African American and African Studies Program and the MENA Hope Project to Receive Fulfilling the Dream Awards
The Fulfilling the Dream Awards are presented to individuals or groups who have contributed to the UNL community or the wider Lincoln community by their exemplary action in promoting the goals and vision of Rev. King.
The African American and African Studies Program has provided a voice for diversity issues on campus and the community for 40 years, creating a network of faculty members across the university that ensures that cultural perspectives are recognized in a variety of disciplines through research, teaching and outreach activities. In recent years, it has been one of the most active units on campus and showcased its accomplishments in its four decades during a weeklong celebration last fall with the theme "Reflecting the Past . . . Minding the Future."
Al-baaj and her husband, Mohammed, were among the first Iraqi refugees to settle in Lincoln in 1994, and Zainab has come to be described as "a one-woman welcoming committee for Iraqis and for other Mideast immigrants." She serves as director of the MENA Hope Project, which provides assistance for persons from the Middle East and North Africa, advising new arrivals on how to find food and clothes, learn English, obtain family and health services, fill out immigration papers, apply for jobs and mortgages and navigate the many complexities of American culture and society.
MLK Week Event Calendar 2012
→ Download MLK event flyer
Friday, January 13, 2012
7:30 a.m. | MLK Freedom Breakfast | Embassy Suites Hotel
Keynote Speaker: Mr. Larry Williams, Executive Director, Clyde Malone Community Center
Tickets: $20 per person
Contact: Jody Wood, 472-0085
Monday, January 16, 2012 - Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
2 p.m. | Chancellor's Program | Nebraska Union Auditorium, UNL City Campus
Keynote Speaker: Dr. Mary Pipher, therapist, writer, speaker.
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
7 p.m. | Film Screening and Discussion | Nebraska Union Auditorium, UNL City Campus
Soundtrack for a Revolution
"Including performances by John Legend, Joss Stone, Wyclef Jean and The Roots
Soundtrack for a Revolution tells the story of the American civil rights movement through its
powerful music - the freedom songs protesters sang on picket lines, in mass meetings, in
paddy wagons, and in jail cells as they fought for justice and equality."
Moderator: Dr. Patrick Jones, History/Ethnic Studies
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
7 p.m. | International Human Rights Lecture | Jackie Gaughan Multicultural Center, UNL City Campus
Martin Luther King, Jr. and the Global Struggle Against Racial Discrimination
Speaker: Professor Brian Lepard, College of Law
Thursday, January 19, 2012
2 - 6 p.m. | Service Learning Project | Jackie Gaughan Multicultural Center, UNL City Campus
Participants will volunteer at various sites around the community in honor of Dr. King's vision
for community outreach. Registration begins at 2:00 pm in the Gaughan Center.
Contact: Joe Ruiz - unlmlkcommittee@gmail.com
7 p.m. | Open Mic MLK Tribute Night | Jackie Gaughan Multicultural Center, UNL City Campus
Showcase your creativity through poetry, dance, spoken word, song, etc. while addressing issues surrounding the work and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., including peace, equality and social justice. Prizes will be awarded. Like us on Facebook to find out more.
Friday, January 20, 2012
7 p.m. | Afrikan People's Union MLK Banquet | Nebraska Union Ballroom, UNL City Campus
Looking Back to Go Forward
Keynote Speaker: Douglas County Treasurer John Ewing
Tickets: $10 per person/$70 per table
Contact: Rhaniece Choice - niece24choice@yahoo.com
