Howard University News November 9, 2012 Howard University to Host State of the Black World Conference III Sessions on Black Family, Community Empowerment and African Diaspora Scheduled Howard University will host the State of the Black World Conference III, Nov. 14-18. The theme of the annual conference is "State of Emergency in Black America: Time to Heal Black Families and Communities." The event will give participants the opportunity to network, seek spiritual/cultural inspiration and learn about strategies for action. The Conference will begin November 14 with the launch of the Damu Smith Leadership Development and Organizer Training Institute in the Blackburn Center, which is designed to hone the skills of "servant leaders and organizers to do vital work in Black communities across the country." The Institute will be limited to 100 participants. The first public event of the Conference will be a high profile National Town Hall Meeting, Nov. 15 ,7:00 - 9:30 p.m. at Cramton Auditorium. Some of Black America's most influential leaders will assess The Impact of the 2012 Election on the State of Emergency in Black America. Joblessness, economic underdevelopment in the Black community, the epidemic of violence and fratricide plaguing many distressed Black communities, mass incarceration' the assault on voting rights, and the Black stake in immigration policy reform are among the issues expected to be discussed at the Town Hall Meeting. Susan Taylor, former Editorial Director, Essence Magazine, New York; Dr. Marc Lamont Hill, Host of Our World Today with Black Enterprise, New York; Dr. Julianne Malveaux, President Emeritus, Bennett College for Women, Washington, DC; Dr. Mtangulizi Sanyika, African American Leadership Project, Houston, TX; Jeff Johnson, Political Commentator, B.E.T. and the Tom Joyner Morning Show, Washington, DC; George Fraser, President, FraserNet, the largest network of Black professionals in the world, Cleveland, OH; Atty. Faya Rose Sanders, Founder, National Voting Rights Museum, Selma, AL; Rev. Dr. Willie Wilson, Pastor, Union Temple Baptist Church, Washington, DC, and Congresswoman Karen Bass, Congressional Black Caucus, Los Angeles, CA, are the confirmed panelists. Congresswoman Yvette Clarke, Congressional Black Caucus, Brooklyn, NY, and Rev. Al Sharpton, President, National Action Network have also been invited to join the Panel. Mark Thompson, Host of Make It Plain, SIRIUS/XM, and Bev Smith, Host of the Bev Smith Show, Empowerment Radio, SIRIUS/XM will serve as moderators. The event is dedicated to the memory of political activist, prolific author and media commentator Ronald W. Walters. A Howard professor for 25 years, Walters died in September 2010. The conference this year will mark the launch of the Damu Smith Leadership Development and Organizer Training Institute. The conference will feature the Black Family Summit, a series of panels focused on advancing African-centered programs and policies, which promote the healing and strengthening families and communities. The conference will also present the Pan African Policy Forum that will focus on the status of democracy and development in Africa. Other sessions will center on the criminal justice system, economic and community development, culture, religion and spirituality. For conference details and registration information, visit here. For further information or to arrange interviews, contact Carolyn McClair (917) 686- 0854. SANDRA M. PHOENIX Executive Director HBCU Library Alliance sphoenix@hbculibraries.org<mailto:sphoenix@hbculibraries.org> www.hbculibraries.org<http://www.hbculibraries.org/> 800-999-8558, ext. 4820 404-520-0593 Skype: sandra.phoenix1 1438 West Peachtree NW Suite 200 Atlanta,GA 30309 Toll Free: 1.800.999.8558 (LYRASIS) Fax: 404.892.7879 www.lyrasis.org<http://www.lyrasis.org/> Honor the ancestors, honor the children.