ACEH Events: February 2012

Sunday, February 26, 2012

In the Community February 27;, 2012

In the Community February 27, 2012

A Weekly Calendar of Diversity Events

from The Alliance for Cultural and Ethnic Harmony

"For as long as the power of America's diversity is diminished by acts of discrimination and violence against people just because they are black, Hispanic, Asian, Jewish, Muslim or gay, we still must overcome." …Ron Kind, U.S. Congressman from Wisconsin's 3^rd District; born 1963.

The Alliance for Cultural and Ethnic Harmony (ACEH) was founded in Holland in 1999 and is committed to justice, equal opportunity, cross-cultural understanding, and appreciation for diversity. Members and friends work together through programs, advocacy, social events, and publications and seek to make West Michigan a place where all people are welcomed and respected

"In the Community" is also on the ACEH website: www.harmonyalliance.org/Events

Please help support ACEH. Dues are $20 a year ($35/two years) for an individual; $30 a year ($50/two years) for a family; $40 for nonprofits; $75 for businesses. You can pay at the website www.harmonyalliance.org/Join with PayPal, or send a check to ACEH, c/o Treasurer Bin Lim, Box 3007, Holland 49422-3007, or sign up at any ACEH meeting or social event. THANKS! ¡GRACIAS!

Tues, Feb 28, noon: "The Freedom Riders & Our Struggle for Racial Justice," by Diane Nash, a founding student in the 1960s of the Sudent Non-violent Coordinating Committee and an organizer of student sit-ins and the Freedom Ride from Birmingham, AL to Jackson, MS. At Grand Valley State University Kirkhof Center, Pere Marquette Room, Allendale.

Tues, Feb 28, 6:30 pm: Black History Event, in collaboration with the Black Student Union. On Hope College campus, location to be announced.

Wed, Feb 29, noon: "Mexico: Crime, Drugs, and Governance," by Dr. Daniel Miller of Calvin College History Department, focusing on such questions as: How can Mexico address trans-border challenges of people, goods, crime, and contraband; What is the future of Mexico's relations with its northern and southern neighbors? How will Mexico's foreign relations affect its domestic policies? Part of Great Decisions Series, by World Affairs Council of Western Michigan, Herrick District Library, and Friends of Herrick Library. At Herrick District Library auditorium, 300 South River, Holland.

Wed, Feb 29, 4:30 pm to 6:30 pm: Soul Food Festival. $5. At Phelps and Cook Dining Halls, Hope College, 10^th Street, Holland.

Mon, Mar 5 – Fri, Mar 9: Asian Awareness Week at Hope College, in collaboration with Hope's Asian Perspective Association (HAPA). Dedicated to celebrating and promoting awareness of Asian and Asian-American history, experiences, issues, and perspectives.

Wed, Mar 7, 4:30 to 6:30 pm: Asian Food Festival. $5. At Phelps and Cook Dining Halls, Hope College, 10^th Street, Holland.

Fri, Mar 9, 7 pm: General meeting of the Alliance for Cultural and Ethnic Harmony (ACEH):

"Reflections on Global Education: A Student Perspective on Studying in the U.S. and Abroad," with a panel of three Hope College international student and three Hope students who have returned from study-abroad courses. Everyone is welcome. At Martha Miller Center, Hope College, Columbia and 10^th St, Holland.

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COMMUNITY OPPORTUNITY

Worthy Cause: Hope College senior and ACEH board member Yessenia Aguirre will be part of a mid-March immersion trip to Douglas, Arizona, crossing the border to Agua Prieta, Sonora, Mexico, with a Frontera de Cristo delegation. The group will learn about immigration and its complexities, as well as the community's work. To raise money for the trip, she is selling Café Justo coffee, from a grower-owned cooperative in southern Mexico formed to address poverty and migration from Mexico to the U.S. Café Justo is organic, environmentally conscious, regular or decaf, in beans or ground, $10 for a one-pound bag. Please contact Yessenia at (616) 335-1686 or yessenia.aguirre@hope.edu to purchase some.

JOBS and SCHOLARSHIPS

CASA (Children's After-School Achievement) at Hope College has openings for a summer teacher and summer teaching assistants. Go to www.hope.edu/casa (Application button) for job descriptions and application forms. The deadline to apply is March 15.

Perrigo Company is looking for a 3^rd Shift Packaging Supervisor at its Holland facilities. A full description of the job can be found at www.perrigo.jobs.

DeLano Farms, a program of the Kalamazoo Nature Center, seeks summer season apprentices, interns, and farm crew personnel. Stipend is paid. Contact Scott Fitzstephens, DeLano Farms manager at sfitzstephens@naturecenter.org Applications taken until positions are flled.

Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital in Grand Rapids is accepting applications for 2012-2013 scholarships for minority students enrolled or accepted in full-time accredited colleges to pursue a degree in nursing or rehabilitation (physical therapy, occupational therapy, or speech therapy) programs. The amount of the scholarships varies based on the needs of the student. Application forms are at www.maryfreebed.com and must be postmarked by March 31 to be considered.

Monday, February 20, 2012

In the Community February 20, 2012

"We will have to repent in this generation not merely for the hateful words and actions of the bad people but for the appalling silence of the good people." …Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

In the Community is also on the website: www.harmonyalliance.org/Events

TONIGHT: Mon, Feb 20, 6 pm: Community meeting to discuss the Holland-Lowell boys basketball game last week, its aftermath, and steps and strategies to address the racial issues involved. Organized by Pastor Wayne Coleman. At Imagine Fellowship, 167 West 20^th (20^th and Maple Ave), Holland.

TONIGHT: Mon, Feb 20, 6 pm: "End Game: Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iraq," by Dr. George Lopez, Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies, University of Notre Dame. Part of Great Decisions Foreign Policy Discussion Series. $15. At Aquinas College Performing Arts Center, 1607 Robinson Rd SE, Grand Rapids.

Tues, Feb 21, 9 am: "End Game: Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iraq." (Repeat of Mon, Feb 20, program; see above.) At Fifth Third Bank Building, Gillett Auditorium, 111 Lyon St NW #1, Grand Rapids.

Tues, Feb 21, 7 pm: Community Read Film and Presentation: "Up from the Bottoms: The search for the American Dream," with Muskegon author Jim Schaub. African American residents of Muskegon tell stories of migrating from the south to the north during the war years and beyond. Sponsored by Herrick District Library and Grand Valley State University. At Herrick District Library, 300 South River, Holland.

Wed, Feb 22, 7:30 pm: Annual A. J. Muste Lecture: "Another World Instead: Some Pacifist Poets and Poetics, from William Stafford to Occupy Wall Street," by award-winning poet Fred Marchant of Suffolk University. The lecture series began in 1985 to commemorate the life and work of A. J. Muste, a Hope College alumnus and an activist for peace and justice. At Winants Auditorium, Graves Hall, 263 College Ave between 10^th and 12^th Sts, Holland.

Fri, Feb 24, 6 pm doors open, program at 7 pm: Made-for-TV documentary, "Whatever Happened to Idlewild?" with its award-winning producer Coy Davis for Q and A following.

Program tells the story of Idlewild, Michigan (in Lake County, north of Grand Rapids), known as the "Black Eden" in the 40s, 50s, and 60s when other localities for entertainers were segregated. Davis has worked for WOOD-TV, WAGA-TV in Atlanta, WYMS-FM in Milwaukee, and for stations in Detroit and Chicago. Refreshments will be served. Tickets $8 to benefit the Center of African American Art and History. At CAAAH, 21 West 16^th (across from Family Dollar store), Holland.

Sat, Feb 25, 11 am: Program for kids: "Meet Harriet Tubman," by Michigan Humanities Council re-enactor Rosie Chapman. Part of Community Reading Project sponsored by Herrick District Library and GVSU. At Herrick District Library, 300 South River, Holland.

Sat, Feb 25, 6 pm to 8 pm: International Food Fair, sponsored by International Education at Hope College. Foods prepared by Hope students from many countries. Tickets sold at the door. At Maas Auditorium, Columbia Ave at 11^th St, Holland.

Tues, Feb 28, 6:30 pm: Black History Event, in collaboration with the Black Student Union. On Hope College campus, location to be announced.

Wed, Feb 29, 4:30 pm to 6:30 pm: Soul Food Festival. $5. At Phelps and Cook Dining Halls, Hope College, 10^th Street, Holland.

Monday, February 13, 2012

In the Community February 13, 2012

Happy Valentine's Day

"What the world really needs is more love and less paper work." … Entertainer, singer, and actress Pearl Bailey (d. 1990). She played the title role in the all-black Broadway production of "Hello, Dolly," wrote several books, and earned her bachelor's degree in theology from Georgetown University at age 67.

"In the Community" is also on the website: www.harmonyalliance.org/Events. The Alliance for Cultural and Ethnic Harmony (ACEH) was founded in 1999 and is committed to justice, equal opportunity, cross-cultural understanding, and appreciation for diversity. We work together through programs, publications, social events, and advocacy to make West Michigan a place where all are welcomed and respected.

TODAY, Mon, Feb 13, 5 pm: Deadline to register for Holland First. See Community Opportunities, below.

TONIGHT, Mon, Feb 13, 9 pm: Documentary: "Slavery by Another Name," based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning book by Douglas Blackmon, explores the "neo-slavery" that lasted until World War II. The Thirteenth Amendment states that slavery was abolished, except as a punishment for a crime—but in the years after the Civil War laws were passed to criminalize everyday African American life. On WGVU-TV.

Wed, Feb 15, business hours: Do you need to go to the Mexican Consulate in Detroit and don't have transportation? Staff of the Hispanic Center of Western Michigan will be available at the Immigration Assistance Program in Kalamazoo on Feb. 15 to review documents and fill out applications for passports and registrations. A bus will go from Kalamazoo to Detroit on Thurs, Feb 23. To make an appointment, call (616) 742-0200 immediately. At Old EPS Building, 219 North Westnedge, Kalamazoo.

Wed, Feb 15, noon: "End Game: Afghanistan and Iraq," by Dr. James Goode, Middle East Studies Program, Grand Valley State University. Part of Great Decisions Series sponsored by Herrick District Library and World Affairs Council of Western Michigan. At Herrick District Library auditorium, 300 South River, Holland.

Wed, Feb 15, 4 pm: "Human Rights, Civil Rights, and Islam," by Lena F. Masri, community leader, civil rights activist, and staff attorney for the Council on American-Islamic Relations, Michigan; she has been featured in several documentaries and on major media outlets. At GVSU, Room 2250 Kirkhof Center, Allendale.

Fri, Feb 24, 7:30 am to 2:30 pm (includes breakfast and box lunch): Annual Community Forum of Partners for a Racism-Free Community: "Expect Equality." Speaker is Tim Wise, one of the most prominent anti-racism writers and educators in the U.S. $55. Register at www.prfc-gr.org At Kroc Center, 2500 South Division Ave, SW, Grand Rapids.

COMMUNITY OPPORTUNITIES:

Holland First, Racial Healing Institute

(1) Holland First, a program of the Holland Area Chamber of Commerce: eight-week Spring 2012 sessions on Tuesdays from 6:30 pm to 8:50 pm, beginning Feb 21 and continuing through April 17 (no class April 3). Holland First aims to help people understand the community through the eyes of diversity, including local history, business, resources, law enforcement, government, education, and art/culture; guest speakers, breakout sessions, discussions. Facilitator is Dante Villarreal. Sponsors are Chemical Bank and Blue Cross/Blue Shield Blue Care Network of Michigan. Holland First is free; participants must attend all eight sessions. Deadline to register is Feb. 13. Call the Chamber at (616) 392-2389.

(2) 8-week Institute for Racial Healing, Tuesdays, Feb 28 through April 24, 3 to 5 pm. Through facilitated dialogue and activities, participants learn, share, and process within a multicultural group and examine the inheritance of our history, institutionalized racism, contemporary bias, and ways to be an ally in healing racial divides. $100 per person; financial hardship scholarships available. Register at (616) 846-9074 or at www.ethnicdiversity.org. Deadline to register is February 10. Sponsored by Lakeshore Ethnic Diversity Alliance. At GVSU Meijer Campus, 515 South Waverly, Holland.

Monday, February 06, 2012

In the Community February 6, 2012

"I think we have to own the fears that we have of each other, and then, in some practical way, some daily way, figure out how to see people differently than the way we were brought up to." … Alice Walker (b. Feb. 9, 1944), poet, short story writer, novelist, essayist, teacher, activist. Her novel "The Color Purple" won a Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award.

In the Community is also on the website: www.harmonyalliance.org/Events

Thurs, Feb 9, 5 pm: "The Rising Voice of Asian Pacific Islanders in the 2012 Election," interactive presentation by Stephanie Change, president of Asian Pacific Islander American Vote-Michigan. At Grand Valley State University, Room 2270 Kirkhof Center, Allendale.

ACEH Meeting on Friday:

Film, Discussion, and Tour of CAAAH

· Fri, Feb 10, 7 pm: Film, discussion, and tour at monthly meeting of the Alliance for Cultural and Ethnic Harmony (ACEH). In recognition of Black History Month, ACEH will show the award-winning documentary, "A Time for Justice: The Civil Rights Movement," followed by discussion facilitated by Hope College history professor Dr. Fred L. Johnson III. Afterwards, The Center of African American Art and History (CAAAH) will offer a tour of its facility. A freewill donation will be collected to benefit The Center. Everyone is welcome! www.harmonyalliance.org or 396-2201. At The Center of African American Art and History, 21 West 16^th St, Holland (across from Family Dollar store).

Sat, Feb 11, 9 am until noon: Asian Health Day, free event hosted by West Michigan Asian American Association, Inc. Health organizations will offer information on community resources; free health screenings for first 200 people to attend. Visit the website www.wm-aaa.org or call (616) 481-6914. At Brittney Hall, 3637 Clyde Park, Grand Rapids.

Mon, Feb 13, 9 pm: Documentary: "Slavery by Another Name," based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning book by Douglas Blackmon, explores the "neo-slavery" that lasted until World War II. The Thirteenth Amendment states that slavery was abolished, except as a punishment for a crime—but in the years after the Civil War laws were passed to criminalize everyday African American life. On WGVU-TV.

COMMUNITY OPPORTUNITIES:

Spanish Classes, Holland First, Racial Healing Institute

(1) 10-week Spanish language classes, sponsored by Lakeshore Ethnic Diversity Alliance: Level Two Feb 14-Apr 24, 6 to 8 pm, GVSU Holland Meijer campus; Level One, Feb 16-Apr 26, 6 to 8 pm, GVSU Holland Meijer campus; Level One Feb 16-Apr 26, 6 – 8 pm, Grand Haven High School. Information and registration at www.ethnicdiversity.org

(2) Holland First, a program of the Holland Area Chamber of Commerce, will hold its eight-week Spring 2012 sessions on Tuesdays from 6:30 pm to 8:50 pm, beginning Feb 21 and continuing through April 17 (no class on April 3). Holland First aims to help people understand the community through the eyes of diversity, including community history, economic development/business, community resources, law enforcement, government, education, and art/culture, with presentations by guest speakers, breakout sessions, and discussions. Facilitator is Dante Villarreal. Sponsors are Chemical Bank and Blue Cross/Blue Shield Blue Care Network of Michigan. Holland First is free; participants must agree to attend all eight sessions. Deadline to register is February 13. For information and an application, call the Chamber at (616) 392-2389.

(3) 8-week Institute for Racial Healing, Tuesdays, Feb 28 through April 24, 3 to 5 pm. Through facilitated dialogue and activities, participants learn, share, and process within a multicultural group and examine the inheritance of our history, institutionalized racism, contemporary bias, and ways to be an ally in healing racial divides. $100 per person; financial hardship scholarships available. Register by phone at (616) 846-9074 or online at www.ethnicdiversity.org. Deadline to register is February 10. Sponsored by Lakeshore Ethnic Diversity Alliance. At GVSU Meijer Campus, 515 South Waverly, Holland.

ACEH Events