Facing Race, conference in Oakland
Marlene C. Hurd
Issue date: 11/26/08 Last update: 12/3/08 at 10:04 PM PST
Section: Features
Sam Cooke's 1963 R/B single "A Change Is Gonna Come" was written during the civil rights movement. In the song Cooke sings, "It's been a longtime coming but I know a change is gonna come". Now 43 years later that change has come with the election of an African American President of the United States Barack Obama. Much work still needs to be done.
At the Facing Race, A National Conference held November 13-15, 2008 at the Oakland Marriott people came together to start the process. In 2004 four years ago at the Race and Public Policy Conference held by The Applied Research Center (ARC) jump started the movement towards racial equity. This years conference keynote speakers, panelist, workshop presenters, vendor booths, volunteers and attendees were filled with knowledge, passion, renewed commitment and solutions, to address the needs of our communities.
On Thursday Nov 13, 2008 opening keynote speaker Sherman Alexie, Spokane/Coeur d'Alene Indian, novelist, poet and screenplay writer ignited the conference with his light of hope and change. Vijou Bryant a student from Brown University located in Providence Rhode Island, USA stated, "Alexie connected his personal experience to the importance of racial injustice work." According to Ellen Rollins a student at San Jose City College and California Director of The National Association of Juneteenth Lineage, Inc and Black Caucus of CalSACC Northern Region Chair stated, "Alexi mesmerized the entire audience telling of his life struggle with racism. Alexie was born on a reservation with a severe disability that was potentially life threatening. Today he is an over comer. Alexie's natural comfort and delivery of health Care issues for people of color validated through his presence and his story telling of healthcare for him and public vs. reservation education". His presentation opened people's hearts and souls to listen a little closer as he spoke openly and honestly. Change is in the air and change must be policy change for human & world benefit healthy sustainable life styles and communities."
At the Facing Race, A National Conference held November 13-15, 2008 at the Oakland Marriott people came together to start the process. In 2004 four years ago at the Race and Public Policy Conference held by The Applied Research Center (ARC) jump started the movement towards racial equity. This years conference keynote speakers, panelist, workshop presenters, vendor booths, volunteers and attendees were filled with knowledge, passion, renewed commitment and solutions, to address the needs of our communities.
On Thursday Nov 13, 2008 opening keynote speaker Sherman Alexie, Spokane/Coeur d'Alene Indian, novelist, poet and screenplay writer ignited the conference with his light of hope and change. Vijou Bryant a student from Brown University located in Providence Rhode Island, USA stated, "Alexie connected his personal experience to the importance of racial injustice work." According to Ellen Rollins a student at San Jose City College and California Director of The National Association of Juneteenth Lineage, Inc and Black Caucus of CalSACC Northern Region Chair stated, "Alexi mesmerized the entire audience telling of his life struggle with racism. Alexie was born on a reservation with a severe disability that was potentially life threatening. Today he is an over comer. Alexie's natural comfort and delivery of health Care issues for people of color validated through his presence and his story telling of healthcare for him and public vs. reservation education". His presentation opened people's hearts and souls to listen a little closer as he spoke openly and honestly. Change is in the air and change must be policy change for human & world benefit healthy sustainable life styles and communities."
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Brodnax
posted 12/04/08 @ 8:40 AM PST
The event desribed in the article sounds like the most tedious self righteous twaddle that there ever was, but these sorts of events are generally idignity fests that are somehow supposed to empower someone, who remains a mystery, as the limited appeal & vast indifference that these hot-air comferences keeps people away in droves. (Continued…)
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