CSC Social Work seniors plan conference on Hate

The students responsible for organizing the conference are Emily Parker of Chadron, Michaela Hill of Douglas, Wyo., Virginia Page of Hay Springs, Neb., Jeff Mugongo of Aurora, Colo., Leslie Beckman of Nampa, Idaho, Kali Ritterbush of Castle Rock, Colo., Mitchell Martin of Alliance, Neb., Toi Riggs of Gordon, Neb., and Brent Barge of Gering, Neb.

CSC students speaking about their personal experiences regarding hate are Aydin Garvin of Crawford, Neb., BriYanna Lyon of Fountain, Colo., and Kevin Coy of Davenport, Florida.

The first speaker will be Sammy Rangel, Executive Director and Co-Founder of Life After Hate. Rangel is an author, social worker, and peace activist. His autobiography, “Fourbears: The Myths of Forgiveness,” chronicles his life from physical and sexual abuse to a prison sentence. Rangel founded Formers Anonymous, a national self-help group for people addicted to street life and violence, based on the 12-step program. In May 2015, he participated in the TEDxDanubia Conference: Balance On the Edge in Budapest. Rangel has a Master of Social Work degree from Loyola University-Chicago and was a program director for a youth outreach program in his hometown of Racine, Wisconsin, for 16 years.

At 10:15 a.m., Dr. Ferial Pearson, an Instructor at the University of Nebraska Omaha in the College of Education, will speak about the Secret Kindness Agents Project she founded. It is in more than 400 K-12 schools, colleges and universities in the U.S. and in Canada and has been publicized by Hallmark, Lady Gaga’s Born This Way Foundation, and Southern Poverty Law Center’s Teaching Tolerance Magazine. She has written a book and presented a TEDx talk about the project. Pearson, a former high school teacher in Omaha, earned a master’s and a doctorate from UNO. In 2016, she was the recipient the Kennedy Center's Stephen Sondheim Inspirational Teacher award.

Following a lunch break, the noon speaker will be Christopher Spike Eickholt, an attorney and lobbyist for the American Civil Liberties Union of Nebraska. Eickholt is a graduate of the University of Nebraska College of Law and has worked at Legal Aid of Nebraska. For four years, he served as legal counsel for the Nebraska Legislature’s Judiciary Committee. For about 12 years, Eickholt was a deputy Lancaster County public defender representing indigent defendants in criminal cases. In addition to lobbying, he is an attorney with Eickholt Law in Lincoln focusing on criminal defense cases and working in government relations.

At 12:45 p.m., former Chicago Cubs baseball player Chris Singleton will speak about his mother, Sharonda Coleman Singleton, who was killed with eight others at Mother Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal church in Charleston, South Carolina, in June 2015. Singleton forgave Dylann Roof, convicted of the killings, and often uses the phrase, “Love is stronger than hate,” in his presentations. Singleton has shared his story with more than 35,000 students and has appeared on ESPN and CNN.

Singleton will also make a presentation, “Love Your Neighbor,” Nov. 7 at 7 p.m. in the Student Center Ballroom.

At 3 p.m., Monique Muffie Mousseaux and her wife, Felipa De Leon, will speak. The couple has been active in lobbying for same-sex marriage and hate crime legislation on the Pine Ridge Reservation.

A panel of speakers will answer questions from the audience at 3:30 p.m. and Nebraska State College System Chancellor Dr. Paul Turman will close the conference with his remarks.

Complete Agenda for Hate: How it Preys on our Fears and Ignorance

8-8:15 a.m.: ROTC and Native American Color Guard presentation of the colors

8:15-8:18 a.m.: Video depicting hate

8:18-8:25 a.m.: Welcome from Emily Parker, senior class leader

8:25-8:30 a.m.: Welcome from President Randy Rhine

8:30-10 a.m.: Presentation by Sammy Rangel

10-10:15 a.m.: Break/table talk

10:15-11:30 a.m.: Dr. Ferial Pearson with University of Omaha

11:30-11:40 a.m.: Personal student account by Aydin Garvin

11:40-Noon: Lunch break

Noon-12:30 p.m.: Presentation by Christopher “Spike” Eickholt

12:30-12:35 p.m.: Comments from Dr. Jim Powell

12:35-12:45 p.m.: Personal student account by Kevin Coy

12:45-1:30 p.m.: Presentation by Chris Singleton

1:30-1:45 p.m.: Personal student account by BriYanna Lyon.

1:45-1:50 p.m.: Break/table talk

1:50-3 p.m.: Collaborative presentation by Pearson and Singleton

3-3:30 p.m.: Presentation by Monique Muffie Mousseaux and her wife Felipa De Leon

3:30-4 p.m.: Panel discussion

4 p.m.: Closing remarks from NSCS Chancellor Paul Turman and retiring of the colors