MLK’s MLK’s Field Field of of Dreams: Dreams: JUSTICE AS A TEAM SPORT JUSTICE AS A TEAM SPORT Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington, D.C. 20540 USA, LC-L9-54-3566-O, #17 DLC Prints and Photographs Division Washington, Library of Congress MLK DAY 2011 MLK Celebration MLK Celebration 2011 2011 EVENT SCHEDULE Friday, Jan. 14 Monday, Jan. 17 Aspiring Artist Recognition Convocation featuring and Award Ceremony Luma Mufleh 6-7 p.m., Harre Union Ballroom 10 a.m., Chapel of the Resurrection Artwork will be on display in the Luncheon: A Meal Fit for a King Harre Union starting Jan. 7 11:30 a.m., Harre Union Ballroom Student Coffee House Q&A with convocation speaker Luma Mufleh 7 p.m., Harre Union Campus Café Focus Sessions I and II Featuring Andrew Davis Band, The Rabble, 1:15-2:15 p.m. and 2:30-3:30 p.m. Rosebud, Samantha Cornwell (Poetry), The Still Life, VUDU Comedy and Various locations: Harre Union, Christopher Willoughby and Spriggs Center, Center for the Arts and Mueller Hall “Talk To A Lawyer Today” Saturday, Jan. 15 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Wesemann Hall MLK Celebration Dance (WVUR) Hosted by NWI Volunteer Lawyers, Inc. 8 p.m., Harre Union Ballroom Wednesday, Jan. 19 Sunday, Jan. 16 Mock Congressional Debate Gospel Communion Service 4-6:30 p.m., Wesemann Hall 10 a.m., Chapel of the Resurrection “Team Effort: Health Care Reform by the Music by the Valpo Gospel Choir, Obama Administration” directed by Brytish Thomas, with Hosted by current law students Dennis Friesen-Carper, keyboard. MY COLLEGE BUDDY & ME Thursday, Jan. 20 Community Service Project Valparaiso University School 1-4 p.m., Harre Union Ballroom of Law MLK speaker To volunteer, visit: 4 p.m., Wesemann Hall valpo.edu/union/offices/volunteer.php “After Obama: Three ‘Post-Racial’ CORE approved Challenges” Devon W. Carbado, Professor of Law, Film Screenings: UCLA School of Law Pelada, 7 p.m., Neils Science Center 234 Hosted by Valpo Women’s and Men’s Soccer. Friday, April 29 Introduction by Mike Avery, Men’s Soccer Coach. Tree Blessing 3 p.m., MLK Arboretum Invictus, 9 p.m., Harre Union, Ballroom A Hosted by VISA and Valpo Athletics. Visit valpo.edu/mlk for updated information. MLK’s Field of Dreams: JUSTICE AS A TEAM SPORT MLK Convocation Keynote Speaker: Luma Mufleh Luma Mufleh their families as well. The team provides is the inspira- strict discipline (all players must sign a code tional coach of conduct contract), tutoring for the play- of a soccer ers, and a sense of community for them and team called the their families. Weaving together a community Fugees—short based on shared experiences, both on and off for refugees. the field, Mufleh helps the players develop The players support networks for themselves and their on this team entire families. come from Recognizing that as one single volunteer she 18 war-torn couldn’t begin to address the complex needs countries, of the players and their families, in the fall of including Afghanistan, Iraq, Bosnia, Congo, 2006, Mufleh helped found the Fugees Family Somalia and Sudan. Most of them have With a goal to help refugee families transition endured unimaginable hardship: one young to life in the U.S., the organization provides boy was forced by soldiers to shoot his own tutoring, assistance with housing, and health best friend, another watched his father shot and educational programming. Mufleh also to death, and all have been robbed of their founded Fresh Start, a cleaning service that childhood. employs immigrants or refugees, many of An immigrant from Jordan, Mufleh moved whom are parents of the players, guarantees to Atlanta a year and a half after graduating forty hours of work a week starting at $10 from Smith College. While driving through an hour and provides professional develop- the town of Clarkston, Georgia, she noticed ment: English language training and finance, a group of boys playing soccer in the street. computer, and cleaning skills. In the summer They played without some of the most basic of 2007, Mufleh gave ownership of Fresh Start equipment—but they played for the sheer to her employees. enjoyment of the game—something that With an emphasis on what can be done to reminded her of home. In the summer of change the life of one child, one family at a 2004, she made fliers announcing tryouts time, Mufleh’s work is the kind of “Social for a soccer team. The flyers were in Arabic, Entrepreneurship” that radically transforms English, French and Vietnamese and were any community. At the podium, Mufleh distributed around apartment complexes movingly talks about how she became where many refugees lived. involved with the Fugees, the plight of the Mufleh quickly realized that the needs of children she helps and what they teach her this particular team were going to be unique. in turn. In addition to the challenges faced by every The story of The Fugees and their coach preteen and teenager, the players on this team embodies many of the ideals that are thought were dealing with post-traumatic stress issues, of as “American”: giving opportunity for self- language barriers, cultural disconnects and fulfillment, using one’s own ideas and talents devastating poverty as their economic reality. to help the common goal and remembering By making a commitment to these young that “we don’t win or lose alone—it’s always children, Mufleh made a commitment to the team score in the end.” MLK Celebration 2011 The Convocation, 10 a.m., The Chapel of the Resurrection Prelude: Valpo Chamber Concert Band — Dr. Jeffrey Doebler, Conductor Invocation: Rev. James Wetzstein, University Pastor Welcome: Mark A. Heckler, University President Hymn: “ Lift Every Voice and Sing,” from the poem by James Weldon Johnson, music by John Rosamond Johnson Led by the Valpo Gospel Choir — Brytish Thomas, Director Lift ev’ry voice and sing We have come, treading our path through Till earth and heaven ring, The blood of the slaughtered. Ring with the harmonies of liberty. Out from the gloomy past, Let our rejoicing rise Till now we stand at last High as the List’ning skies; Where the white gleam of our bright star is cast. Let it resound loud as the rolling sea. Sing a song full of the faith that the God of our weary years, dark past has taught us; God of our silent tears, Sing a song full of the hope that the Thou who has brought us thus far on the way; present has brought us; Thou who hast by thy might Facing the rising sun Led us into the light: Of our new day begun Keep us forever in the path, we pray. Let us march on, till victory is won. Lest our feet stray from the places, our God, Where we met thee; Stony the road we trod, Lest, our hearts drunk with the wine of the Bitter that chast’ning rod, World, we forget thee; Felt in the days when hope unborn had died; Shadowed beneath thy hand Yet, with a steady beat, May we forever stand, Have not our weary feet True to our God, true to our native land. Come to the place for which our parents sighed? We have come over a way that with tears has been watered; Presentation of Awards Introduction to Keynote Speaker John Ruff, Associate Professor of English, Director of the CORE Keynote Address: Luma Mufleh Music: Valpo Gospel Choir joined by members of the Valpo Chorale, Kantorei, Men and Women’s Choirs Announcements: John Ruff Benediction: Rev. Phyllis Kersten, Interim University Pastor Post-Convocation Music: Valpo Chamber Concert Band MLK’s Field of Dreams: JUSTICE AS A TEAM SPORT FOCUS SESSION I: 1:15-2:15 P.M. “Oh, yes, I can.” Lorrie Woycik, Special Olympics • Mueller Hall: Refectory Special Olympics has provided a voice for those with special needs and given them a chance to speak out for justice in our society. A brief overview will be provided of the importance of Special Olympics in the lives of the athletes to reveal an “I can” spirit after having been on the outside looking in. The athletes will speak about the way they were treated in school by their peers, and how it affected their lives. Basketball Diplomacy: Yao Ming as China’s Cultural Ambassador to the World Richard Huckabee, Daniel Hoyle, Chuchu Wang, Yuchao Zhou, Valparaiso University Students • Harre Union: Brown and Gold Room B This program introduces audiences to the basketball career of Yao Ming, the first Chinese athlete to ever join the NBA in the United States, and explores how his trials and triumphs, both on and off the court, have helped promote better understanding between China and the United States. A panel of two American and two Chinese students explores how Yao Ming’s example led to cultural exchanges, created career paths, and drew attention to charitable causes. This session will employ a range of materials, from Yao’s biography to commercials featuring Yao to the sports documentary titled, The Year of Yao. Gendered Image of Athletes in the Media Professor Lissa Yogan, Valparaiso University • VUCA: Room 1412 This session will discuss the ways in which the media emphasizes stereotypical gender images of athletes and the effects that these images have on the public’s perception of how men and women should perform on and off the field. The emphasis is on the perpetuation of gender inequalities within the field of sports. “Juegos de sueños, sueños de realidad”: Games of Dreams, Dreams of Reality Marissa Longoria and Alex Merlo, Latinos in Valparaiso for Excellence (LIVE) Neils Science Center: Room 224 The session will focus primarily on Latino and Latina athletes, and how they have played an influential role in the present day, not only in sports, but in others’ lives.