UNM will host a Civil Rights Symposium in the SUB today and Friday to get students and community members talking about the far-reaching effects of racial strife.
Dan Cryer, a coordinator for the event, said the issues of the Civil Rights Movement are still critical for students today.
"It's election season, and there are some really important decisions that are going to be made in the next few months," he said. "It's important for everyone, not just nationally but locally, as well, to get involved and become aware if (they're) not already."
The symposium will feature panels and roundtable discussions that anyone can participate in, Cryer said.
"This event is important to faculty and staff as well as bystanders because everyone should have knowledge of civil rights and what it means," he said.
Cryer said students should attend to get an understanding of the issues before they make political decisions about them in November.
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"It's also important for students because this is their first presidential election that they can really be a part of to decide the nation's outcome," he said.
Cryer said the symposium is a nonpartisan event and will present all sides of each topic.
"There will be representatives from both political parties there to answer questions," he said. "It will be an event where everyone can speak out and be heard and talk about his or her own concerns. It's going to be really good for people to learn and understand more than just one opinion."
Cryer said there will be other events like poetry performances, an open forum and a movie about Martin Luther King Jr.
Diane Bechtel, who also helped coordinate the symposium, said one of the keynote speakers is coming from Pennsylvania State University to discuss the origins of the Civil Rights Movement.
"Keith Gilyard is giving a speech titled 'Hate Acts, Public Rhetoric and Civil Rights Activism: 40 years after Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.,'" she said. "I feel that speech will be very important to students, because UNM campus is a very diverse campus."
Bechtel said students should be interested in the speech, particularly in light of last year's flag-tearing incident.
"When things like the flag tearing that happened on campus arise, it's very important to learn a way as students to be able to find peaceful ways to disagree," she said.
Junior Orin Pope said the symposium is well-timed to inform students on crucial topics before the election.
"I think it is very vital to spread the knowledge of civil rights, the story and the history, so people who aren't informed can be, and the people who are can discuss and learn more," he said. "Right now racial tension is really high, and I believe that has a lot to do with the elections."
Pope said racism is still around, though it is not discussed as much.
"It's not that someone will just blatantly harass you," he said. "It's something you feel is more in the air."
Bechtel said everyone in the community is invited to discuss this problem at the symposium.
"We definitely wanted all people to feel like they are welcomed, not just academia," she said. "I think even though the title is sort of broad, it explains the purpose of the symposium, and that is that we as a community should all gather for this event."
"Civic Literacy Across Communities: A Public Forum"
Today, 1-5:30 p.m.
Friday, 1-4:30 p.m.
SUB Lobo rooms A and B
