Justice Week for All

GAMBIER, Ohio (April 6, 2009) Social Justice Week, with events organized by students, is a time to reflect on global challenges and find ways to meet them.

Documentary films, a poetry reading, a solidarity walk, and student forums are all part of the week's events that emphasize the individual's role in making positive changes.

"It has been so encouraging to see the personal initiative and enthusiasm from the student body surrounding this event," said student organizer Megan Connolly '09 of Houston, Texas. "The variety of events and activities has allowed many different people to get involved."

Events include:

• A screening of the documentary film on human trafficking, "Dreams Die Hard," at 7:00 p.m. today in Higley Auditorium. The film was directed by Peggy Callahan.
• A forum and discussion on "Social Justice in War and Conflict" at noon on Tuesday at Peirce Pub. The panel includes Allison Burket '09 of Potomac, Maryland; Clayton Goodgame '10 of Westport, Connecticut; and Josh Kumpf '10 of Canton, Ohio. The event will be catered by AVI Foodsystems.
• A screening of "Talkin' Water," a documentary that follows four teen-age girls coping with post-Katrina New Orleans, at 7:00 p.m. Tuesday. The film was directed by Shannon Sonnenstein.
• A forum and discussion on "Social Justice for Women and Children," at noon on Wednesday at the Peirce Pub. The panel includes Connolly; Samantha Hoeffler '09 of Lexington, Ohio; and Nicole La Fetra '09 of Sunnyvale, California. The event will be catered by AVI.
• A screening of "The Take," a documentary on the recuperated factory movement in Buenos Aires, Argentina, at 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday in Higley Auditorium. The film was directed by Avi Lewis.
• Forum and discussion on "Creating Social Justice" at noon on Thursday at the Peirce Pub. The panel includes Liz Gottmer '10 of Cincinnati, Ohio; Ned Littlefield '10 of Darien, Connecticut; and Meghan McClincy '09 of Greensburg, Pennsylvania. The event will be catered by AVI.
• The Social Justice Poetry Reading, at 4:00 p.m. on Thursday, at Peirce Pub, with dessert served by AVI.
• A screening of "Unnatural Causes: In Sickness and in Wealth," at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday in Olin Auditorium. This is the first episode of a documentary series shown on the Public Broadcasting Service examining how social conditions affect health care.
• The Solidarity Walk begins in front of Old Kenyon at 4:15 p.m. on Friday.