Cheyney University News September 1, 2015 Keystone Scholar Devin Randall to Participate in "Liberty: Unplugged! Twitter Town Hall" in Philadelphia Devin Randall, a Cheyney University Keystone Honors Academy (KHA) scholar, was selected to give a speech and lead a student discussion in the "Liberty: Unplugged! Twitter Town Hall" in Philadelphia, PA on September 12 . Students from the University of Pennsylvania, Temple, and West Chester Universities will also be presenters. The forum will engage the students in critical and open dialogue about three themes which still threaten the cause of liberty both nationally and globally: modern-day slavery, voting rights, and human rights. Actor and activist Hill Harper will moderate the forum. Co-moderators are Dr. Stefan Bradley, Dr. Lisa Weah, Dr. Mari Crabtree, and Jazzy T. Set at Moore College of Art and Design, the three-part program will be streamed, webcast and live tweeted to satellite gatherings of student scholars in Charleston, SC, Ferguson, MO, Baltimore, MD, and Buffalo, NY, who will join the conversation. The forum is part of a 2015 project of the Mann Center for the Performing Arts to lead the Philadelphia community in celebrating the messages and movements of three iconic men: Frederick Douglass, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Nelson Mandela. Randall, a senior who will graduate a year early in May, is excited about the opportunity and has been preparing for his speech. "They asked me to talk about Cecil the lion who was recently killed in Zimbabwe by an American dentist. They want me to talk about why people are so interested in the death of this lion and willing to talk about that but they're not willing to talk about the deaths of all of these black people in America." The 20 year-old has been researching, talking to Cheyney Professors Virgilette Gaffin and Clyde Ledbetter about a number of social issues in America, including women's rights, gay rights and the legacies of King and Mandela. He has been feverishly writing down his thoughts. Writing comes easily for the English major. An aspiring playwright, Randall wrote a few plays while he was in high school and is working on a script now that will accompany his application to graduate school. He hopes to attend Yale University to obtain a Master's degree in Playwriting. While social issues have interested him in the past, Randall's interest has recently heightened in that regard. He is active on campus, serving as Vice President of the Keystone Honors Council, President of Alpha Nu Rho, the English International Honor Society, and is a member of Cheyney's Theatre and International Honor Societies. The September 12 forum includes a Poetry Slam and features finalists of a citywide poetry contest who will compete live. The day culminates with a musical showcase of young Philadelphia artists performing songs of social justice. The events are all free but space is limited. You can register to attend by clicking here.<http://www.eventbrite.com/e/liberty-unplugged-town-hall-tickets-18101233276> 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 404-702-5854 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.