How would you like to join the Illinois and Sao Paulo Chapters of Partners of the Americas and Brazil in Chicago in a new event across the Americas, committed to Transforming the Racial Paradigm: Discussions and Action to Inspire Change across the US and BRAZIL (2012).
Slated for mid-November 2012, this week long event will include symposia and interactive events in states across the US and Brazil, all connected via the chapter network of Partners of the Americas. Designed to add a person to person action element to complement the Joint Action Plan to Eliminate Racial and Ethnic Discrimination and Promote Equality (JAPER) signed in 2008 between the US and Brazilian Governments, this program will involve some of the greatest thought leaders as well as young people who will lead the next generation, to finish the sentence: “Racism will no longer be an issue for the next generation because…..”
We envision the program taking place at universities and public venues across the US and Brazil. We are inviting each US-Brazil Connected Chapter to host lectures, symposia, events and more that combines intellectual rigor, real life successes, and hands-on learning, for a dialogue across the Americas to shift the racial paradigm for future generations.
In Chicago, we will tie into MOSTRA III, the third annual Brazilian Film Series taking place at colleges and universities across Chicago and Illinois. Dubbed the Film Series with a Social Conscience, all of the films, all by Brazilian Directors, already deal with social issues. To tie into the issue of racial equity and anti-racism, one screening and post-film discussion will be specifically dedicated to this theme.
Why Brazil and the US? The US and Brazil bring diverse perspectives to the conversation. In Brazil’s multi-racial society, there are no “hyphenated-identities” and yet disparities by race still abound in economics and political representation. In the US the conversation has exploded to encompass race, ethnicity, ability, orientation, gender, age and more, and yet we still struggle with a two-dimensional, black and white paradigm.
What does it mean to participate? What should I do next?
By committing to participate in Transforming the Racial Paradigm, you are committing to using your relationships and contacts to design and host an event tied to the topic, during the timing of the event (Tentatively November 14-20, 2011). We will work jointly to promote the overall program on an international level, to bring awareness.
If you are interested in participating or learning more, please send an email to Deanna Shoss, President of the Illinois-Sao Paulo Chapter at dshoss (at) comcast.net, to indicate your interest, by November 20, and we will schedule a conference call to talk about the details. Please feel free to respond in Portuguese or English.
We hope that you will join us for this journey to effect real life change.
Sincerely,
Deanna Shoss Marcelo Jarmendia Thom Hale
IL-Sao Paulo Chapter Brazil in Chicago IL-Sao Paulo Chapter
Partners of the Americas Partners of the Americas
