{"id":6685,"date":"2015-10-08T15:29:55","date_gmt":"2015-10-08T19:29:55","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.kzoo.edu\/news\/?p=6685"},"modified":"2023-04-05T15:15:50","modified_gmt":"2023-04-05T19:15:50","slug":"kalamazoo-college-global-prize-weekend-kicks-off-with-finalist-presentations-and-opening-celebration","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.kzoo.edu\/news\/kalamazoo-college-global-prize-weekend-kicks-off-with-finalist-presentations-and-opening-celebration\/","title":{"rendered":"Kalamazoo College Global Prize Weekend Kicks Off with Finalist Presentations and Opening Celebration"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Advertisement<\/a>FREE EVENTS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC<\/em><\/p>\n

Kalamazoo College invites the public to participate in activities this weekend (Oct. 9-10) for the 2015 Kalamazoo College Global Prize for Transformative Social Justice Leadership. Ten groundbreaking activist organizations from around the world present their work this weekend to the public and to a jury that will award one $25,000 prize. Each finalist receives $1,000.<\/p>\n

Organized and hosted by K\u2019s Arcus Center for Social Justice Leadership, the Global Prize Weekend will include public presentations by finalists and think tank discussions between finalists and members of the Greater Kalamazoo community. Medea Benjamin<\/a>, co-founder of CodePink<\/a> and author of eight books, including \u201cDrone Warfare,\u201d will deliver the keynote address during an Opening Celebration<\/a>, Friday Oct. 9, 7:30 p.m., in Dalton Theatre (Light Fine Arts Building, 1140 Academy St.). The opening celebration will also feature live music by local artists Denise Miller, Scarlet, Yolonda Lavender, Abbie Maikoski, and Dan Davis. See the full schedule for the weekend<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The Prize Weekend features a range of engaging events including a Community Box Lunch, inspiring presentations from on-the-ground activists, and a celebratory Global Dance Party (Saturday, 8:00 p.m. in the Arcus Center at 205 Monroe St.) when Kalamazoo College President Eileen B. Wilson-Oyelaran announces the recipient of the $25,000 Global Prize.<\/p>\n

The 22-member jury that determined the finalists included Kalamazoo College faculty, staff, and students, as well as social justice advocates from the Kalamazoo region. All have worked on relevant social justice issues represented in the applicant pool. K received 87 entries\u2014in the form of eight- to ten-minute videos\u2014from 22 nations and 18 states within the United States.<\/p>\n

Finalists\u2019 projects collectively address economic justice, cultural and environmental preservation, immigration, mass incarceration, reproductive justice, racial justice, gendered violence, trans and queer liberation, workers\u2019 rights, and issues specifically impacting people with mental illness, youth, indigenous communities, and children in the foster care system. The scope of each project varies, some focusing on local communities, others looking at national or transnational issues.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe believe these ten projects provide outstanding examples of transformative thinking and practice on both personal and systemic levels,\u201d said ACSJL Executive Director Mia Henry. \u201cThe Global Prize weekend promises to be both inspirational to our community and pivotal for finalists. Leaders from all ten projects will have opportunities to learn from one another, as well as receive capacity-building support.\u201d<\/p>\n

Here are the ten projects, listed in alphabetical order with their location.<\/p>\n