The Office of Residence Life within the Division of Student Affairs is hosting a week of programs, called “Dream Week,” to follow the 29th annual Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration and Dinner at the Carrier Dome on Jan. 19. This year’s theme is “Step Up. Speak Up. SU Dreams.” Events will take place on the University campus through Jan. 25.
All Dream Week events are free and open to members of the Syracuse University campus and surrounding communities. For more information on these events, contact Catherine Kellman, assistant director in the Office of Residence Life, at 315-443-3637 or ckellman@syr.edu.
Dream Week events include:
Tuesday, Jan. 21
“Capturing the Dream Within” Art Display and Reception
11 a.m.-2 p.m., Panasci Lounge, Schine Student Center
An art display will feature the work of students from the Syracuse city elementary schools Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Edward Smith. Their pieces will be related to the life, legacy and dream of Dr. King. The students will receive a free copy of “March On! The Day My Brother Martin Changed the World” by Christine King-Ferris. A reception will follow. The art will be on display until Jan. 31.
Wednesday, Jan. 22
Dream Week Keynote Speaker
Michael Skolnik
7 p.m., Watson Theater
Skolnik is a 21st-century civil rights leader. As the political director to hip-hop pioneer Russell Simmons and president of GlobalGrind.com, an online destination founded by Simmons with more than 4.5 million viewers per month, Skolnik is a leading voice for young America. A trailblazer of social media with 120,000 followers on Twitter, Skolnik has led national conversations about the death of Trayvon Martin and the subsequent trial of George Zimmerman, the Boston Marathon bombings, the rise of violence in Chicago, America’s relationship with race and the Obama presidency, among many other topics. Skolnik regularly discusses the aforementioned topics, current events and how they affect his generation on such media outlets as CNN, MSNBC, Fox News, NPR and HLN. Skolnik serves on the board of directors for the Trayvon Martin Foundation and the Drug Policy Alliance. His message will center around using your voice to create change. He is a graduate of UCLA.
Thursday, Jan. 23
“Brother Outsider” Film Viewing and Discussion
7 p.m., Maxwell Auditorium
“Brother Outsider” offers an incisive portrait of political activist Bayard Rustin. Although his name lacks the familiarity of other major Civil Rights leaders, the film shows that he nonetheless played a central role in the movement’s seminal events during the 1950s and ’60s. He traveled to Montgomery in 1956 during the bus boycotts, where he advised Martin Luther King on non-violence, and served as the central organizer for the March on Washington in 1963. Rustin’s political liabilities, however, often kept him out of the spotlight. He was a conscientious objector during World War II and, for a short time, belonged to the Communist Party. More problematic, however, was Rustin’s homosexuality. His political enemies used his sexual orientation to neutralize him, while his political allies often shunned him because of it. There will be a discussion after on the film. Light refreshments to be served.
Friday, Jan. 24
Dream Week Performance Showcase
7:30 p.m., Goldstein Auditorium
The Performance Showcase is the culminating event to close Dream Week activities on campus and will display the talents of various individuals, SU clubs and organizations. The performance showcase is a cultural exchange that gives performers the opportunity to express the dream through creativity. The showcase will conclude with a Greek Stroll Competition. Free tickets are available at the Schine Box Office.
Saturday, Jan. 25
Cultural Trip to New York City
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture and Sylvia’s Restaurant in Harlem
The Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture located in Harlem, is a research unit of the New York Public Library system. It is recognized as one of the leading institutions focusing exclusively on African-American, African Diaspora and African experiences. The Schomburg Center has collected, preserved and provided access to materials documenting black life in America and worldwide for more than 85 years.
Sylvia Woods, the “Queen of Soulfood,” is the founder and owner of the world-famous Sylvia’s Restaurant, located in the historical village of Harlem, since 1962. Register online at http://orl.syr.edu/_documents/dream_week_NYC_app14.doc.
For more information regarding Dream Week, visit the Office of Residence Life website at http://orl.syr.edu/spotlight-and-news-pages/dream-week.html.
