Ninth Annual MLK Diversity Breakfast set for January 14

The Ninth Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Diversity Breakfast will take place 7:30 a.m. on Friday, January 14, at Gene Davis and Sons (3575 Francis Street). "Join us for an enlightening community event to celebrate, honor and reflect on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr's dream and to motivate youth for service and excellence," a spokesperson said. The event is coordinated by the Jackson County Chamber of Commerce and the City of Jackson Human Relations Commission. The keynote presenter is Lisbeth Gant-Britton, Ph.D.., author and student affairs officer of the UCLA Afro-American Studies Interdepartmental Program. Dr. Lisbeth Gant-Britton is the author of "Holt African-American History, "which came out in its second edition in 2007. In its first incarnation, as African American History, Heroes in Hardship, it won the Los Angeles Mayor's Special Commendation for racial understanding through education. Dr. Gant-Britton is formerly the Marlene Crandell Francis Professor of the Humanities in the English Department at Kalamazoo College in Kalamazoo. She is currently an administrator at UCLA in African American Studies. She has also taught courses at UCLA and at the USC Film School in Los Angeles, and teaches in community colleges in Los Angeles. She was the 2003 Modern Language Association (MLA) Science Fiction and Fantasy Discussion Group Chair. "An Americanist who loves to help all young people focus on the different roles many races and ethnicities have played in shaping our complex land, Dr. Gant-Britton reminds us that people of African descent operate not just as a rare voice of color shouting from the margins of American history and culture, but as active contributors to the United States from the moment it began. "As she loves to remind us, 'African American history helps all of us appreciate our unique contributions to this country.' "She hopes everyone will embrace the wonderful garden of diversity that is the USA. "All of the flowers in a garden are important! Leave one out and the garden is incomplete." Challenge Day teaches 7th grade students about self confidence and how to deal with bullying. Bullying, teasing, isolation are commonplace in our schools and their effects are devastating: low self esteem, poor grades, truancy, depression, substance abuse, and violence. The MLK Diversity committee designed the "Middle School Challenge" to empower students to help create a culture of kindness in their schools. The program draws on the one-day experiential workshop Challenge Day but goes further. Designed to engage student participants in activities both before and after the Challenge Day experience, the program promotes collaboration of educators, students, parents, and community agencies in a focused effort to improve the social climate of area schools. To learn more visit www.ChallengeDay.org. The proceeds from this breakfast will help fund the 2011 Challenge Day program. Our plan is to host 5 days in November 2011. The cost to send one student to Challenge Day is around $50. Tickets are $20 per person (includes breakfast). Sponsorships are still available. Published: Mon, Dec 27, 2010

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