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11th Annual Malcolm X Festival takes place next week at UNO

UNO’s Department of Black Studies is hosting its 11th annual Malcolm X Festival Wednesday, March 7th and Thursday, March 8th.

Peggy Jones, Assistant Professor in the Black Studies Department, says this year’s theme is “Juveniles and Justice: Law and the Prison Industrial Complex.”  She says the two-day event will feature a mix of presenters and topics, including poverty, youth and the law. 

Jones says Ameena Fort-Matthews is the guest speaker.  Fort-Matthews was featured in the documentary film, “The Interrupters.”

"The film focuses on a group called Cease Fire in Chicago.  They work to treat violence not as a moral issue, as in good or bad, but rather as a public health issue and try to stop the transmission of violence.”

Jones says all of the interrupters had been involved in gangs or other groups on the streets, but have since realized they’d rather positively affect their communities. Fort-Matthews will speak at 3:00 p.m. on Wednesday, March 7th

All Malcolm X Festival events take place in UNO’s Student Center and are held at no charge.  Details are available online at unomaha.edu/blst/malcolmx.php.