Park Forest, Schools

Founders of Black Lives Matter to Speak Monday, April 4 at Roosevelt University


Black Lives Matter

CHICAGO–(ENEWSPF)–March 31, 2016.  Opal Tometi and Alicia Garza, two of the three women who started the Black Lives Matter Movement, will speak about their experiences in founding and moving the organization forward at 7 p.m. on Monday, April 4 at Roosevelt University, 430 S. Michigan Ave., Chicago. (They are pictured at left at a recent speaking event at the University of Missouri).

This Roosevelt University community event will be held in the second-floor Congress Lounge. The lecture will be followed by a meet and greet reception with students.

Started as a Twitter hashtag in 2013, Tonetti and Garza, along with Patrisse Cullors, began Black Lives Matters as a means to challenge law enforcement’s frequent unfair treatment of African Americans.

During its first year, Black Lives Matter raised awareness about the issue considerably, with the share of people who believe whites and blacks don’t have the same rights reportedly increasing from 46 to 60 percent.  Today, Black Lives Matter has become a civil rights phenomenon and hotbed of activism that is engaging increasing numbers of the nation’s socially conscious citizens.

Organized by Student Programming for Enrichment, Enlightenment and Development (SPEED), the event is the highlight of Social Justice Week, being held April 4-8 at Roosevelt. Other Social Justice week events include:

  • What Does Social Justice Mean to You?, 10 a.m., Wednesday, April 6, second-floor Fainman Lounge.
  •  RU Proud:  Safe Space and Allyl Training, 1 p.m. Wednesday, April 6 in Wabash Room 418 and 1 p.m. Thursday, April 7 in Wabash Room 317
  • Creating Homeless Kits for the Homeless, 4:30 p.m., Wednesday, April 6, Wabash Room 317
  • Sexual Violence Speaker Suzette Walden Cole, 12:30 p.m. speech, 1:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. workshops, Thursday, April 7, Wabash Room 317
  • Service Learning Trip to Urban Ministries Men’s and Women’s Shelters, 9 a.m. Friday, April 8, sign up in Wabash Room 323.

Source: http://www.roosevelt.edu


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