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Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. legacy honored by Lewis University with Diversity Week

Lewis University is hosting its Diversity Week from Jan. 24-28 to honor and acknowledge the gifts and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Ten events will take place throughout the week, all of which are free of charge and open to the public. Unless otherwise noted, the events will be held in the D'Arcy Great Room located on the University's main campus in Romeoville.

Dr. Pramod Mishra, assistant professor of English at Lewis University, will examine the issues surrounding diversity and justice around the various Asian cultures and in the United States at noon on Jan. 24 during his "Diversity and Justice Issues in Asia and Asian Americans" lecture.

At 12:30 p.m. on Jan. 25, Dr. Elizabeth Hoppe, Lewis University associate professor of philosophy, will deliver a presentation entitled "Gay Marriage: What are the Challenges and Questions?" that explores the main challenges towards gay marriage from both church and state perspectives. Also at 12:30 p.m. on Jan. 25, the film "Los Braceros: Strong Arms to Aid the U.S.A." will be shown in Mother Theresa Hall.

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On Jan. 26, part one of the film "Little Town of Bethlehem" will be shown at 11 a.m. followed by Ada Deer's 3 p.m. lecture in the Sancta Alberta Chapel. Deer, a social worker and activist who became the first Native American to lobby Congress successfully to restore tribal rights, will discuss the injustices of Native Americans and the prison industrial complex during "A Forgotten Injustice." At 7 p.m. on Jan. 26 in the Sancta Alberta Chapel, "Speak Truth to Power: Voices from Beyond the Dark" will be performed. Ariel Dorfman's play is a powerful and moving testimony of the will of the human spirit to rise up against injustice that chronicles the true-story accounts of heroic people withstanding horrific human rights abuses across the globe.

At 9:30 a.m. on Jan. 27 in Room 231 of De La Salle Hall, a presentation entitled "The Story of Rosa Parks" will be delivered. Lessons from Rosa Parks will be explored and lesson plans on the spirit of justice will be shared followed by a 12:30 p.m. film in Room JP 012 called "Chicago's Puerto Rican Story." At 3:30 p.m. in the Sancta Alberta Chapel, "Diversity Within the Latino and Latin American Cultures" will compare and contrast the similarities and differences with the general Latinos in America.

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On the final day of Diversity Week, Jan. 28, the second part of "Little Town of Bethlehem" will be shown at 11 a.m. The documentary film that follows the story of three men of three different faiths and their choices of non-violent action amidst a culture of overwhelming violence in Israel and Palestine will conclude Diversity Week.

Working toward positive social change, Dr. King believed that we would not survive as a people unless we recognized and acted from a global vision that embraced all of humanity. Diversity Week strives to incorporate the institutional values of Lewis University as they relate to Dr. King.

For additional information on Diversity Week events, please contact Lewis University's Director of Multicultural Student Services, Carlos Serrato at (815) 836-5538. 

Lewis University is a Catholic university offering distinctive undergraduate and graduate programs to more than 6,000 traditional and adult students. Lewis offers multiple campus locations, online degree programs, and a variety of formats that provide accessibility and convenience to a growing student population. Sponsored by the De La Salle Christian Brothers, Lewis prepares ethically grounded, globally aware, and socially responsible graduates. The ninth largest private not-for-profit university in Illinois, Lewis has been nationally recognized by The Princeton Review and U.S. News & World Report. Visit www.lewisu.edu <http://www.lewisu.edu> for further information.



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