December 17, 2002

ANNUAL HUMAN RIGHTS CELEBRATION AT BOISE STATE JAN. 15-22

The 2003 Martin Luther King Jr. Human Rights Celebration at Boise State University, which runs Jan. 15-22, will culminate in a keynote address by actor Danny Glover and Bill Fletcher of TransAfrica Forum. Other highlights include a reception/fund-raiser with Glover and Fletcher before the address, a pre-screening of the movie "Two Towns of Jasper" and a celebration dinner featuring a performance of "The OG and the B Boy."

TransAfrica is a center for activism focusing on conditions in the African world. Glover’s and Fletcher’s address at 8 p.m. on Jan. 22 in The Pavilion will focus on presenting alternative perspectives on the economic, political and moral ramifications of national and global policy.

The 14th annual weeklong human rights celebration, which is organized by students, will also include educational workshops on racism and tolerance, cultural performances, service projects and community events. All programs are open to the public. There is no charge for activities, except the reception/fund-raiser with Glover and Fletcher and the celebration dinner. Free parking is available on campus all day Monday, Jan. 20, and in the evenings on Wednesday, Jan. 15, and Wednesday, Jan. 22, in the Student Union visitor lot and the Bronco Stadium lot (between The Pavilion and the Stadium). The following events are planned:

Cultural Organization Performance. 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Student Union Fireplace Lounge.

Workshop: "Maintain Affirmative Action without Affirmative Action," led by professor of management Gundars Kaupins. 1:40-2:30 p.m. Student Union Farnsworth Room. While affirmative action programs have been dropped in several states, many of them have legally tried to maintain greater opportunities for minorities in the workplace. Agency goals, recruiting, banding and test administration will be discussed.

Workshop: "Dance, the Common Denominator of Diversity," led by Marla Hansen, director of dance in the Boise State theatre arts department and co-artistic director for Idaho Dance Theatre, and Carl Rowe, co-artistic director for Idaho Dance Theatre. 2:40-3:30 p.m. Student Union Hatch "A" Ballroom. This session will explore various types of dance throughout the world and the different reasons people dance in other cultures. It will also consider that dance is an art form that requires no common spoken language and can be enjoyed by all people regardless of culture race or religion. View examples of concert dance on video (ballet, modern, etc.) that incorporates aspects of ethnic dance creating a cross-cultural experience.

Workshop: "The Culture of Poverty," led by Susan Hazelton, Executive Director of the Family Advocate Program. 3:40-4:30 p.m. Student Union Farnsworth Room. What are the thought processes, values and "hidden rules" that govern the behavior of those living in several generations of poverty? The dynamics of the culture of generational poverty will be examined.

Workshop: "Seeking Justice from Selma to Seattle to Soweto," led by professor of social work William H. Simpson Whitaker. 5-6:30 p.m. Student Union Hatch "A" Ballroom. This session will explore Whitaker’s personal experiences in the Civil Rights Movement and discuss major United Nations human rights conventions to provide context for a multimedia examination of worldwide grass-roots social mobilizations against globalization.

Celebration Dinner. 7 p.m. Student Union Jordan Ballroom. This annual celebration will bring together campus and community members to celebrate the life of Martin Luther King Jr. "The OG and the B Boy," a new hip-hop musical that explores the generation gap within the African American community, will be performed by Idris Ackamoor and Kamau "Pitch Black" Bakari of Cultural Odyssey. Presented by Boise State Black Student Alliance. Tickets $17.50 adults and $14 for Boise State students and youths 17 and under, available through Select-a-Seat, 426-1494 or www.idahotickets.com.

Cultural Organization Performance. 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Student Union Fireplace Lounge.

Workshop: "Refugees in Our Community: Global Becomes Local," led by Christina Bruce-Bennion from the Agency for New Americans. 2-2:50 p.m. Student Union Jordan "C" Ballroom. This session will explore how global issues of intolerance, fear and persecution affect our local community through the refugee program. It will also examine how human rights relate to refugees.

Workshop: "Internalized Racist Oppression," led by Cecil and Karin Cross of the Women of Color Alliance. 3:15-4:05 p.m. Student Union Jordan "C" Ballroom. This session will focus on the mechanisms of internalized racism within historically oppressed ethnic groups. The dynamic of internalized racism and strategies for dismantling it will be discussed.

Cultural Performance. 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Student Union Fireplace Lounge.

Workshop: "Racism, Imperialism and Human Rights," led by professor of sociology Martin Orr. 1:40-2:30 p.m. Student Union Jordan "B" Ballroom. This session will examine the relationship between European colonialism, American imperialism and the emergence of racist social structures and ideologies. The role of movements for civil rights and national autonomy in the construction of contemporary understandings of human rights will also be addressed.

Workshop: "Letter From a Birmingham Jail: An Epistle for Our Time," led by Les Bock of the Idaho Human Rights Education Center. 2:40-3:30 p.m. Student Union Jordan "B" Ballroom. This session will discuss Martin Luther King Jr.’s famous letter and its moral implications for human rights and peace in the 21st Century. The discussion will also touch upon the influential roots of King’s thinking, including Leo Tolstoy and Gandhi.

March to the Capitol. 8:30 a.m. Student Union Jordan "D" Ballroom. ASBSU President Chris Mathias will give a pre-march speech at 8:45 a.m. March begins at 9 a.m. Join hundreds of people marching down Capitol Boulevard and rally on the Capitol steps in support of human rights. Flags and banners are encouraged. Free buttons for participants.

Human Rights Rally 2003. 10 a.m. Idaho State Capitol steps. Local activists will challenge all Idaho citizens to renew support for human rights issues. Idaho Voices for Diversity will perform.

Volunteer Service Projects. 11 a.m-3 p.m. Meet in the Student Union Food Court between 10:45-11 a.m. Get involved with the spirit of the celebration and help the community. Following the March to the Capitol, join fellow marchers and Boise State Volunteer Services Board and make a difference on Martin Luther King Jr/Idaho Human Rights Day through the following agencies: Idaho Black History Museum, Family Advocate Program, Boise Rescue Mission, The Arc, Agency for New Americans, Holly Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, Boise Samaritan Village, Hillcrest Rehabilitation and Care Center, Taft Elementary School and Hayes Shelter Home. For additional information contact the Boise State Volunteer Services Board at 426-4240.

"It's A Day On, Not A Day Off," noon. Idaho State Capitol Rotunda. Be a part of the official dedication ceremony for Martin Luther King Jr./Idaho Human Rights Holiday. The ceremony will include a proclamation by Gov. Dirk Kempthorne and local performances. ASBSU President Chris Mathias is a featured speaker. Sponsored by the Idaho Human Rights Commission.

Film: "Two Towns of Jasper" 7 p.m. Boise State Special Events Center. Free. This is an advance screening of the award-winning, feature-length documentary about the racially-motivated murder of James Byrd Jr. in Jasper, Texas, in 1998. As a collaborative effort between a black and a white filmmaker, producers Whitney Dow and Marco Williams sent segregated film crews to document the town of Jasper over the course of the trials of the men charged with Byrd’s murder. A discussion moderated by Les Bock will follow. Sponsored by the Independent Television Service. For more information, contact Lynn Allen at 345-4453.

Cultural Organization Performance. 11:30 a.m-1 p.m. Student Union Fireplace Lounge.

Workshop: "The Gay Life In Idaho," led by Alan Virta, head of special collections in Albertsons Library. 1:40 - 2:30 p.m. Student Union Hatch "A" Ballroom. A slide show revealing the significant impact and contributions to Idaho that gays and lesbians have made throughout the years.

Workshop: "Children on the Front Lines of Civil Rights Activism," led by professor of history Jill K. Gill. 3:15-5 p.m. Student Union Hatch "A" Ballroom. What roles have children played in civil rights activism of the 20th century? What power do children have in helping make social change? How have adults and the broader power structures responded to the involvement of children in social action efforts? This presentation will combine description and video clips of specific historical civil rights efforts within the United States to address these questions.

Workshop: "Social Justice Leadership and Organizing," led by Bill Fletcher, president of TransAfrica Forum. 2-2:50 p.m. Student Union Hatch "A" Ballroom. This session will address how individuals can come together to make positive social change in their communities. Using the example of TransAfrica, this session offers useful strategies and diverse perspectives in the struggle to promote global justice, equality and fairness. Student and community leaders are especially invited to attend this session.

Workshop: "Profile of TransAfrica Forum and its Programs," led by Bill Fletcher, president of TransAfrica Forum. 3-3:50 p.m. Student Union Jordan "A" Ballroom. TransAfrica Forum serves as an educational, research and activist organization regarding U.S. policy in Africa and the African Diaspora worldwide. This session will provide an overview of the role of TransAfrica and its research goals, policy objectives, and its mission to improve the understanding of people of African descent and their history and culture.

Reception with Danny Glover and Bill Fletcher of TransAfrica Forum. 6-7 p.m. Auxiliary Gymnasium, The Pavilion. Join individuals from around the community and support the Martin Luther King Jr./Human Rights Celebration, Boise State’s award-winning weeklong event that supports student efforts to eliminate racism. Presenters Danny Glover and Bill Fletcher will be on hand to highlight the evening. Attendees will have the opportunity to meet other individuals interested in the message of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., as well as members of the celebration’s planning committee. A selection of light refreshments and beverages will be offered. Reception attendees receive reserved seating at the keynote lecture. Tickets are $100 through Select-a-Seat, 426-1766, 426-1494 or www.idahotickets.com.

Keynote: "TransAfrica Forum," featuring Danny Glover and Bill Fletcher from TransAfrica Forum. 8-10 p.m. The Pavilion. Glover, an acclaimed actor and human rights activist, has been deeply involved in the global struggle for human rights. As chairman of the board of TransAfrica Forum, Glover is well-suited to discuss the issues facing the continent of Africa and its people. Glover has received the first annual William Kunstler Racial Justice Award, Amnesty International’s Lifetime Achievement Award, and an Essence Award for his activist work. Fletcher, a long-time activist and organizer, was named president of TransAfrica Forum in January of 2002. Drawing on his many years of work with labor and social justice for the people of African descent around the world, Fletcher coordinates a broad network of activists and researchers in providing policy alternatives and issue analysis in the areas of economics, health care, politics, and national and global policy. This presentation will be American Sign Language interpreted.

Admission is free, but complimentary tickets, available at the Student Union information desk and the Pavilion Box Office, are recommended. Tickets are also available at Select-a-Seat outlets for a $1 service charge per ticket. To have tickets mailed to you call Select-a-Seat at 426-1494. A service charge will apply. Seats will be held until 7:45 p.m. for guests with tickets. After 7:45 p.m. guests with or without tickets will be admitted for remaining seats.

Martin Luther King Jr/Human Rights celebration events are sponsored by American Family Insurance, KBSU Radio, Hewlett Packard, The Idaho Human Rights Commission, Fine Host Corporation, Idaho Human Rights Education Center and the following Boise State University departments: — Associated Students of Boise State University (ASBSU),

Student Union and Student Involvement, Modern Languages and Literature department, College of Arts and Sciences, College of Education, College of Engineering, Division of Extended Studies, Graduate College, College of Social Sciences and Public Affairs, Volunteer Services Board, Cultural Center, Black Student Alliance and Disability Services.

For activities on the Boise State campus, participants with access needs that require accommodations may call 426-1223 (voice) or 426-1024 (TTY). Please call at least one week in advance of the event to ensure your needs can be met. For an updated schedule or to confirm events call 426-1223 or check online at http://entertainment.boisestate.edu.

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Rob Meyer

Student Union and Activities

426-1223

Pat Pyke

communications and marketing

426-1987

Kathleen Craven

communications and marketing

426-3275

Patri Ann Thompson

communications and marketing

426-3196