The second annual “Lift Every Voice” free lecture series in celebration of Black History Month will be held Tuesday during the month of February at 6:30 p.m. at the Spring of Hope Church, 35 Alden Street, Springfield. The series is presented by COGIC Family Services, the church and the Springfield branch of the NAACP.
Speakers and their topics for the series include:
Feb. 7: Domingo Guyton on “The N Word: Why Blacks Use it and No One Should”
Domingo Guyton
Musician, teacher and writer Guyton, whose early life was featured in Jackie Waldman’s “Teens With the Courage to Give,” is an adjunct professor at Worcester State University.
Feb. 14: Steve Perry on “African American Education: The Sail That Casts the Winds of Hope”
Dr. Steve Perry
Perry is founder and principal of Capital Prep Magnet School in Hartford, and a CNN education contributor. His series, “Perry’s Principles,” described as a “blueprint for America’s teachers, parents, decision makers and anyone who cares about the education of America’s children,” has aired on Anderson Cooper’s 360 degrees. His latest book is “Push Has Come to Shove: Getting Our Kids the Education They Deserve — Even If It Means Picking a Fight.”
Feb. 21: Tim Wise on “Post Racial America?: Racism in the Age of Obama”
Tim Wise
Wise is the author of six books, including the memoir, “White Like Me: Reflections on Race from a Privileged Son.” He does anti-racism training and is a regular contributor to discussions about race in the media.
Feb. 28: Sister Souljah on “Entertainment vs Reality: Preparing Youth to Engage with the World”
Sister Souljah was born in the Bronx, New York and raised in the projects. A graduate of Rutgers University, she earned a degree in American History and African Studies. She also attended the Cornell University Advanced Placement Studies, and studied abroad in Europe at the University of Salamanca.
Sister Souljah
Souljah was the voice in NY radio that spoke to the hip-hop audience about politics, culture, business, and social organization. This included being a featured speaker at the Million Woman March, appearances on Oprah Winfrey, Larry King Live, and the cover of Newsweek Magazine. As a Hip-Hop artist, Souljah’s CD entitled “360 degrees of Power,” sparked international debate over issues of race, culture, sexism, and politics. She gained prominence for Bill Clinton’s criticism of her remarks about race in the United States during the 1992 presidential campaign. Clinton’s well-known repudiation of her comments led to what is now known in politics as a Sister Souljah moment.
Sister Souljah is the author of four national best sellers, including, “The Coldest Winter Ever.” In 2008, within one week of the release of “Midnight, A Gangster Love Story,” Sister Souljah became a New York Times Best Seller entering the charts at #7. Souljah remains a full time author, wife of nineteen years, mother and world class traveler.
