AAUW sponsors "Community Dialogue on Social Justice

SALISBURY, MD -----AAUW Maryland is sponsoring a Woman-to-Woman Summit, titled "A Community Dialogue on Social Justice," at the Wicomico Youth & Civic Center on Saturday, October 12. Its goals are part of the national goals of the American Association of University Women: to discuss selected social justice issues, stimulate ideas for positive changes, and develop strategies for their implementation. The AAUW Salisbury branch is the first to host such an event in Maryland. A large number of participants from the Mid-Atlantic region are expected.

The keynote speaker is Dr. Thelma B. Thompson, newly appointed president of the University of Maryland Eastern Shore in Princess Anne. She has an extensive background in education and the humanities.

The luncheon speaker is Shireen K. Lewis, J.D., Ph.D., executive director and founder of EduSeed/Sister Mentors Program that helps women of color doctoral candidates complete dissertations and get their doctorates. Lewis is also a consultant for non-profit organizations and small businesses on management issues.

To plan this event, the W2W committee in Salisbury spent 18 months hosting a series of mini-dialogues with local organizations and community members to develop topics of interest. The following have been selected for 90-minute workshop interest sessions: "Breaking the Cycle of Domestic Violence," "Intergenerational Caregiving," "Dealing with the Factors Affecting Women's Economic Self-sufficiency," and "The Physical and Psychological Effects on Children of Parental Addiction Problems." There will also be an open dialogue on "Race Relations in a Diverse Society."

In conjunction with the summit, there is a photographic exhibit titled "Children of Children: Portraits and Stories of Teenage Parents" at the Fulton Hall Gallery at Salisbury University from October 11-November 3. The multimedia exhibition has been show in over 25 cities throughout the United States and overseas. It presents 50 black and white portraits and audio stories of those whose lives have been crucially affected by teenage pregnancy. A viewer can walk up to any portrait, and using headphones, listen to a four to five minute narrative of the difficult choices that had to be made.

This exhibition has been fully funded by the Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore and admission is free. The photographer-artist is Michael Nye, a San Antonio attorney-turned-photographer. He will be present at the opening reception on October 11 from 6-8 p.m. to give an overview of the exhibit.

Early registration for the summit is $50. The fee includes art exhibit reception on Friday evening and workshop materials, continental breakfast and lunch at the Civic Center on Saturday. After September 20, the registration fee is $55. Late and on-site registration is accepted but lunch and workshop choice cannot be guaranteed. Please make check payable to W2W Summit and mail check and registration form to W2W Summit, P.O.Box 1187, Salisbury, Maryland 21802.

For additional information contact Alem Gedamu at 410-543-0189 or E-mail to: ngedamu@aol.com. or Mary Frances Macon at 410-724-3287 (FrancesMacon@aol.com).