Focus Session (1) (2)

 

A number of Focus Sessions will be presented during the afternoon of Jan. 21.

Focus Session I   1:15-2:15

One Step Forward or Two Steps Back?  (Repeated in Session II)

Presenters: Sandra Morales and Sanja Jasnic, LIVE

Mueller Hall: 10

Brief Description: In this forum we will be looking at the history of black people on television focusing on the representation of race.  From shows like "The Cosby Show" to the establishment of BET we will ask:  have we taken one step forward or two steps back?

 

The Golden Rule in MLK’s Life (Two Hour Session, 1:15-3:30 PM)

Presenters: Carolyn Williams and Sironaj Hindawi

Mueller Hall: 14

Brief Description: The Golden Rule, the teaching that we should treat others as we ourselves wish to be treated, is a fundamental ethical principal found in the world’s great religious systems.  It is the keystone for social justice.  Martin Luther King, Jr.’s speech “I Have a Dream” is one of the most powerful articulations of social justice and applications of the Golden Rule.  In this session, we will examine stereotypes of different cultures.  In this context, we will also discuss Dr. King’s vision of how we should treat each other and consider the hurt and the pain that might cause alienation and disunity.

 

Book Discussion of Praying for Sheetrock by Melissa Fay Greene (Two Hour Session, 1:15-3:30 PM)

Presenters: Gloria Ruff and Kristin Nygaard, Food for Thought Book Group

Mueller Hall Commons

Brief Description: Well into the 1970s McIntosh County in remote coastal Georgia remained a place untouched by the Civil Rights movement.  Written by a journalist/Georgia Legal Services member, this compelling book tells the story of large and important things happening in a very little place.  Members of a local book group will lead the discussion. A limited number of free copies of the book are available to the campus and community by the generosity of the Project on Civic Reflection.

 

Understanding the Acceptance of Violence and White Supremacy and Their Impact on People of Color in Contemporary American Culture (Two Hour Session, 1:15-3:30 PM)

Presenter: Dr. Gregory A. Jones, United Church of Christ

Mueller Hall Refectory

Brief Description: This session seeks to identify and promote remedy to our historical collective participation in a culture of violence that promotes white supremacy methodology and ideology.  Society’s complicity to the use of violence as a redemptive model in problem solving will be investigated, along with the religious perspective of nonviolence of Dr. King as the only model of peace making possible in the global community.  Emphasis will be given to the understanding of the evolution of hate groups in society parallel to our historical use and application of violence and White supremacy ideology on various domestic cultural communities that include African Americans, Native Americans, Asian Americans, Pacific Islanders, and the environment. The remedy portion of this workshop will include the brief identification of these kinds of pathological behaviors supported in the foundational institutions of this culture and how we can impact these institutions to change their perspective.

 

Celebrating Valpo and Living our Heritage: The Need for a New Mascot (Repeated in Session II)

Presenters: John Linstrom, Students against the Crusader Mascot

Mueller Hall: 2

Brief Description: This session will focus reflection on the longstanding question of Valparaiso University's mascot, the Crusader, in the light of Muslim-Christian and American-Muslim relations in the wake of 911. Some historical and conceptual background will be presented in power point remarks by Professor David Morgan, Christ College, on the issue of "The Power of Mascots and the Problem of Changing Them." Prof. Morgan will consider what mascots are, why they are used and why their appeal resists changes to them. Open discussion will follow the presentation.

 

Breaking the Silence: Continuing King's Call for Human Dignity

Presenters: Jenna Kennedy and Holly Nelson, Partners for Peace

Mueller Hall: 4

Brief Description: This session will discuss the issue of human dignity for all as it relates to Dr. King’s message, the peace movement, and the Iraq War.  A dramatic reading of parts of some of King’s speeches will be performed as well as readings from participants in the Iraq War today.

 

Many People, One Love (Repeated in Session II)

Presenters: Delia Villalobos and Victoria Patino, Delta Xi Phi Multicultural Sorority Inc.

Mueller Hall: 12

Brief Description: Delta Xi Phi will tackle topics dealing with diversity.  DXP will use controversial video clips to stir discussion.  Questions such as "What is diversity?" and "Are you diverse?" will arise.  Be prepared to approach the "D" word through MLK's eyes as we remember his message and discover how we can each live in a diverse world.

 

That’s Life (Repeated in Session II)

Presenters: Kevin Wagner and James Wickboldt, Habitat for Humanity

Mueller Hall: 20

Brief Description: For this session, participants will begin a game of monopoly. The game is fixed and divided by class according to the token chosen at random by the player. The banker leads the game and directs participants around the game with a set of rules unknown to the participants.  The participants and the banker start a discussion about how class and race affect community.  By discussing how prejudices and stereotypes still affect all types of people in today’s housing market, we will continue Dr. King’s message.

 

The Lunch Date (Two Hour Session, 1:15-3:30 PM)

Presenter: Kevin Hoffman, Christ College

Mueller Hall: 40

Brief Description: The Lunch Date is a short, dense film that unfolds an encounter between a white woman and a black man. Prof. Kevin Hoffman will lead a discussion about the challenges it poses to our perceptions and assumptions.  Ending with a re-viewing of the film, this session guides participants to think about the need for Dr. King’s message today through an examination of current day assumptions. 

 

MLK's Memphis: Where Black Freedom & Labor Rights Stood United (Repeated in Session II)

Presenter: Dr. Ruth Needleman

Mueller Hall: 33

Brief Description: Martin Luther King went to Memphis in 1968 to battle alongside 1,000 sanitation workers who had struck the city, proclaiming "I Am a Man." In this campaign, MLK raised his final vision of the "promised land" where workers' rights, human rights, civil rights and an end to the Vietnam War merged into one struggle. It was the power of this vision and the emerging coalition that led to his assassination. This session will discuss the strike, the vision and its relevance today. A documentary film, “At the River I Stand,” recounts the dramatic events in Memphis.

 

More Than A Dream: The Principles of a Strategic Plan (Two Hour Session, 1:15-3:30 PM)

Presenter: Rev. Dr. Carruthers

Union Squire Room

Brief Description: "A nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military defense than on programs of social uplift is approaching its spiritual death." (Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.)  The prophetic ministry and legacy of Dr. King will be explored as guiding principles of a necessary paradigm shift to understand the goals of the Beloved Community as well as address the 21st century challenges to which his voice is still profoundly relevant. Participants will engage in hands-on exercises towards the development of strategic action plans for social justice.

 

Passage on the Underground Railroad

Presenter:  Prof. Stephen Marc (Repeated in Session II)

VUCA 1412

Brief Description: Stephen Marc will address methods and concepts related to his body of work.  Stephen Marc, photographer and art professor at Arizona State University’s Herberger College of Fine Arts, is recognized for his unique and powerful photographic montages that explore the African Diaspora.  Marc’s current project, Passage on the Underground Railroad, explores North America’s Underground Railroad, which moved escaped slaves to freedom. Stephen Marc’s photographic work will be on display in the Chapel of the Resurrection of Valparaiso University’s campus from January 10 through February 24.

 

Immigration: Step into the Experience

Presenter: Tezra Jennings, SALT students

Mueller Hall: 3

Brief Description: This focus session will concentrate on allowing the participants to get a hands-on feeling for the immigration experience. Specifically, it will focus on migrating to the country.  The first portion of the session is active experience while the second portion is reflection and discussion about those experiences.  This discussion will include components of relating immigration issues to issues of race and ethnicity discrimination, highlighting the idea of opening our arms to anyone, regardless of skin color.

 

Bridging Cultures: Ministry within Diversity (Repeated in Session II)

Presenters: Claire Rueffer, Kat Peters and Amanda Spangler, Deaconess Students

Mueller Hall: 11

Brief Description: This session includes conversations with three deaconess students who worked within diversity settings: Hispanic and Swedish outreach in Joliet, IL; after-school care in Germany; and organizing the Hispanic community in Valparaiso. We will discuss our experiences living Dr. King’s message through ministry within diversity. 

 

Holy Land: Common Ground (Two Hour Session, 1:15-3:30 PM)
Presenter: Ed Gaffney, VU Law School
Christopher Center 205
Brief Description: Carrying Martin Luther King's call for social justice into the 21st century, this session will view a recent documentary about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.  No matter where you live or who you are, home is the most important place in the world. Three stories of Israelis and Palestinians show us the importance of family life in both societies, the terrible impact on families when their homes are lost or destroyed, and the deep yearning of both communities for a safe, secure homeland they can call their own.

 

Focus Session II 2:30-3:30

“The Office” Diversity Day: A Closer Look

Presenters: Kendre Israel and Rachel Kirkwood, Student Social Work Organization

Mueller Hall: 4

Brief Description: This session will include a viewing of a clip from an episode of the hit TV show “The Office” followed by a discussion of the implications for current and future workplace interactions.  We will also engage in a short group activity to highlight the experiences that people face in their everyday lives in the workplace.  We will celebrate Dr. King by carrying out his message of respect by valuing every diverse individual.

 

One Step Forward or Two Steps Back?  (Repeated in Session II)

Presenters: Sandra Morales and Sanja Jasnic, LIVE

Mueller Hall: 10

Brief Description: In this forum we will be looking at the history of black people on television focusing on the representation of race.  From shows like "The Cosby Show" to the establishment of BET we will ask:  have we taken one step forward or two steps back?

 

The Golden Rule in MLK’s Life (Two Hour Session, 1:15-3:30 PM)

Presenters: Carolyn Williams and Sironaj Hindawi

Mueller Hall: 14

Brief Description: The Golden Rule, the teaching that we should treat others as we ourselves wish to be treated, is a fundamental ethical principal found in the world’s great religious systems.  It is the keystone for social justice.  Martin Luther King, Jr.’s speech “I Have a Dream” is one of the most powerful articulations of social justice and applications of the Golden Rule.  In this session, we will examine stereotypes of different cultures.  In this context, we will also discuss Dr. King’s vision of how we should treat each other and consider the hurt and the pain that might cause alienation and disunity.

 

Book Discussion of Praying for Sheetrock by Melissa Fay Greene (Two Hour Session, 1:15-3:30 PM)

Presenters: Gloria Ruff and Kristin Nygaard, Food for Thought Book Group

Mueller Hall Commons

Brief Description: Well into the 1970s McIntosh County in remote coastal Georgia remained a place untouched by the Civil Rights movement.  Written by a journalist/Georgia Legal Services member, this compelling book tells the story of large and important things happening in a very little place.  Members of a local book group will lead the discussion. A limited number of free copies of the book are available to the campus and community by the generosity of the Project on Civic Reflection.

 

Understanding the Acceptance of Violence and White Supremacy and Their Impact on People of Color in Contemporary American Culture (Two Hour Session, 1:15-3:30 PM)

Presenter: Dr. Gregory A. Jones, United Church of Christ

Mueller Hall Refectory

Brief Description: This session seeks to identify and promote remedy to our historical collective participation in a culture of violence that promotes white supremacy methodology and ideology.  Society’s complicity to the use of violence as a redemptive model in problem solving will be investigated, along with the religious perspective of nonviolence of Dr. King as the only model of peace making possible in the global community.  Emphasis will be given to the understanding of the evolution of hate groups in society parallel to our historical use and application of violence and White supremacy ideology on various domestic cultural communities that include African Americans, Native Americans, Asian Americans, Pacific Islanders, and the environment. The remedy portion of this workshop will include the brief identification of these kinds of pathological behaviors supported in the foundational institutions of this culture and how we can impact these institutions to change their perspective.

 

Celebrating Valpo and Living our Heritage: The Need for a New Mascot (Repeated in Session II)

Presenters: John Linstrom, Students against the Crusader Mascot

Mueller Hall: 2

Brief Description: This session will focus reflection on the longstanding question of Valparaiso University's mascot, the Crusader, in the light of Muslim-Christian and American-Muslim relations in the wake of 911. Some historical and conceptual background will be presented in power point remarks by Professor David Morgan, Christ College, on the issue of "The Power of Mascots and the Problem of Changing Them." Prof. Morgan will consider what mascots are, why they are used and why their appeal resists changes to them. Open discussion will follow the presentation.

 

Many People, One Love (Repeated in Session II)

Presenters: Delia Villalobos and Victoria Patino, Delta Xi Phi Multicultural Sorority Inc.

Mueller Hall: 12

Brief Description: Delta Xi Phi will tackle topics dealing with diversity.  DXP will use controversial video clips to stir discussion.  Questions such as "What is diversity?" and "Are you diverse?" will arise.  Be prepared to approach the "D" word through MLK's eyes as we remember his message and discover how we can each live in a diverse world.

 

That’s Life (Repeated in Session II)

Presenters: Kevin Wagner and James Wickboldt, Habitat for Humanity

Mueller Hall: 20

Brief Description: For this session, participants will begin a game of monopoly. The game is fixed and divided by class according to the token chosen at random by the player. The banker leads the game and directs participants around the game with a set of rules unknown to the participants.  The participants and the banker start a discussion about how class and race affect community.  By discussing how prejudices and stereotypes still affect all types of people in today’s housing market, we will continue Dr. King’s message.

 

The Lunch Date (Two Hour Session, 1:15-3:30 PM)

Presenter: Kevin Hoffman, Christ College

Mueller Hall: 40

Brief Description: The Lunch Date is a short, dense film that unfolds an encounter between a white woman and a black man. Prof. Kevin Hoffman will lead a discussion about the challenges it poses to our perceptions and assumptions.  Ending with a re-viewing of the film, this session guides participants to think about the need for Dr. King’s message today through an examination of current day assumptions. 

 

MLK's Memphis: Where Black Freedom & Labor Rights Stood United (Repeated in Session II)

Presenter: Dr. Ruth Needleman

Mueller Hall: 33

Brief Description: Martin Luther King went to Memphis in 1968 to battle alongside 1,000 sanitation workers who had struck the city, proclaiming "I Am a Man." In this campaign, MLK raised his final vision of the "promised land" where workers' rights, human rights, civil rights and an end to the Vietnam War merged into one struggle. It was the power of this vision and the emerging coalition that led to his assassination. This session will discuss the strike, the vision and its relevance today. A documentary film, “At the River I Stand,” recounts the dramatic events in Memphis.

 

More Than A Dream: The Principles of a Strategic Plan (Two Hour Session, 1:15-3:30 PM)

Presenter: Rev. Dr. Carruthers

Union Squire Room

Brief Description: "A nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military defense than on programs of social uplift is approaching its spiritual death." (Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.)  The prophetic ministry and legacy of Dr. King will be explored as guiding principles of a necessary paradigm shift to understand the goals of the Beloved Community as well as address the 21st century challenges to which his voice is still profoundly relevant. Participants will engage in hands-on exercises towards the development of strategic action plans for social justice.

 

Passage on the Underground Railroad

Presenter:  Prof. Stephen Marc (Repeated in Session II)

VUCA 1412

Brief Description: Stephen Marc will address methods and concepts related to his body of work.  Stephen Marc, photographer and art professor at Arizona State University’s Herberger College of Fine Arts, is recognized for his unique and powerful photographic montages that explore the African Diaspora.  Marc’s current project, Passage on the Underground Railroad, explores North America’s Underground Railroad, which moved escaped slaves to freedom. Stephen Marc’s photographic work will be on display in the Chapel of the Resurrection of Valparaiso University’s campus from January 10 through February 24.

 

Bridging Cultures: Ministry within Diversity (Repeated in Session II)

Presenters: Claire Rueffer, Kat Peters and Amanda Spangler, Deaconess Students

Mueller Hall: 11

Brief Description: This session includes conversations with three deaconess students who worked within diversity settings: Hispanic and Swedish outreach in Joliet, IL; after-school care in Germany; and organizing the Hispanic community in Valparaiso. We will discuss our experiences living Dr. King’s message through ministry within diversity. 

 

Holy Land: Common Ground (Two Hour Session, 1:15-3:30 PM)
Presenter: Ed Gaffney, VU Law School
Christopher Center 205
Brief Description: Carrying Martin Luther King's call for social justice into the 21st century, this session will view a recent documentary about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.  No matter where you live or who you are, home is the most important place in the world. Three stories of Israelis and Palestinians show us the importance of family life in both societies, the terrible impact on families when their homes are lost or destroyed, and the deep yearning of both communities for a safe, secure homeland they can call their own.