Alicia Garza, a co-founder of Black Lives Matter, will speak at 7 p.m., Monday, March 28, in Cone University Center, McKnight Hall. The event is free for UNC Charlotte students and is cosponsored by the Campus Activities Board and the Multicultural Resource Center.
A limited number of seats will be reserved for advance purchase for UNC Charlotte faculty/staff and the general public. UNC Charlotte faculty and staff can purchase $5 tickets at the Arena Ticket Office with UNC Charlotte I.D. General public tickets are available for $10 at Ticket Return.com. The event will be broadcast live at no charge in the Cone University Center, Lucas Room, for overflow guests.
On social media, Garza, Patrisse Cullors and Opal Tometi developed #BlackLivesMatter following the death of Travon Martin; its creation started a national dialogue on race relations in America. According to its website, #BlackLivesMatter is an “online forum intended to build connections between black people and allies to fight anti-black racism, to spark dialogue among black people and to facilitate the types of connections necessary to encourage social action and engagement.”
Garza currently serves on the board of directors for the School of Unity and Liberation in Oakland, Calif. She has received numerous awards for her work in the Black and Latino communities, including the Local Hero Award from the San Francisco Bay Guardian and the Jeanne Gauna Communicate Justice award. She is a two-time recipient of the Harvey Milk Democratic Club Bayard Rustin Community Activist Award, too.
Kim Turner, director of the Multicultural Resource Center, said, “Students who participate in programs and events sponsored by the Multicultural Resource Center will learn about self, learn about others and engage in social justice opportunities. As an institution that is ‘committed to fostering an inclusive environment that is respectful of differences and promotes understanding and cooperation,’ this program will provide students with an opportunity to continue the dialogue and ask questions.”