MARCH COMMUNITY EVENTS

Partners for a Racism-Free Community Annual Forum

Ticket sales end March 15; the cost per person is $50.00 per person

Event date:  Friday, March 22, from 7:30 am to 3:45 pm

Eberhard Center, Grand Valley State University downtown campus

301 Fulton Street West, Grand Rapids, MI  49504

The morning keynote speaker is Dr. Gail Christopher of the W. K. Kellogg Foundation, writer and

presenter and author or co-author of three books, a monthly column in the Federal Times, and more than 250 articles, presentations, and publications.

The noon keynote will be by damali ayo, whose books include “How to Rent a Negro,” “Obamistan:

Land without Racism,” and others. Her “I Can Fix Racism” presentation is a “fun, multi-media,

interactive experience offering a 10-point program to improve relationships in any community.”

Breakout sessions, held in the morning and afternoon,

• Best Practices Panel (featuring local partner organizations)
• Tea Time with damali (keynoter) for members of the community to engage in conversation
• Bias, Assumptions, & Stereotypes, Eric Foster, Diversity & Inclusion Counsel
• Health in Kent County: Looking beneath the surface, Brian Hartl, Kent County Health Department
• Religion & Diversity, Fred Stella, Interfaith Dialogue Association
• The Many Cultures of the Latino Community, Zoraida Sanchez/Mercedes Toohey
• Working Towards an Inclusive Culture, Dave Barrett, Cascade Engineering
• Assessment 101: A Primer for Success, Lisa Mitchell/Linda Quist, PRFC
• Little Things Mean a Lot: Racial Micro-Aggressions, Sonya Hughes, GR Area Chamber of Commerce

Click here for more information and to register

Four Principles for African American Success: Vision, Fatherhood, Education, and Self-Esteem

with Minister Louis Farrakhan

Saturday, March 2 - 1 pm to 4 pm - Sponsored by Black Student Union of Grand Rapids Community College

Fountain Street Church

24 Fountain St NE, Grand Rapids, MI  49503

Farrakhan is being invited by Grand Rapids Community College’s Black Student Union, and will speak on the “Four Principles for African American Success: Vision, Fatherhood, Education and Self-esteem.”

Mary Kennedy, vice president of the student group, said Farrakhan’s speech last year – and its message of community responsibility – was powerful and worth hearing once again.

"With all the violence going on in our communities today we wanted to bring him back to inspire people to do more and stop the violence,” she said.

His speech is free and open to the public.

From Success to Significance: The 8 Keys to Achieving Any Goal or Dream

with Kris Mathis, Author, and Shannon Harris, Co-author

Wednesday, March 6 – 6:30 pm

Grand Rapids Public Library’s Ryerson Auditorium

111 Library NE, Grand Rapids, MI  49503

Book signing and benefit – this is a free event and open to the public.  Flyer attached.

A portion of the proceeds of the books purchased at this event will benefit youth leadership and employment programs of Our Community’s Children (OCC) and the Grand Rapids Public Schools’ Southeast Student Success Center.  January David, a student from the Southeast Student Success Center and David Nguyen, senior at Wyoming High and OCC’s LEAD program participant, will be the featured youth speakers at this event.  Books will be available for purchase for a discount price of $12.
 
Please feel free to contact Shannon L. Harris at sharris@grcity.us  for more information or visit their website at www.grchildren.us.  

Traces of the Trade Film

Friday, March 8 - 7 pm

Hope College, Fried-Hemenway Auditorium, Martha Miller Center, Columbia Ave at 10th St, Holland.

Film, the story of a New England family, their history with the slave trade, and their journey in present-day.  Discussion facilitated by Dr. Fred L. Johnson III, associate professor of history, Hope College.  Everyone is welcome.  www.harmonyalliance.org  or 616-396-2201.  More information.  This program is presented jointly by the Alliance for Cultural and Ethnic Harmony (ACEH) and the American Ethnic Studies Program at Hope College.

Quiet, The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking

with Susan Cain, Author, Lecturer

Wednesday, March 13 – 7:00 pm

Fountain Street Church

24 Fountain St NE, Grand Rapids, MI  49503

GRCC’s Diversity Lecture Series - Susan Cain is a former corporate lawyer and negotiations consultant—and a self-described introvert. Her book has sparked a genuine national conversation about introverts. Although our culture undervalues them dramatically, introverts have made some of the great contributions to society—from Chopin's nocturnes to the invention of the personal computer to Gandhi's transformative leadership. Based on intensive research in psychology and neurobiology, Cain argues that we design our schools, workplaces, and religious institutions for extroverts, and that this bias creates a waste of talent, energy, and happiness.

Free and open to the public, fee for on-campus parking.

Diversity Visionary Award Celebration honoring Faye Richardson-Green

Ticket sales end March 17, 2013 - Cost - $60 per person, $750 corporate table of 10

Event date:  Wednesday, March 20 – 5:30 – 8:00 pm

Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park,

1000 E. Beltline NE, Grand Rapids, MI  49525

The Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce is proud to present The Diversity Visionary Award to Faye Richardson-Green. 

A long-time ally and change agent in pursuit of equity, Faye is Steelcase Inc. Director of Global Learning & Development and co-founder and board chair for Partners for a Racism-Free Community.  Her tireless commitment to issues of diversity-inclusion and racial justice spans over 25 years of broad community leadership experience.  She has been instrumental in a wide range of programs, events, and strategies – influencing the direction of numerous organizations and culture that is equitable, diverse and inclusive to all.

The event will also feature a keynote from Dr. Chris Benner, professor at University of California, Davis and co-author of Just Growth: Inclusion and Prosperity in America’s Metropolitan Regions.

Click here for more information and to register

2013 Cesar E. Chavez Social Justice March and Community Gathering

Event Date: Thursday March, 21, 2013

Social Justice March: 11:00 a.m. Cook Library Center (1100 Grandville Avenue SW)

Community Gathering 12:00 p.m. Gospel Temple Baptist Church (460 Franklin SW)

Event contact: Lupe Ramos-Montigny (616-942-5241) LRMontigny@yahoo.com

All are invited!