicated to empowering women, we were surprised to learn that there has
never been an event like this - with only women at the table,” said Gloria Lau, CEO of the YWCA
USA. “We all know how important women’s voices are in the upcoming election, so we want to
hear directly from them on their priorities and concerns.”

The Town Meeting will follow the release of What Women Want 2012: A YWCA USA National
Survey of Priorities and Concerns which will offer women’s perspectives on the issues that most
matter to them.

The nonpartisan Town Meeting will be led by AmericaSpeaks, an organization that aims to
reinvigorate American democracy by engaging citizens in the public decisions that most impact
their lives and to ensure that the diverse voices in the room are all heard. AmericaSpeaks conducts
large-scale 21st Century Town Meetings® across the country to support civic engagement and
facilitate civic input via technology. This will be the first women-only meeting they have conducted.
With the support of trained facilitators, women of the Cincinnati community will discuss the survey
findings, focus on the important issues that surface and their implications for the election and
national and state policies. A final report with lessons learned and policy recommendations from
the participants will be prepared and delivered to policy-makers and candidates running for
national, state and local leadership positions.

The event will be held on Saturday, September 29th at the National Underground Railroad
Freedom Center in Cincinnati, an organization that has a museum devoted to the Underground
Railroad and programs that educate the public about modern slavery and human trafficking.
Women interested in participating should visit: www.ywca.org/townmeeting.
About the YWCA USA

The YWCA is the voice for every woman. For over a century, the YWCA has spoken out and
taken action on behalf of women and girls. The YWCA is dedicated to eliminating racism,
empowering women and promoting peace, justice, freedom and dignity for all. Over 2 million
people participate each year in YWCA programs at more than 1,300 locations across the U.S.
Worldwide, the YWCA serves more than 25 million women and girls in 125 countries.

"From Civil War to Civil Rights... to Human Rights" - May 9th!

From the Cincinnati Freedom Writers Project:

On Wednesday, May 9th, the "From Civil War to Civil Rights... to Human Rights" program, specifically for middle & high school students and teachers, as well as college students, professors, and area educators, is scheduled from 5:30-8:30 p.m. Snacks and refreshments will be served. This event is free.

This event will allow participants to momentarily live some of the history that redefined our country for generations as they will engage with renowned speakers, special exhibit tours, interactive sessions, and time at the end of the program for students and teachers to highlight any work they have done related to the topics of human rights, social justice, or freedom. This will be a time to listen, speak, and connect. Please consider joining us for a unique evening of history, healing and hope. See the attached flyer for details.

You can RSVP to this UC-Freedom Center sponsored event via the following link: http://www.freedomcenter.org/ucrsvp

If you have already responded via one of the links, you will receive an email confirmation next week reserving your seats and/or presentation table if you have work to share.

AMOS Project Racial Justice Summit -

AMOS Project Racial Justice Summit
2012 Racial Justice Summit

Community ~ Story ~ Action
Featuring acclaimed authors Michelle Alexander and Michael Emerson.  We will learn from insightul scholars, build skills and develop deeper understanding of how we can address racial inequality, and continue to work to address systems of inequality while building new relationships.

When:  Friday, May 4, 2012,  9:00am - 4:00pm
Where:  National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, 50 East Freedom Way  Cincinnati, OH 45202
Cost:  We are asking for a donation of $10.00 per person.

About the keynote speakers:
Michael Emerson is considered one of the leading scholars on race and religion, his work in this area began with Divided by Faith: Evangelical Religion and the Problem of Race in America (Oxford University Press, 2000), which was named the 2001 Distinguished Book of the Year by the Society for the Scientific Study of Religion.
Emerson’s research focuses also on urban growth, development, inequality, and urban life. He teaches courses in race and ethnic relations, religion, urban sociology, poverty and justice, and research methods. His main research interests lie in these areas as well. Emerson has focused most closely on the role of race in shaping social action in the United States, recently by focusing on health, residential segregation, and on the institution of religion. Michael Emerson is co-director of the Kinder Institute for Urban Research at Rice University.

Professor Michelle Alexander is the author of the award winning book, “The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness.”  She joined the OSU faculty in 2005. She holds a joint appointment with the Moritz College of Law and the Kirwan Institute for the Study of Race and Ethnicity. Prior to joining the OSU faculty, she was a member of the Stanford Law School faculty, where she served as Director of the Civil Rights Clinic.
Professor Alexander has significant experience in the field of civil rights advocacy and litigation. She has litigated civil rights cases in private practice as well as engaged in innovative litigation and advocacy efforts in the non-profit sector. For several years, Professor Alexander served as the Director of the Racial Justice Project for the ACLU of Northern California, which spearheaded a national campaign against racial profiling by law enforcement.

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER!

Considering Ways to Teach for Freedom: An Evening for Current & Future Educators - Feb 1st!

A message from Mark Kohan (Cincinnati FreedomWriters Project and Teaching for Hope and Justice Network):

Hello CECH faculty, staff, and partners,

I'm writing to let you know that we have a special evening planned at the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center for UC students, faculty, and staff on Wednesday, February 1st.

The focus of the evening at the Freedom Center will be to explore educator resources for addressing issues related to equality, diversity, and justice in American society and schools. The evening will provide an opportunity for UC education students, faculty, ans staff to get to know one another better (as well as one of Cincinnati's most celebrated cultural centers) as they engage in issues that affect the profession of teaching and the process of schooling in the United States.

If applicable to courses you are teaching or listservs you are overseeing, please forward the following link and attachment so that our UC community can RSVP if they plan on attending the event:

https://uceducation.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_5nCax8U4odLPbxi

Free transportation for the event is provided. A bus will pick-up at 5:20 p.m. and drop-off at roughly 8:20 p.m. at McMicken Circle (between Teachers College and McMicken Hall) on that Wednesday evening. Snacks and refreshments will also be provided during the event.

Please note that applicable School of Education courses can count this event towards field experience hours.

Hope to see you and our students there.

Thanks,

Mark
                       
Mark Kohan
Cincinnati Freedom Writers Project
Teaching for Hope & Justice Network
School of Education / CECH

Join RAPP & RAPPORT at the 37th Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day March

Since 2009, RAPP and RAPPORT have been participants in the annual city-wide Martin Luther King, Jr. Day rally, march, and memorial on Monday, January 16th, hosted by the Martin Luther King Jr. Coalition. The march starts at 10:30 am and goes from the Freedom Center to Music Hall, with a stop at fountain square for an interfaith prayer and speakers.

Cincinnati has a long and rich history of civil rights activism and this march showcases some of the groups, organizations, and individuals who are part of the work and who will carry it into the future. RAPP and RAPPORT are part of this legacy - and taking part in the 37th annual MLK Day March is one of the ways we get to strut our stuff!

RAPP & RAPPORT members and other UC students at last years march

This event is open to the community, and we invite the RAPP & RAPPORT family and friends to join us for the event.

For more information, transportation details, or general questions please check out the Facebook event, or call or email the RAPP office- 513.556.5251, rapp@uc.edu.  Hope you can join us!

Freedom Center Seeking Volunteers - Saturdays Starting Dec. 17th

From Cincinnati Public Allies listserv:

Smiling Faces Needed at the Freedom Center! (beginning December 17!)

Ongoing Opportunity!   Front Door Greeters Needed at the Freedom Center Saturdays - 11:00am - 3:30pm 1 volunteer per Saturday - beginning December 17 !   This fun ongoing opportunity is for the volunteer who loves interacting with the general public, and who has an awesome smile! This task involves, but not limited to: greeting customers and providing strollers and wheelchairs to Freedom Center guests requiring them. This volunteer should be knowledgeable of the general downtown Cincinnati area and to be familiar with Freedom Center exhibits is a plus!     You will have a brief on-the-spot training and free parking is provided.   You may work as many Saturdays as your schedule allows!   To sign up for this opportunity, please send e-mail to Paula Johnson at pjohnson@nurfc.org. In the subject line, type "Greeter".  In the body the e-mail, please indicate what Saturday(s) you would like to help out!   Remember:  In order to volunteer at the Freedom Center, you must have a volunteer application on file with us.    To fill out an online volunteer application, please visit www.freedomcenter.org.   We're looking forward to seeing you here volunteering in the Spirit of Freedom!

James Brewer Stewart: “Abolishing Slavery in Lincoln’s Time & Ours" - Oct 4th!

From Cincinnati Public Allies:

James Brewer Stewart: “Abolishing Slavery in Lincoln’s Time & Ours: Creating a New Abolitionist Movement/Confronting Modern Racial Injustice”

October 4, 2011 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm |Freedom Center

Today there are nearly three times as many enslaved people in the world today than there were in the Western Hemisphere when Abraham Lincoln issued theEmancipation Proclamation, an estimated 30 million.  Today, at the same time, the United States incarcerates far more people than any other nation, the vast majority of whom are people with dark skin.  What does “slavery” mean in light of these disturbing facts? How are these facts related historically and in our own time? What can ordinary people do to effectively combat these frightening trends?

Join us as James Brewer Stewart,  James Wallace Professor Emeritus, Macalester College, lectures on “Abolishing Slavery in Lincoln’s Time and Ours: Creating a New Abolitionist Movement/ Confronting Modern Racial Injustice.” Dr. Stewart has published a dozen books and over 50 articles addressing slavery and its abolitionin the history of the United States. Widely recognized for his excellence as a teacher, he is also Founder and Director of Historians Against Slavery, an organization of  over 400 scholars who work to combat slavery and racial injustice today by applying historical perspectives to our contemporary problems.

This lecture is free and open to the public.

Film Screening & Discussion: Prince Among Slaves - July 9th!

The National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, The Islamic Center of Greater Cincinnati, and BRIDGES for a Just Community invite you to join us for a unique film viewing and conversation...

Prince Among Slaves
The amazing true story of an African Prince enslaved in the American South

with Special Guest 

Ilyasah Shabazz
Author, activist and daughter of Malcolm X and Dr. Betty Shabazz
 
joined by
Dr. Nikki Taylor
Assistant Professor of History at the University of Cincinnati

Saturday, July 9th
1:00 pm
Reception immediately following the program

Harriet Tubman Theatre
National Underground Railroad Freedom Center
50 East Freedom Way
Cincinnati, OH 45202

RSVP requested
This event is free and open to the public
Seating is limited

Reservations 513.333.7500 or
 http://princeamongslavescincinnati.eventbrite.com

UC Makes Permanent Ties with Freedom Center

 The University of Cincinnati has now created permanent ties with the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center. 

Thanks to a gift to the Department of Africanna Studies in the McMicken College of Arts and Science, Associate Professor of History Nikki Taylor joins Africanna Studies in a newly created community professorship. 

The position will help foster a formal relationship between the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center and the University.

To read an interview with Professor Nikki Taylor by Kim Burdett, please go here.