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The University of New Mexico

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Contact: Carolyn Gonzales 277-5920
cgonzal@unm.edu

Civil Rights Symposium Slated for UNM

The University of New Mexico features keynote addresses by national civil rights activists and experts as well as roundtables and interdisciplinary scholars during “UNM Civil Rights Symposium—40 Years of Community Activism, 1967-2007: Civil Rights Reform Then and Now,” Thursday and Friday, Sept. 27-28 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The events are at the UNM Student Union Building, unless specified otherwise.

“The symposium is designed to promote dialogue among faculty, students, UNM staff and the public about past and present civil rights issues,” said Michelle Hall Kells, assistant professor of English and symposium organizer.

Panelists will address issues relative to communities, histories, and current social conditions and address how civic activism changed over the past forty years, what inequities endure within the U.S. social system, as well as where and how current leaders can effect positive change.

Thursday features several panels including one on community health and human rights featuring Brenda Claiborne, dean, UNM College of Arts and Sciences and Arthur Kaufman, UNM School of Medicine. The international perspectives on human and civil rights panel includes law faculty Jennifer Moore and UNM anthropologist Carole Nagengast.

A panel on community engagement is also featured Thursday, as is a panel on language rights and New Mexico diversity issues, a panel on college support programs and another on environmental justice and human rights. Two separate panels address native identities and tribal concerns.

On Friday at 9 a.m. in SUB Ballroom B, a keynote address “Literacy and Civic Engagement,” features Jacqueline Jones Royster. Women’s and African American issues panels will follow.

A noontime keynote features Kehaulani Kauanui presenting, “Native Sovereignty, Civil Rights, and Questions of Social Justice,” also in SUB Ballroom B, followed at 1 p.m., with Vicente Ximenes presenting, “LBJ’s ‘Great Society’ and Civil Rights Reform.”

At 1:30 p.m., a filmed tribute by Henry Cisneros to Ximenes and WWII civil rights reformers will be presented. UNM President David Schmidly will make remarks as will Albuquerque Mayor Martin Chávez. John Garcia, secretary of the New Mexico Department of Veterans Services will present a tribute to New Mexico veterans.

At 2:30 p.m., Hector Galán will present the Presidential Inaugural Lecture, ¡Chicano! Documenting the Mexican American Civil Rights Movement.

From 7-9 p.m. at the National Hispanic Cultural Center, Galán’s films on capturing Latino World War II experiences will be shown.

The events are free and open to the public. Faculty, staff, students and community members are welcome to attend as many of the sessions as desired. Participation and luncheon are free of charge. No registration is required. Arrive early to ensure available seating and parking. For more information, visit the symposium Web site, civilrights.unm.edu, or contact Bernadine Hernandez, berna18@unm.edu, 277-6347.

The University of New Mexico is the state's largest university, serving more than 32,000 students. UNM is home to the state's only schools of law, medicine, pharmacy and architecture and operates New Mexico's only academic health center. UNM is noted for comprehensive undergraduate programs and research that benefits the state and the nation.

www.unm.edu