AFP 2011--Conference Schedule
9:00-10:50 AM OPENING CEREMONY Warren Enters Theatre- Upton Hall
Welcome: Dr. Aaron Podolefsky- President, Buffalo State College
AFP 2011: Looking Inward: Drew Kahn- Director, The Anne Frank Project
Keynote Speaker: Hope Azeda
Panel Discussion- Employing the Arts For Social Justice:
Hope Azeda- Mashirika Creative and Performing Arts Group
Carole Karemera- ISHYO Performing Arts Center
Nadia Nikwaya- ISHYO Performing Arts Center
Gary Wolfe- Artist
11:00-11:50 AM Carl Wilkens Warren Enters Theatre- Upton Hall
A Dialogue with Carl Wilkens
11:00-11:50 AM Alice Pennisi Flexible Theatre- Donald Savage
Vigilant Questioning & Compassionate Imagining
“Why do people have to starve when mountains of food are rotting away in other parts of the world?” Anne Frank
Alice Pennisi has accompanied students on international educational trips in the hope of challenging the insular perspective so often found in American culture. How might international student travel encourage vigilant questioning and compassionate imagining in student on their return? How might students’ experiences provide a foundation of the practice of social justice?
We will discuss two such trips; one to Thailand with graduate students and the other to Ireland with undergraduate students. Students’ visual/textual journals, visual artwork and interview commentary will be presented and discussed in terms of how they reflect cross-cultural perceptions that expand students’ understandings of the world.
11:00-11:50 AM Amy Fleischauer Butler Library 210
Shea Post, M.Ed.
Trafficking and Domestic Violence in the Western NY Immigrant Community
This presentation will examine the extraordinary barriers that immigrant victims face when seeking safely from exploitive/dangerous situations. Like all of us, immigrants are pursuing self determination and happiness, yet they are challenged by factors of which the vast majority of native born Americans are not cognizant. In order to fully understand the nature of these barriers, the presentation will provide basic information on human trafficking and domestic violence as it is legally defined and exists within the Western NY immigrant community. Additionally, the presentation will address how to effectively engage this population, in order to support these victims in pursuing safety and self determination. Looking Inward, we will see how both individuals and organizations contribute to these problems and can work toward alleviating the barriers that victims face when seeking safety. Every individual has the power to contribute to social change and assist in the eradication of these inhumanities: “We all live with the objective of being happy; our lives are all different and yet the same. “ Anne Frank
11:00-11:50 AM Robert Heffern Butler Library 208
Sylvia Schwartz
Teaching the Holocaust
Historical background of the Holocaust, 1933-1945; rationale for teaching the Holocaust-what did we learn from it? One thing is that we should not be “bystanders” to evil, injustices and intolerance. It is important to note that even at the present time there are numerous examples of extremism and intolerance, for example, against immigrants in this country. The Southern Poverty Law Center has reported on numerous hate groups in the United States which will be shared at this session. As bad as the Holocaust was at the time, it is important that we learn from it and the applicability of its’ lessons to today.
Founded in 1983, the Holocaust Resource Center of Buffalo is committed to heightening public awareness, knowledge and understanding of the Holocaust. This is achieved through documentation and personal testimony of local Holocaust survivors, through the education of future generations, and through a wide-range of in-service workshops, along with the distribution and loan of educational materials for teachers. A Distance Learning full-semester course is offered by the Holocaust Resource Center through Erie 1 and Erie 2 BOCES. A comprehensive library of books, videos and DVDs are available for loan at no charge.
The mission of the Holocaust Resource Center of Buffalo is to:
~Remember the Victims
~Honor the Survivors
~Educate the Community
12:00-12:50 PM LUNCH
1:00-1:50 PM Sophia Veffer Warren Enters Theatre- Upton Hall
From Bullying to Hate Crimes, to the Holocaust, to Genocide: Can The Anne Frank Project Change a Bystander Into an Involved Citizen?
The Anne Frank Project offers an analytical approach to the causes of discrimination, hate crimes, the Holocaust and Genocides through the words of Anne Frank and lessons learned from the history of societies, where annihilation of large segments of the civilian populations became the norm of justice and government policies. Every genocide, including the Holocaust, requires three groups of participants: The Victims, The Perpetrators and the Bystanders. Of the three groups, the Bystanders are the most dangerous and the most numerous, because they enable the Perpetrators to commit these crimes.
Using Anne Frank’s words, we educate young people from kindergarten through college that discrimination and hate crimes are detrimental in achieving a peaceful Global Society. Our Shared Humanity Has No Room for Bystanders.
1:00-1:50 PM Vincent Pontillo Flexible Theatre- Donald Savage
Unity
For this performance, Vincent will use the decaying state of an architectural form as a metaphor paralleling the struggle to ultimately become more human. Constructed of a series of steel beams (3.5’-8’ tall) and recycled plastic, this piece confronts the viewer with no specific viewing area. The participants may walk around the work as it progresses. Initially, the viewers will have no clear perception of the dancers’ movements until they begin to press outward against the plastic form. Eventually, dancers work their way outside; they will begin ripping down the sheets of plastic in which they will wrap themselves, each other and invite the audience to become involved. In this art/performance work Vincent states that we can all carry the voice of hope and change using the words of Anne Frank; “The final forming of a person’s character lies in their own hands.”
1:00-1:50 PM Andrew Wheelock Butler Library 210
Understanding the Holocaust Through Virtual Worlds
This presentation will give participants an overview of our Understanding of the Holocaust project. Using Virtual Environment technology (Reaction Grid) we have created a virtual replica of the Anne Frank secret annex that students are able to walk through as an avatar and complete ELA/World History content assessments. Their final assignment is to create an exhibit for our virtual Holocaust Museum.
1:00-1:50 PM Modupe Akin-Deko Savage 209 from 1:00-2:30
Brad Brown
Joan McCool
Tools to Overcome Being a Bystander When a Member of our Community is At Risk--- “What is QPR?”
The Counseling Center seeks to build community investment in recognizing and responding to people in distress. You can be one of the trained members of our community!
If you notice signs of depression or distress in another person, use these simple steps to Question, Persuade and Refer them to help and support. QPR stands for Question, Persuade, and Refer -- 3 simple steps that anyone can learn to help save a life from suicide. Just as people trained in CPR and the Heimlich Maneuver help save thousands of lives each year, people trained in QPR learn how to recognize the warning signs of a suicide crisis and how to question, persuade, and refer someone to help. Each year thousands of Americans, like you, are saying "Yes" to saving the life of a friend, colleague, sibling, or neighbor. This is a community-based intervention to learn positive ways to be active, prevent suicide, and to build a community of support. Come learn the skills to “do something” to help our community take care of each other.
2:00-2:50 PM Dr. Benjamin Christy Flexible Seat Theatre- Donald Savage
David Landry
Predictions of the End of Time: A Performance of Clarinet and Poetry
This is an interdisciplinary performance piece, highlighting a synergistic range of creative expression through a blend of poetry and music. The poetry, created by David Landry, explores political events, social issues and complication facets of human nature that make the world a complex and difficult place. The complimentary music was composed for unaccompanied clarinet by Igor Stravinsky, Olivier Messian, Willson Osborne, Leslie Bassett and Bela Kovacs. Two vibrant languages converge in a wash of verbal and sonorous images and emotions that illuminate the paradoxical conflict of hopelessness and hope in the human condition. The title of the twenty-five minute presentation is derived from the famous “Quartet for the End of Time” composed by Messian during his interment in a German prison camp during World War II, in which the “Abyss of the Birds” is performed by solo clarinet.
2:00-2:50 PM Gabriella Moreno Rockwell Quad
Underspoken Blaze
This performance is a “Poetical” which is based on the evolution of thought and feeling of a person who is being victimized. Inspired by the experience of the Rwandan Genocide survivor, Immaculeé Ilibagiza and Anne Frank’s writing “..a person’s character lies in their own hands” inspired by her father’s teachings, this piece embodies a journey through anger and defeat to an ideal destination of forgiveness and hope.
2:00-2:50 PM Dr. William Lin Butler Library 210
Perspectives from the Second Generation- Children of Survivors: A Personal Reflection on Revisiting Childhood Images Frozen in Time.
Mr. Lin’s parents survived the World War II Holocaust in Europe. Most of their families perished. He was born inPoland after the war. His family left Poland in 1957 when he was still a little boy.
In 2010 Bill visited Poland with his wife. During this session he will speak on memories from his very young childhood and experiences when visiting the place of his birth. The trip to Poland offered opportunity for reflection about relatively recent historical events, the destruction of communities, personal tragedies and the other WWII holocaust devastations which are still being documented. With the dwindling number of Holocaust survivors succeeding generations have a role to play in keeping stories and memories alive and exploring the relevance of the Holocaust in relation to current events.
2:00-2:50 PM Irene Sipos Butler Library 208
Facing Light, Facing Darkness
Author, Chris Abani, recently read from his moving essay, “Ethics and Narrative: The Human and Other” at JustBuffalo Literary Center’s Babel Series. He asks his audience to “look inward” at the “personal” level in a world filled with seemingly arbitrary violation of human dignity, civil rights, and life itself. His perspective includes being jailed several times. The first arrest was as a result of a play he had written at the age of sixteen. He has witnessed, and been victim of, unspeakable violence and torture. As a survivor, who now is a professor at the University ofCalifornia, Riverside, he embodies the paradox we all face: How do we achieve a balance that allows us to embrace and love our lives AND to be witnesses who do not stand silently, nor become cynical in the face of human suffering? This is a personal struggle for all human beings who are socially and politically aware. Ms. Sipos will read excerpts from this essay and lead a discussion around the issues raised in the writing.
3:00-3:50 PM Brian Gabel Flexible Theatre- Donald Savage
Songs of Genocide
Anne Frank wrote, “ And finally I twist my heart round again, so that the bad is on the outside and the good is on the inside, and keep on trying to find a way of becoming what I would so like to be, and could be, if there weren’t any other people living in the world.” This conveys turning human indignity and evils inside out to find what good can come out of it. Music is one of the many ways in which stories and human history can be expressed in a meaningful way. Brian will be performing several of his own compositions that express this theme. The audience will be encouraged to sing along and participate in a discussion following each song, exploring the meaning of each piece and how that can inspire others to make positive changes.
3:00-3:50 PM Mary Jane Masiulionis Butler Library 208
A New Frontier in Humanitarian Pedagogy: Democracy, Social Justice and Action in Education
College has historically been regarded as one of the fundamental cultural institutions whose responsibility is preparing students for involved citizenship in democracy and social justice. This premise is what Anne Frank speaks about in her diary when she states, “We have all reason to hope for much happiness…We have a chance to learn, the possibility of attaining something…we must earn for ourselves”. In this Humanitarian forum, students will actively engage in a hands-on workshop exploring the basic principles of Humanitarian Law by creating their own dramatic and written responses to scenarios similar to war. Through analyzing the ten points of Humanitarian law, students will have the opportunity to discuss issues together, discover the dilemmas people face, ponder their own choices, and explore the ethical and humanitarian issues that arise during armed conflicts. This presentation describes an engaged learning pedagogy relevant to genocide studies and social justice based on the principles of Humanitarian Law. By illustrating the crucial relationship of open dialogue within a diverse learning community, this presentation defines the importance of student’s active engagement in humanitarian and social justice studies as a means of peaceful resistance against chaos, conflict and genocide.
3:30-4:00 PM Emily Michel Warren Enters Theatre- Upton Hall
MY NAME IS HATE
HRC Art and Writing Contest Best in Show, Emily Michel will read her award winning poem, followed a short discussion with the participants.
Introduced by: Lillian Gerstman- Holocaust Resource Center
4:00-5:10 PM Andrew Beiter and Warren Enters Theatre- Upton Hall
Springville Students for Human Rights
Ripples of Hope: Profiles of People Who Have Changed the World
The students will perform monologues, music, dance and poetry, all of which is designed to inspire their audience to repair the world. The piece performed by Springville Middle and High School students recreates the lives of historic and current human rights defenders.
4:00-5:10 PM Kevin Cottrell Flexible Theatre- Donald Savage
The Underground Railroad: Buffalo’s American Experience
The Underground Railroad, a secret network that helped to shepherd people to safety in the north and the south was similar to the network that helped Anne Frank and so many other Jews during WWII. Mr. Cottrell will discuss the role of the Underground Railroad and its presence here in Buffalo, NY.
5:15-7:15 PM Dr. Ricky Fleming Warren Enters Theatre- Upton Hall
A Soldier’s Tale
“A Soldier Tale” or Histoire du Soldat was written in 1918 to be read, played and danced, set to music by Igor Stravinsky. The original story was based on a Russian folk tale, written in French by the Swiss writer C.F. Ramuz. The libretto was about a soldier who trades his fiddle to the devil for a book that could predict the future. However, this performance will feature a later version of the libretto that is set in World War II. This version written by Kurt Vonnegut, chronicles the arrest, court martial and execution of an American soldier named Eddie Solvik. Eddie Solvik refused to take part in the war as he felt that it was hazardous to his health. The story really shows what lengths a person will go to stand up for what he or she believes in, even if it means death. The music was written for a septet as to compensate for the lack of players available during World War I.
7:15-8:00 PM Carl Wilkens Warren Enters Theatre- Upton Hall
A Dialogue with Carl Wilkens author of I’m Not Leaving
8:00-10:00 PM Joseph Price Warren Enters Theatre- Upton Hall
Ensemble Theater Class
I’m Not Leaving WORLD PREMIER
I’m Not Leaving, World Premier is a play based on a manuscript of the same title by Carl Wilkens. Mr. Wilkens was the only American to remain in Rwanda during the 1994 genocide. The Ensemble Theatre class has devised a theater piece based on the manuscript that looks at the genocide through the lens of Carl’s experience. The piece is presented with the hope that the understanding the audience and performers reach, might lead to a more just and tolerant world where genocide and exclusion have no place. The play seeks to create a bond between the audience and Carl. If the audience is moved by Carl’s acts of heroism and develops a relationship with Carl through his story perhaps we can live the words of Anne Frank: “Despite everything, I believe that people are really good at heart.”
Ongoing Event:
Sept. 12-16, 2011 Gary L. Wolfe Czurles-Nelson Gallery, Upton Hall
Vulnerability and the Child Within
THE ANNE FRANK PROJECT OUR SHARED HUMANITY:LOOKING INWARD
THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 15, 2011
9:00-10:30 AM Panel Discussion Warren Enters Theatre- Upton Hall
Defining the Role of Social Justice
Ronnie Podolefsky
Sophia Veffer- Holocaust Resource Center
10:50AM-12:05PM Carl Wlikens Warren Enters Theatre- Upton Hall
A Dialogue with Carl Wilkens
Thurs. September 15, 2011 Continued…
Thurs. September 15, 2011 Continued…
10:50AM-12:05PM Peter Weisenberger Flexible Theatre- Donald Savage
Peter’s Mission: The Power of Hope
Peter’s Mission is a one person performance/lecture with the purpose of lifting up the healing and motivation power to HOPE for people enduring the journey of treatment for brain tumors, brain cancer and other life threatening illnesses. Engaging the audience through poignant storytelling, humor, and original music, the piece weaves together noises of patients, medical professionals, therapists, faith-based counselors, and care givers along with Peter’s own experiences.
The story addresses a spectrum of topics: from the startling marginalization of the cancer patient population; to igniting advocacy for and by patients and families to education patients about navigating the medical, emotional, and physical aspects of diagnosis and treatment. While empowering pertinent professionals to listen generously, Peter seeks to unite all parties remaining focused on the humanity of treatment and supporting healing beyond the science. It is an honest, funny, raw experience that brings to light the devastating effects and meaningful gifts of living with disease. Ultimately Peter’s Mission inspires us all to live life to the fullest.
10:50AM-12:05PM Dr. Gloria Zemer Savage 209
Business As A Good Citizen
On September 13, 1970, Milton Friedman asked “What does it mean to say that ‘business’ has responsibilities? Only people can have responsibilities. A corporation is an artificial person and in this sense may have artificial responsibilities, but ‘business’ as a whole cannot be said to have responsibilities, even in the vague sense.” What is business but a collective group of people organizing to accomplish greater outcomes together than they could have alone? How is it that more of us assembled around a purpose have less responsibility as a working community than would be expected of any of us as individual good citizens? Corporate finance ideology and practices would still have society believe that the primary goal and guiding decision making philosophy of a corporation should be to cling to the failed virtues of shareholder wealth value maximization regardless of the costs to contributors, customers, the government the environment or social justice. Because “only people can have responsibilities” it behooves good citizens to challenge the “artificial” constructs that induce individuals to act independent of their values, by design. Acting as good citizens demands that we bring our dimensional humanity to work, redefine our business ethics, align our collective interests and communal wellbeing for sustainable and economical gain.
10:50AM-12:05PM Janice Carello Campbell Student Union Social Hall
The Classroom as Community: Using Writing Across the Curriculum to Help Heal the Trauma of Intolerance, Bias and Genocide
The writings of Anne Frank demonstrate the power of writing to heal individuals and communities. They also demonstrate the power of writing to restore hope. In this workshop, we will discuss the implications of trauma and explore the use of writing across the curriculum to heal- to empower- individuals and communities, to fill them with courage and to make them strong again. We will also explore the concepts of revictimization and vicarious trauma and share strategies for minimizing risk.
10:50AM-12:05PM Aimable Twagilimana Campbell Student Union Assembly Hall
Looking Inward: Primo Levi’s The Drowned and the Saved and Us
In the testimony of his imprisonment in Auschwitz, Primo Levi offers an intellectual interpretation of univers concentrationnaire. In The Drowned and the Saved, for example, Primo Levi, a Holocaust survivor, seeks to avoid the Manichaean logic and its oversimplification of the categories involved and instead argues that all kinds of opposites constantly collide. He calls the space created by the camp a “gray zone,” a place “where the two camps of masters and servants both diverge and converge. This gray zone possesses an incredibly complicate internal structure and contains within itself enough to confuse our need to judge” (42). In Professor Twagilimana’s intervention, he will explore the contours of that space and how it helps us as contemporary witnesses of history to understand the human social construct in a situation that Maurice Blanchot has called “disaster.” Primo Levi reflects on the process by which ordinary men (like ourselves) are susceptible to participate in evil schemes, leading us to consider what role we as individuals can play when faced with situations of intolerance, bias and genocide. Are we really likely to turn into “dangerous men,” as Levi suggests in Afterword, in which he argues that “monsters exist, but they are too few in number to be truly dangerous? More dangerous are the common men?” Following the presentation, the audience will be asked to reflect on Primo Levi’s idea of “dangerous men” and the Anne Frank quote, ”despite everything, I believe that people are really good at heart.”
12:05-1:30 PM Lunch (Academic Convocation Rockwell Hall is not part of AFP 2011)
1:40-2:55 PM Dr. Charles Bachman Warren Enters Theatre- Upton Hall
Love and Cohesion versus Hatred and Enmity in Native American Traditional Stories
Dr. Bachman will tell three Native American traditional stories. Each of the stories relates to the title and the importance of caritas, charity within a community. A discussion will follow each story asking the participants what ethical/spiritual lessons can be gleaned from the tale.
“The Enemy
“Poia” (Scarface) "
“Hodadenon, or the Last One Left”
1:40-2:55 PM Dr. Allen Podet Campbell Student Union Social Hall
The Seductive Power of Evil
What makes evil seductive? How does a whole, sophisticated culture embrace death? When today’s terrorists proclaim that the United States seeks life whereas they seek death, what forces are at work here? What motivates a suicide bomber? Anne Frank wrote, “ In spite of everything I still believe that people are really good at heart.”
1:40-2:55 PM Dr. Dolores Battle Campbell Student Union Assembly Hall
Our Shared Humanity: What Genocide, Holocaust, and Natural Disasters Have Taught the World about Persons with Disabilities
This presentation will provide an historical overview of disability in the world including the German Holocaust and as a result of genocide in Rwanda and the earthquake in Haiti and how they re-define cultural attitudes for social justice toward persons with disability.
The first World Report on Disability from the World Health Organization as well as video clips from persons with disabilities from developing countries will be presented. The presentation will include opportunities for questions and discussion by participants.
1:40-2:55 PM Jennifer Arroyo Savage 209
Genocidio: Not Just Physical Death
“I simply can’t build my hopes on a foundation of confusion, misery and death….I think peace and tranquility will return again.” Anne Frank
This presentation will take a look at the local Social Welfare System. Historically, the Welfare System is thought to be set up as a way for people to succeed given a little assistance. Over the years the perception of seeking this assistance has become taboo; those in the “system” being poor, drug addicts, alcoholics or people who are scamming because they are ‘too lazy” to work. We will explore the stereotypes placed on the Lower West Side ofBuffalo, which is predominately Hispanic and take a closer look at the system which is supposed to be helping, but rather does nothing more than perpetuate the financial genocide of the people already so far below the poverty line that they cannot see above it. We will look at the issues of stigma, language barriers, myths about Public Assistance and double standards and what social reforms are needed for this population to find peace and tranquility.
3:00-5:00 Warren Enters Theatre- Upton Hall Warren Enters Theatre- Upton Hall
of Erie and Niagara Counties, Inc.
UNSEEN TEARS
Native American families in Western New York continue to feel the impact of the Thomas Indian School and the Mohawk Institute. Survivors speak of traumatic separation from their families, abuse, and a systematic assault on their language and culture. Western New York Native American communities are presently attempting to heal the wounds and break the cycle inter-generational trauma resulting from the boarding school experience. Unseen Tears documents testimonies of boarding school survivors, their families, and social service providers.
5:00-6:00 PM Panel Discussion Warren Enters Theatre- Upton Hall The American Experience
Peter Hill- Native American Community Service of Erie and Niagara Counties
Michael Martin- Native American Community Service of Erie and Niagara Counties
Raul Neira- Associate Professor, Modern and Classical Languages, Buffalo State College
Ruchatneet Printup- Native American Community Services of Erie and Niagara Counties
6:00-9:00 PM Native American Social Dance Campbell Student Union- Social Hall
Native American Community Service Of Erie and Niagara Counties, Inc.
Catering Class- Hospitality and Tourism Department, BSC
Ongoing Event:
Sept. 12-16, 2011 Gary L. Wolfe Czurles-Nelson Gallery, Upton Hall
Vulnerability and the Child Within
THE ANNE FRANK PROJECT OUR SHARED HUMANITY:LOOKING INWARD
FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 16, 2011
9:00- 10:50 AM Panel Discussion- Warren Enters Theatre- Upton Hall
Expressing Community
Victor Habinshuti-
Michele Ninacs- College Writing Program, Buffalo State College
Deborah Renzi- Social Work Department, Buffalo State College
11:00-11:50 AM Tara Hark Flexible Theatre- Donald Savage
Women Behind Closed Doors
“ Women should be respected as well! Men are held in great esteem in all parts of the world, but how many people look upon women too as soldiers? Women, who struggle and suffer pain to ensure the continuation of the human race, make much tougher and more courageous soldiers than all those big-mouthed freedom-fighting heroes put together!” This presentation is about raising awareness of domestic violence, which is happening every moment here in America. Domestic violence is the genocide of millions of spirits here. American women and children’s lives are destroyed because of these incidents. Using different pieces of clothing a altering her voice and physicality, Ms. Hark will present aspects of domestic violence. A talkback will follow this performance/lecture.
11:00-11:50 AM Dr. Scott Johnson Butler Library 210
Dismantling Privilege to Create Community
One of the perplexing questions of the Holocaust, American enslavement, and other episodes of genocide is that question of how the “good people” of the time were swept into systems built on oppression and death of so many. This presentation hypothesizes that the distance between privileged coexistence and systems of explicit oppression is not as far as we would like to believe. Privilege represents social beliefs or practices that uphold particular cultures and our world views as normal or human. Privilege forces those outside these paradigms to adapt or risk marginalization. Many current manifestations of social inequality are echoes of historical injustices, and although less explicit and powerful, they continue to impact contemporary life. Dismantling privilege remains a significant challenge for those who seek to create a just and equal world. This workshop will provide an understanding of privilege, how it works, and ways to combat it.
11:00-11:50 AM Dr. Bill Ganley Butler Library 208
The Culture of Economics and the Topic of Genocide
Among the social scientists, economists appear to have the greatest intellectual phobia regarding the study of genocides; that is to say there are almost no studies of genocide by economists in the modern era. This presentation will explore the causes in the gap of economic analysis of genocide by economists. It will also attempt to identify the relationship between economic conditions and acts of genocide. The latter will be derived from existing case studies of genocide.
11:00-11:50 AM Fajri Ansari Savage 209
Islam: Basic Principles and Core Values
Islam embraces the sacredness of each human life and the connection to family. There are many misconceptions of Islam regarding war, “jihad”, suicide, the treatment of women and much more. Mr. Ansari will use verses from Qur’an and sayings of Prophet Muhammad that share the genuine love for life and humanity to connect to quotes from Anne Frank, for example, “I don’t want to live in vain like most people. I want to be useful or bring enjoyment to all people, even those I never met. I want to go on living even after my death.”
12:00-1:30 PM Ntare Ali Gault Warren Enters Theatre- Upton Hall
Erika Haygood
Njozi Poets
The Njozi Poets have been performing throughout the country for over 12 years inspiring audiences.
“ I simply can’t build my hopes on a foundation of confusion, misery and death…I think….peace and tranquility will return again.” Anne Frank. This quote expresses the hope that whatever confusion or turmoil one may experience, peace is still possible. Erika Haygood, witnessed the 9/11 terrorist attacks in 2001. As brutal as the attack was Ms. Haygood birthed poetry of hope.
Ntare Ali Gault uses his real life family stories, weaving them into poetry that people of all backgrounds can relate to. Using both of his grandmothers’ stories, his poetry connects historical narratives to present challenges today. Taken together, the poets presentations will undoubtedly stimulate an open discussion with audience members and provide a forum where peace and tranquility can truly commence.
12:00-12:50 PM Alysha Reller Flexible Theatre- Donald Savage
Apathy and the New American Gods
Anne Frank wrote, “The final forming of a person’s character lies in their own hands.” Does this statement hold true in modern America? In this discussion, the speaker will use the novel American Gods by Neil Gaiman and historical discussion to present her philosophy, which describes how America’s cultural identity has decayed, leaving it a cultureless nation, which remains willfully ignorant of genocide.
12:00-12:50 PM Clayton Adams Butler Library 210
Bystanders/Bullying/Passive-Active Collaboration/Genocide
We will be viewing the film “Auschwitz: If You Cried You Died,” which chronicles two Holocaust survivors. This is not just a German issue, but a human and historical one. Following the film Mr. Adams will discuss how being a bystander leads to passive collaboration. How are the new social media contributing to and adding new dimensions these problems? Unless you do something to stop it, the evil will ultimately consume you as well.
12:00-12:50 PM Amitra Wall Butler Library 208
Joseph Marren
Susan Paige
Redefining the “Soldiers” of Social Justice
Framing and bias have shaped our understanding of history. Because of this, there are a variety of definitions of social justice. However, a common definition of advocates, or heroes, for social justice exists across North American society. This shared definition of heroes suggests that it is the men, such as Martin Luther King, Jr., Nelson Mandela, and Mahatma Gandhi, who are to be held in great esteem. There is no doubt that these great men are deserving of the honor bestowed to them. The presenters, like Anne Frank, question why women are not branded in our collective consciousness. Anne Frank states, “Women should be respected as well! Generally speaking, men are held in great esteem in all parts of the world, so why shouldn’t women have their share? Soldiers and war heroes are honored and commemorated, explorers are granted immortal fame, martyrs are revered, but how many people look upon women too as soldiers?” The purpose of this presentation is to honor and brand less-known women “soldiers” in our collective consciousness. The women highlighted in the presentation are due commemoration as they made sure that rights are promoted and protected. Through audience participation, attendees will identify and describe the women “soldiers” in their lives.
12:00-12:50 PM Julia Bottoms Savage 209
Art: A Healing Mechanism and Vehicle for Societal Change
Anne Frank writes that we live in a world that requires interaction. Sometimes those interactions leave us changed for the better and sometimes they leave us with scars. This workshop will teach the participants to see humanity through Anne’s eyes, a positive outlook. We will use art as a means of expressing our wounds, working toward healing them and using what we have experienced to promote tolerance and understanding in our society. Participants will engage in creating visual art as a way of interpreting discrimination/hatred and expressing forgiveness and implementing change.
1:00-1:50 PM Candace Masters Flexible Theatre- Donald Savage
Find Your Moments
Ms. Masters will perform spoken word, developed from quotes and anecdotes she has gathered, in front of a display of artworks that she has created. These works are conceptually based on notions of how compassion, human understanding and tolerance are fostered through family and immediate community relationships. There will be question and answer discussion following the performance.
1:00-1:50 PM Marc Rummenie Butler Library 208
Merritt Weisenburger
Rev. Jeff Carter
Violence and Oppression in Everyday America
Echoing Anne Frank’s belief that “the final forming of a person’s character lies in their own hands”, this workshop examines the links between violence and oppression, and the role of the individual in ending both. Violence and oppression exist on a continuum of behavior; they are cyclical in nature, and much of the messaging that leads to these are rarely analyzed or questioned. We will explore how thoughts and beliefs on difference are influenced and formed, how those become behavior, and how we influence the thoughts, beliefs and actions of others. We will discuss the stereotypes and prejudices that are at the heart of violent and/or oppressive behavior. We will work to empower participants to examine the messages they have received, how those messages have affected them and how they can establish their own outlook on difference and work to end the violence and oppression that exist inAmerica today.
1:00-1:50 PM Michele Ninacs Savage 209
Dialogue As A Key to Social Justice
According to M. M. Bakhtin, all existence is a dialogic exchange. For Bakhtin, all must take responsibility for their part in the dialogue. No individual can opt out of their responsibility to answer for their own participation in their moments of Being. Bakhtin refers to this as there being no alibi for Being, akin to Anne Frank’s belief that “The final forming of a person’s character lies in their own hands.” Bakhtin also argues that our unique contributions to existence are a part of an ongoing dialogue that has taken place throughout the history of man. Our dialogue is never ending, thus allowing us all to continue doing our parts to form a more socially just reality. For those engaged in dialogue in 2011, this means that every individual in existence, hence every voice is a contribution. No one can opt out. Each individual, whether willingly or not, whether intentionally or not, nonetheless does their part in construction present and future reality. In order to live ethical lives, each individual must be conscious of their contribution to the dialogue, thereby taking responsibility for their part in creating the world in which we live.
2:00 PM CLOSING CEREMONY Campbell Student Union
What Would Anne Think A Moment of Reflection
Comments- Carol Townsend
Drumming- Tiffany Nicely
Remarks: Drew Kahn- Director, The Anne Frank Project
Hope Festival!- Singing, Dancing and Community Celebration
“WE”
Song written for AFP by Lee Becker and Griffin Smith
Verse 1: Bridge:
Awake truth from eternal slumber There is so much more.
Aren’t we all one of the other? There is so much more.
A thirst for change, cries heard ring We are the world.
Seize the light each sunrise brings.
Yeah
Oh Oh Oh Oh Chorus:
Oh Oh Oh Oh Our shared humanity
You exist in me
Verse 2: Action is simply choice
Rid yourself of limitation Opportunity in your voice
Imaginary is what lines a nation. Unknown potential,
Untie the blindfold, wrapped up mind The truth unfurl.
We need not wait, now’s the time. We are the world.
Yeah
Oh Oh Oh Oh
Oh Oh Oh Oh
Ongoing Events and Programs:
September 12-16, 2011 Czurles-Nelson Gallery, Upton Hall
Gary L. Wolfe Vulnerability and the Child Within
September 14-16, 2011 Bacon Art Gallery, Upton Hall
Jacquelyn O’Brien The Anne Frank Tree Lives On!
Tina Rott
September 14-16, 201 Rockwell Hall 22
A’Keitha Carey International Dance Opportunities and Talkbacks
Carlos Jones
Leanne Rinelli
Session Times:
Wed. September 14, 2011- 11:00 AM-12:15 PM and 2:00-3:15 PM
Thur. September 15, 2011- 10:50 AM-12:05 PM and 1:40-2:55 PM
Fri. September 16, 2011- 11:00 AM-12:45 PM and 1:00-2:00 PM
Welcome: Dr. Aaron Podolefsky- President, Buffalo State College
AFP 2011: Looking Inward: Drew Kahn- Director, The Anne Frank Project
Keynote Speaker: Hope Azeda
Panel Discussion- Employing the Arts For Social Justice:
Hope Azeda- Mashirika Creative and Performing Arts Group
Carole Karemera- ISHYO Performing Arts Center
Nadia Nikwaya- ISHYO Performing Arts Center
Gary Wolfe- Artist
11:00-11:50 AM Carl Wilkens Warren Enters Theatre- Upton Hall
A Dialogue with Carl Wilkens
11:00-11:50 AM Alice Pennisi Flexible Theatre- Donald Savage
Vigilant Questioning & Compassionate Imagining
“Why do people have to starve when mountains of food are rotting away in other parts of the world?” Anne Frank
Alice Pennisi has accompanied students on international educational trips in the hope of challenging the insular perspective so often found in American culture. How might international student travel encourage vigilant questioning and compassionate imagining in student on their return? How might students’ experiences provide a foundation of the practice of social justice?
We will discuss two such trips; one to Thailand with graduate students and the other to Ireland with undergraduate students. Students’ visual/textual journals, visual artwork and interview commentary will be presented and discussed in terms of how they reflect cross-cultural perceptions that expand students’ understandings of the world.
11:00-11:50 AM Amy Fleischauer Butler Library 210
Shea Post, M.Ed.
Trafficking and Domestic Violence in the Western NY Immigrant Community
This presentation will examine the extraordinary barriers that immigrant victims face when seeking safely from exploitive/dangerous situations. Like all of us, immigrants are pursuing self determination and happiness, yet they are challenged by factors of which the vast majority of native born Americans are not cognizant. In order to fully understand the nature of these barriers, the presentation will provide basic information on human trafficking and domestic violence as it is legally defined and exists within the Western NY immigrant community. Additionally, the presentation will address how to effectively engage this population, in order to support these victims in pursuing safety and self determination. Looking Inward, we will see how both individuals and organizations contribute to these problems and can work toward alleviating the barriers that victims face when seeking safety. Every individual has the power to contribute to social change and assist in the eradication of these inhumanities: “We all live with the objective of being happy; our lives are all different and yet the same. “ Anne Frank
11:00-11:50 AM Robert Heffern Butler Library 208
Sylvia Schwartz
Teaching the Holocaust
Historical background of the Holocaust, 1933-1945; rationale for teaching the Holocaust-what did we learn from it? One thing is that we should not be “bystanders” to evil, injustices and intolerance. It is important to note that even at the present time there are numerous examples of extremism and intolerance, for example, against immigrants in this country. The Southern Poverty Law Center has reported on numerous hate groups in the United States which will be shared at this session. As bad as the Holocaust was at the time, it is important that we learn from it and the applicability of its’ lessons to today.
Founded in 1983, the Holocaust Resource Center of Buffalo is committed to heightening public awareness, knowledge and understanding of the Holocaust. This is achieved through documentation and personal testimony of local Holocaust survivors, through the education of future generations, and through a wide-range of in-service workshops, along with the distribution and loan of educational materials for teachers. A Distance Learning full-semester course is offered by the Holocaust Resource Center through Erie 1 and Erie 2 BOCES. A comprehensive library of books, videos and DVDs are available for loan at no charge.
The mission of the Holocaust Resource Center of Buffalo is to:
~Remember the Victims
~Honor the Survivors
~Educate the Community
12:00-12:50 PM LUNCH
1:00-1:50 PM Sophia Veffer Warren Enters Theatre- Upton Hall
From Bullying to Hate Crimes, to the Holocaust, to Genocide: Can The Anne Frank Project Change a Bystander Into an Involved Citizen?
The Anne Frank Project offers an analytical approach to the causes of discrimination, hate crimes, the Holocaust and Genocides through the words of Anne Frank and lessons learned from the history of societies, where annihilation of large segments of the civilian populations became the norm of justice and government policies. Every genocide, including the Holocaust, requires three groups of participants: The Victims, The Perpetrators and the Bystanders. Of the three groups, the Bystanders are the most dangerous and the most numerous, because they enable the Perpetrators to commit these crimes.
Using Anne Frank’s words, we educate young people from kindergarten through college that discrimination and hate crimes are detrimental in achieving a peaceful Global Society. Our Shared Humanity Has No Room for Bystanders.
1:00-1:50 PM Vincent Pontillo Flexible Theatre- Donald Savage
Unity
For this performance, Vincent will use the decaying state of an architectural form as a metaphor paralleling the struggle to ultimately become more human. Constructed of a series of steel beams (3.5’-8’ tall) and recycled plastic, this piece confronts the viewer with no specific viewing area. The participants may walk around the work as it progresses. Initially, the viewers will have no clear perception of the dancers’ movements until they begin to press outward against the plastic form. Eventually, dancers work their way outside; they will begin ripping down the sheets of plastic in which they will wrap themselves, each other and invite the audience to become involved. In this art/performance work Vincent states that we can all carry the voice of hope and change using the words of Anne Frank; “The final forming of a person’s character lies in their own hands.”
1:00-1:50 PM Andrew Wheelock Butler Library 210
Understanding the Holocaust Through Virtual Worlds
This presentation will give participants an overview of our Understanding of the Holocaust project. Using Virtual Environment technology (Reaction Grid) we have created a virtual replica of the Anne Frank secret annex that students are able to walk through as an avatar and complete ELA/World History content assessments. Their final assignment is to create an exhibit for our virtual Holocaust Museum.
1:00-1:50 PM Modupe Akin-Deko Savage 209 from 1:00-2:30
Brad Brown
Joan McCool
Tools to Overcome Being a Bystander When a Member of our Community is At Risk--- “What is QPR?”
The Counseling Center seeks to build community investment in recognizing and responding to people in distress. You can be one of the trained members of our community!
If you notice signs of depression or distress in another person, use these simple steps to Question, Persuade and Refer them to help and support. QPR stands for Question, Persuade, and Refer -- 3 simple steps that anyone can learn to help save a life from suicide. Just as people trained in CPR and the Heimlich Maneuver help save thousands of lives each year, people trained in QPR learn how to recognize the warning signs of a suicide crisis and how to question, persuade, and refer someone to help. Each year thousands of Americans, like you, are saying "Yes" to saving the life of a friend, colleague, sibling, or neighbor. This is a community-based intervention to learn positive ways to be active, prevent suicide, and to build a community of support. Come learn the skills to “do something” to help our community take care of each other.
2:00-2:50 PM Dr. Benjamin Christy Flexible Seat Theatre- Donald Savage
David Landry
Predictions of the End of Time: A Performance of Clarinet and Poetry
This is an interdisciplinary performance piece, highlighting a synergistic range of creative expression through a blend of poetry and music. The poetry, created by David Landry, explores political events, social issues and complication facets of human nature that make the world a complex and difficult place. The complimentary music was composed for unaccompanied clarinet by Igor Stravinsky, Olivier Messian, Willson Osborne, Leslie Bassett and Bela Kovacs. Two vibrant languages converge in a wash of verbal and sonorous images and emotions that illuminate the paradoxical conflict of hopelessness and hope in the human condition. The title of the twenty-five minute presentation is derived from the famous “Quartet for the End of Time” composed by Messian during his interment in a German prison camp during World War II, in which the “Abyss of the Birds” is performed by solo clarinet.
2:00-2:50 PM Gabriella Moreno Rockwell Quad
Underspoken Blaze
This performance is a “Poetical” which is based on the evolution of thought and feeling of a person who is being victimized. Inspired by the experience of the Rwandan Genocide survivor, Immaculeé Ilibagiza and Anne Frank’s writing “..a person’s character lies in their own hands” inspired by her father’s teachings, this piece embodies a journey through anger and defeat to an ideal destination of forgiveness and hope.
2:00-2:50 PM Dr. William Lin Butler Library 210
Perspectives from the Second Generation- Children of Survivors: A Personal Reflection on Revisiting Childhood Images Frozen in Time.
Mr. Lin’s parents survived the World War II Holocaust in Europe. Most of their families perished. He was born inPoland after the war. His family left Poland in 1957 when he was still a little boy.
In 2010 Bill visited Poland with his wife. During this session he will speak on memories from his very young childhood and experiences when visiting the place of his birth. The trip to Poland offered opportunity for reflection about relatively recent historical events, the destruction of communities, personal tragedies and the other WWII holocaust devastations which are still being documented. With the dwindling number of Holocaust survivors succeeding generations have a role to play in keeping stories and memories alive and exploring the relevance of the Holocaust in relation to current events.
2:00-2:50 PM Irene Sipos Butler Library 208
Facing Light, Facing Darkness
Author, Chris Abani, recently read from his moving essay, “Ethics and Narrative: The Human and Other” at JustBuffalo Literary Center’s Babel Series. He asks his audience to “look inward” at the “personal” level in a world filled with seemingly arbitrary violation of human dignity, civil rights, and life itself. His perspective includes being jailed several times. The first arrest was as a result of a play he had written at the age of sixteen. He has witnessed, and been victim of, unspeakable violence and torture. As a survivor, who now is a professor at the University ofCalifornia, Riverside, he embodies the paradox we all face: How do we achieve a balance that allows us to embrace and love our lives AND to be witnesses who do not stand silently, nor become cynical in the face of human suffering? This is a personal struggle for all human beings who are socially and politically aware. Ms. Sipos will read excerpts from this essay and lead a discussion around the issues raised in the writing.
3:00-3:50 PM Brian Gabel Flexible Theatre- Donald Savage
Songs of Genocide
Anne Frank wrote, “ And finally I twist my heart round again, so that the bad is on the outside and the good is on the inside, and keep on trying to find a way of becoming what I would so like to be, and could be, if there weren’t any other people living in the world.” This conveys turning human indignity and evils inside out to find what good can come out of it. Music is one of the many ways in which stories and human history can be expressed in a meaningful way. Brian will be performing several of his own compositions that express this theme. The audience will be encouraged to sing along and participate in a discussion following each song, exploring the meaning of each piece and how that can inspire others to make positive changes.
3:00-3:50 PM Mary Jane Masiulionis Butler Library 208
A New Frontier in Humanitarian Pedagogy: Democracy, Social Justice and Action in Education
College has historically been regarded as one of the fundamental cultural institutions whose responsibility is preparing students for involved citizenship in democracy and social justice. This premise is what Anne Frank speaks about in her diary when she states, “We have all reason to hope for much happiness…We have a chance to learn, the possibility of attaining something…we must earn for ourselves”. In this Humanitarian forum, students will actively engage in a hands-on workshop exploring the basic principles of Humanitarian Law by creating their own dramatic and written responses to scenarios similar to war. Through analyzing the ten points of Humanitarian law, students will have the opportunity to discuss issues together, discover the dilemmas people face, ponder their own choices, and explore the ethical and humanitarian issues that arise during armed conflicts. This presentation describes an engaged learning pedagogy relevant to genocide studies and social justice based on the principles of Humanitarian Law. By illustrating the crucial relationship of open dialogue within a diverse learning community, this presentation defines the importance of student’s active engagement in humanitarian and social justice studies as a means of peaceful resistance against chaos, conflict and genocide.
3:30-4:00 PM Emily Michel Warren Enters Theatre- Upton Hall
MY NAME IS HATE
HRC Art and Writing Contest Best in Show, Emily Michel will read her award winning poem, followed a short discussion with the participants.
Introduced by: Lillian Gerstman- Holocaust Resource Center
4:00-5:10 PM Andrew Beiter and Warren Enters Theatre- Upton Hall
Springville Students for Human Rights
Ripples of Hope: Profiles of People Who Have Changed the World
The students will perform monologues, music, dance and poetry, all of which is designed to inspire their audience to repair the world. The piece performed by Springville Middle and High School students recreates the lives of historic and current human rights defenders.
4:00-5:10 PM Kevin Cottrell Flexible Theatre- Donald Savage
The Underground Railroad: Buffalo’s American Experience
The Underground Railroad, a secret network that helped to shepherd people to safety in the north and the south was similar to the network that helped Anne Frank and so many other Jews during WWII. Mr. Cottrell will discuss the role of the Underground Railroad and its presence here in Buffalo, NY.
5:15-7:15 PM Dr. Ricky Fleming Warren Enters Theatre- Upton Hall
A Soldier’s Tale
“A Soldier Tale” or Histoire du Soldat was written in 1918 to be read, played and danced, set to music by Igor Stravinsky. The original story was based on a Russian folk tale, written in French by the Swiss writer C.F. Ramuz. The libretto was about a soldier who trades his fiddle to the devil for a book that could predict the future. However, this performance will feature a later version of the libretto that is set in World War II. This version written by Kurt Vonnegut, chronicles the arrest, court martial and execution of an American soldier named Eddie Solvik. Eddie Solvik refused to take part in the war as he felt that it was hazardous to his health. The story really shows what lengths a person will go to stand up for what he or she believes in, even if it means death. The music was written for a septet as to compensate for the lack of players available during World War I.
7:15-8:00 PM Carl Wilkens Warren Enters Theatre- Upton Hall
A Dialogue with Carl Wilkens author of I’m Not Leaving
8:00-10:00 PM Joseph Price Warren Enters Theatre- Upton Hall
Ensemble Theater Class
I’m Not Leaving WORLD PREMIER
I’m Not Leaving, World Premier is a play based on a manuscript of the same title by Carl Wilkens. Mr. Wilkens was the only American to remain in Rwanda during the 1994 genocide. The Ensemble Theatre class has devised a theater piece based on the manuscript that looks at the genocide through the lens of Carl’s experience. The piece is presented with the hope that the understanding the audience and performers reach, might lead to a more just and tolerant world where genocide and exclusion have no place. The play seeks to create a bond between the audience and Carl. If the audience is moved by Carl’s acts of heroism and develops a relationship with Carl through his story perhaps we can live the words of Anne Frank: “Despite everything, I believe that people are really good at heart.”
Ongoing Event:
Sept. 12-16, 2011 Gary L. Wolfe Czurles-Nelson Gallery, Upton Hall
Vulnerability and the Child Within
THE ANNE FRANK PROJECT OUR SHARED HUMANITY:LOOKING INWARD
THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 15, 2011
9:00-10:30 AM Panel Discussion Warren Enters Theatre- Upton Hall
Defining the Role of Social Justice
Ronnie Podolefsky
Sophia Veffer- Holocaust Resource Center
10:50AM-12:05PM Carl Wlikens Warren Enters Theatre- Upton Hall
A Dialogue with Carl Wilkens
Thurs. September 15, 2011 Continued…
Thurs. September 15, 2011 Continued…
10:50AM-12:05PM Peter Weisenberger Flexible Theatre- Donald Savage
Peter’s Mission: The Power of Hope
Peter’s Mission is a one person performance/lecture with the purpose of lifting up the healing and motivation power to HOPE for people enduring the journey of treatment for brain tumors, brain cancer and other life threatening illnesses. Engaging the audience through poignant storytelling, humor, and original music, the piece weaves together noises of patients, medical professionals, therapists, faith-based counselors, and care givers along with Peter’s own experiences.
The story addresses a spectrum of topics: from the startling marginalization of the cancer patient population; to igniting advocacy for and by patients and families to education patients about navigating the medical, emotional, and physical aspects of diagnosis and treatment. While empowering pertinent professionals to listen generously, Peter seeks to unite all parties remaining focused on the humanity of treatment and supporting healing beyond the science. It is an honest, funny, raw experience that brings to light the devastating effects and meaningful gifts of living with disease. Ultimately Peter’s Mission inspires us all to live life to the fullest.
10:50AM-12:05PM Dr. Gloria Zemer Savage 209
Business As A Good Citizen
On September 13, 1970, Milton Friedman asked “What does it mean to say that ‘business’ has responsibilities? Only people can have responsibilities. A corporation is an artificial person and in this sense may have artificial responsibilities, but ‘business’ as a whole cannot be said to have responsibilities, even in the vague sense.” What is business but a collective group of people organizing to accomplish greater outcomes together than they could have alone? How is it that more of us assembled around a purpose have less responsibility as a working community than would be expected of any of us as individual good citizens? Corporate finance ideology and practices would still have society believe that the primary goal and guiding decision making philosophy of a corporation should be to cling to the failed virtues of shareholder wealth value maximization regardless of the costs to contributors, customers, the government the environment or social justice. Because “only people can have responsibilities” it behooves good citizens to challenge the “artificial” constructs that induce individuals to act independent of their values, by design. Acting as good citizens demands that we bring our dimensional humanity to work, redefine our business ethics, align our collective interests and communal wellbeing for sustainable and economical gain.
10:50AM-12:05PM Janice Carello Campbell Student Union Social Hall
The Classroom as Community: Using Writing Across the Curriculum to Help Heal the Trauma of Intolerance, Bias and Genocide
The writings of Anne Frank demonstrate the power of writing to heal individuals and communities. They also demonstrate the power of writing to restore hope. In this workshop, we will discuss the implications of trauma and explore the use of writing across the curriculum to heal- to empower- individuals and communities, to fill them with courage and to make them strong again. We will also explore the concepts of revictimization and vicarious trauma and share strategies for minimizing risk.
10:50AM-12:05PM Aimable Twagilimana Campbell Student Union Assembly Hall
Looking Inward: Primo Levi’s The Drowned and the Saved and Us
In the testimony of his imprisonment in Auschwitz, Primo Levi offers an intellectual interpretation of univers concentrationnaire. In The Drowned and the Saved, for example, Primo Levi, a Holocaust survivor, seeks to avoid the Manichaean logic and its oversimplification of the categories involved and instead argues that all kinds of opposites constantly collide. He calls the space created by the camp a “gray zone,” a place “where the two camps of masters and servants both diverge and converge. This gray zone possesses an incredibly complicate internal structure and contains within itself enough to confuse our need to judge” (42). In Professor Twagilimana’s intervention, he will explore the contours of that space and how it helps us as contemporary witnesses of history to understand the human social construct in a situation that Maurice Blanchot has called “disaster.” Primo Levi reflects on the process by which ordinary men (like ourselves) are susceptible to participate in evil schemes, leading us to consider what role we as individuals can play when faced with situations of intolerance, bias and genocide. Are we really likely to turn into “dangerous men,” as Levi suggests in Afterword, in which he argues that “monsters exist, but they are too few in number to be truly dangerous? More dangerous are the common men?” Following the presentation, the audience will be asked to reflect on Primo Levi’s idea of “dangerous men” and the Anne Frank quote, ”despite everything, I believe that people are really good at heart.”
12:05-1:30 PM Lunch (Academic Convocation Rockwell Hall is not part of AFP 2011)
1:40-2:55 PM Dr. Charles Bachman Warren Enters Theatre- Upton Hall
Love and Cohesion versus Hatred and Enmity in Native American Traditional Stories
Dr. Bachman will tell three Native American traditional stories. Each of the stories relates to the title and the importance of caritas, charity within a community. A discussion will follow each story asking the participants what ethical/spiritual lessons can be gleaned from the tale.
“The Enemy
“Poia” (Scarface) "
“Hodadenon, or the Last One Left”
1:40-2:55 PM Dr. Allen Podet Campbell Student Union Social Hall
The Seductive Power of Evil
What makes evil seductive? How does a whole, sophisticated culture embrace death? When today’s terrorists proclaim that the United States seeks life whereas they seek death, what forces are at work here? What motivates a suicide bomber? Anne Frank wrote, “ In spite of everything I still believe that people are really good at heart.”
1:40-2:55 PM Dr. Dolores Battle Campbell Student Union Assembly Hall
Our Shared Humanity: What Genocide, Holocaust, and Natural Disasters Have Taught the World about Persons with Disabilities
This presentation will provide an historical overview of disability in the world including the German Holocaust and as a result of genocide in Rwanda and the earthquake in Haiti and how they re-define cultural attitudes for social justice toward persons with disability.
The first World Report on Disability from the World Health Organization as well as video clips from persons with disabilities from developing countries will be presented. The presentation will include opportunities for questions and discussion by participants.
1:40-2:55 PM Jennifer Arroyo Savage 209
Genocidio: Not Just Physical Death
“I simply can’t build my hopes on a foundation of confusion, misery and death….I think peace and tranquility will return again.” Anne Frank
This presentation will take a look at the local Social Welfare System. Historically, the Welfare System is thought to be set up as a way for people to succeed given a little assistance. Over the years the perception of seeking this assistance has become taboo; those in the “system” being poor, drug addicts, alcoholics or people who are scamming because they are ‘too lazy” to work. We will explore the stereotypes placed on the Lower West Side ofBuffalo, which is predominately Hispanic and take a closer look at the system which is supposed to be helping, but rather does nothing more than perpetuate the financial genocide of the people already so far below the poverty line that they cannot see above it. We will look at the issues of stigma, language barriers, myths about Public Assistance and double standards and what social reforms are needed for this population to find peace and tranquility.
3:00-5:00 Warren Enters Theatre- Upton Hall Warren Enters Theatre- Upton Hall
of Erie and Niagara Counties, Inc.
UNSEEN TEARS
Native American families in Western New York continue to feel the impact of the Thomas Indian School and the Mohawk Institute. Survivors speak of traumatic separation from their families, abuse, and a systematic assault on their language and culture. Western New York Native American communities are presently attempting to heal the wounds and break the cycle inter-generational trauma resulting from the boarding school experience. Unseen Tears documents testimonies of boarding school survivors, their families, and social service providers.
5:00-6:00 PM Panel Discussion Warren Enters Theatre- Upton Hall The American Experience
Peter Hill- Native American Community Service of Erie and Niagara Counties
Michael Martin- Native American Community Service of Erie and Niagara Counties
Raul Neira- Associate Professor, Modern and Classical Languages, Buffalo State College
Ruchatneet Printup- Native American Community Services of Erie and Niagara Counties
6:00-9:00 PM Native American Social Dance Campbell Student Union- Social Hall
Native American Community Service Of Erie and Niagara Counties, Inc.
Catering Class- Hospitality and Tourism Department, BSC
Ongoing Event:
Sept. 12-16, 2011 Gary L. Wolfe Czurles-Nelson Gallery, Upton Hall
Vulnerability and the Child Within
THE ANNE FRANK PROJECT OUR SHARED HUMANITY:LOOKING INWARD
FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 16, 2011
9:00- 10:50 AM Panel Discussion- Warren Enters Theatre- Upton Hall
Expressing Community
Victor Habinshuti-
Michele Ninacs- College Writing Program, Buffalo State College
Deborah Renzi- Social Work Department, Buffalo State College
11:00-11:50 AM Tara Hark Flexible Theatre- Donald Savage
Women Behind Closed Doors
“ Women should be respected as well! Men are held in great esteem in all parts of the world, but how many people look upon women too as soldiers? Women, who struggle and suffer pain to ensure the continuation of the human race, make much tougher and more courageous soldiers than all those big-mouthed freedom-fighting heroes put together!” This presentation is about raising awareness of domestic violence, which is happening every moment here in America. Domestic violence is the genocide of millions of spirits here. American women and children’s lives are destroyed because of these incidents. Using different pieces of clothing a altering her voice and physicality, Ms. Hark will present aspects of domestic violence. A talkback will follow this performance/lecture.
11:00-11:50 AM Dr. Scott Johnson Butler Library 210
Dismantling Privilege to Create Community
One of the perplexing questions of the Holocaust, American enslavement, and other episodes of genocide is that question of how the “good people” of the time were swept into systems built on oppression and death of so many. This presentation hypothesizes that the distance between privileged coexistence and systems of explicit oppression is not as far as we would like to believe. Privilege represents social beliefs or practices that uphold particular cultures and our world views as normal or human. Privilege forces those outside these paradigms to adapt or risk marginalization. Many current manifestations of social inequality are echoes of historical injustices, and although less explicit and powerful, they continue to impact contemporary life. Dismantling privilege remains a significant challenge for those who seek to create a just and equal world. This workshop will provide an understanding of privilege, how it works, and ways to combat it.
11:00-11:50 AM Dr. Bill Ganley Butler Library 208
The Culture of Economics and the Topic of Genocide
Among the social scientists, economists appear to have the greatest intellectual phobia regarding the study of genocides; that is to say there are almost no studies of genocide by economists in the modern era. This presentation will explore the causes in the gap of economic analysis of genocide by economists. It will also attempt to identify the relationship between economic conditions and acts of genocide. The latter will be derived from existing case studies of genocide.
11:00-11:50 AM Fajri Ansari Savage 209
Islam: Basic Principles and Core Values
Islam embraces the sacredness of each human life and the connection to family. There are many misconceptions of Islam regarding war, “jihad”, suicide, the treatment of women and much more. Mr. Ansari will use verses from Qur’an and sayings of Prophet Muhammad that share the genuine love for life and humanity to connect to quotes from Anne Frank, for example, “I don’t want to live in vain like most people. I want to be useful or bring enjoyment to all people, even those I never met. I want to go on living even after my death.”
12:00-1:30 PM Ntare Ali Gault Warren Enters Theatre- Upton Hall
Erika Haygood
Njozi Poets
The Njozi Poets have been performing throughout the country for over 12 years inspiring audiences.
“ I simply can’t build my hopes on a foundation of confusion, misery and death…I think….peace and tranquility will return again.” Anne Frank. This quote expresses the hope that whatever confusion or turmoil one may experience, peace is still possible. Erika Haygood, witnessed the 9/11 terrorist attacks in 2001. As brutal as the attack was Ms. Haygood birthed poetry of hope.
Ntare Ali Gault uses his real life family stories, weaving them into poetry that people of all backgrounds can relate to. Using both of his grandmothers’ stories, his poetry connects historical narratives to present challenges today. Taken together, the poets presentations will undoubtedly stimulate an open discussion with audience members and provide a forum where peace and tranquility can truly commence.
12:00-12:50 PM Alysha Reller Flexible Theatre- Donald Savage
Apathy and the New American Gods
Anne Frank wrote, “The final forming of a person’s character lies in their own hands.” Does this statement hold true in modern America? In this discussion, the speaker will use the novel American Gods by Neil Gaiman and historical discussion to present her philosophy, which describes how America’s cultural identity has decayed, leaving it a cultureless nation, which remains willfully ignorant of genocide.
12:00-12:50 PM Clayton Adams Butler Library 210
Bystanders/Bullying/Passive-Active Collaboration/Genocide
We will be viewing the film “Auschwitz: If You Cried You Died,” which chronicles two Holocaust survivors. This is not just a German issue, but a human and historical one. Following the film Mr. Adams will discuss how being a bystander leads to passive collaboration. How are the new social media contributing to and adding new dimensions these problems? Unless you do something to stop it, the evil will ultimately consume you as well.
12:00-12:50 PM Amitra Wall Butler Library 208
Joseph Marren
Susan Paige
Redefining the “Soldiers” of Social Justice
Framing and bias have shaped our understanding of history. Because of this, there are a variety of definitions of social justice. However, a common definition of advocates, or heroes, for social justice exists across North American society. This shared definition of heroes suggests that it is the men, such as Martin Luther King, Jr., Nelson Mandela, and Mahatma Gandhi, who are to be held in great esteem. There is no doubt that these great men are deserving of the honor bestowed to them. The presenters, like Anne Frank, question why women are not branded in our collective consciousness. Anne Frank states, “Women should be respected as well! Generally speaking, men are held in great esteem in all parts of the world, so why shouldn’t women have their share? Soldiers and war heroes are honored and commemorated, explorers are granted immortal fame, martyrs are revered, but how many people look upon women too as soldiers?” The purpose of this presentation is to honor and brand less-known women “soldiers” in our collective consciousness. The women highlighted in the presentation are due commemoration as they made sure that rights are promoted and protected. Through audience participation, attendees will identify and describe the women “soldiers” in their lives.
12:00-12:50 PM Julia Bottoms Savage 209
Art: A Healing Mechanism and Vehicle for Societal Change
Anne Frank writes that we live in a world that requires interaction. Sometimes those interactions leave us changed for the better and sometimes they leave us with scars. This workshop will teach the participants to see humanity through Anne’s eyes, a positive outlook. We will use art as a means of expressing our wounds, working toward healing them and using what we have experienced to promote tolerance and understanding in our society. Participants will engage in creating visual art as a way of interpreting discrimination/hatred and expressing forgiveness and implementing change.
1:00-1:50 PM Candace Masters Flexible Theatre- Donald Savage
Find Your Moments
Ms. Masters will perform spoken word, developed from quotes and anecdotes she has gathered, in front of a display of artworks that she has created. These works are conceptually based on notions of how compassion, human understanding and tolerance are fostered through family and immediate community relationships. There will be question and answer discussion following the performance.
1:00-1:50 PM Marc Rummenie Butler Library 208
Merritt Weisenburger
Rev. Jeff Carter
Violence and Oppression in Everyday America
Echoing Anne Frank’s belief that “the final forming of a person’s character lies in their own hands”, this workshop examines the links between violence and oppression, and the role of the individual in ending both. Violence and oppression exist on a continuum of behavior; they are cyclical in nature, and much of the messaging that leads to these are rarely analyzed or questioned. We will explore how thoughts and beliefs on difference are influenced and formed, how those become behavior, and how we influence the thoughts, beliefs and actions of others. We will discuss the stereotypes and prejudices that are at the heart of violent and/or oppressive behavior. We will work to empower participants to examine the messages they have received, how those messages have affected them and how they can establish their own outlook on difference and work to end the violence and oppression that exist inAmerica today.
1:00-1:50 PM Michele Ninacs Savage 209
Dialogue As A Key to Social Justice
According to M. M. Bakhtin, all existence is a dialogic exchange. For Bakhtin, all must take responsibility for their part in the dialogue. No individual can opt out of their responsibility to answer for their own participation in their moments of Being. Bakhtin refers to this as there being no alibi for Being, akin to Anne Frank’s belief that “The final forming of a person’s character lies in their own hands.” Bakhtin also argues that our unique contributions to existence are a part of an ongoing dialogue that has taken place throughout the history of man. Our dialogue is never ending, thus allowing us all to continue doing our parts to form a more socially just reality. For those engaged in dialogue in 2011, this means that every individual in existence, hence every voice is a contribution. No one can opt out. Each individual, whether willingly or not, whether intentionally or not, nonetheless does their part in construction present and future reality. In order to live ethical lives, each individual must be conscious of their contribution to the dialogue, thereby taking responsibility for their part in creating the world in which we live.
2:00 PM CLOSING CEREMONY Campbell Student Union
What Would Anne Think A Moment of Reflection
Comments- Carol Townsend
Drumming- Tiffany Nicely
Remarks: Drew Kahn- Director, The Anne Frank Project
Hope Festival!- Singing, Dancing and Community Celebration
“WE”
Song written for AFP by Lee Becker and Griffin Smith
Verse 1: Bridge:
Awake truth from eternal slumber There is so much more.
Aren’t we all one of the other? There is so much more.
A thirst for change, cries heard ring We are the world.
Seize the light each sunrise brings.
Yeah
Oh Oh Oh Oh Chorus:
Oh Oh Oh Oh Our shared humanity
You exist in me
Verse 2: Action is simply choice
Rid yourself of limitation Opportunity in your voice
Imaginary is what lines a nation. Unknown potential,
Untie the blindfold, wrapped up mind The truth unfurl.
We need not wait, now’s the time. We are the world.
Yeah
Oh Oh Oh Oh
Oh Oh Oh Oh
Ongoing Events and Programs:
September 12-16, 2011 Czurles-Nelson Gallery, Upton Hall
Gary L. Wolfe Vulnerability and the Child Within
September 14-16, 2011 Bacon Art Gallery, Upton Hall
Jacquelyn O’Brien The Anne Frank Tree Lives On!
Tina Rott
September 14-16, 201 Rockwell Hall 22
A’Keitha Carey International Dance Opportunities and Talkbacks
Carlos Jones
Leanne Rinelli
Session Times:
Wed. September 14, 2011- 11:00 AM-12:15 PM and 2:00-3:15 PM
Thur. September 15, 2011- 10:50 AM-12:05 PM and 1:40-2:55 PM
Fri. September 16, 2011- 11:00 AM-12:45 PM and 1:00-2:00 PM
