Park University Co-Hosting KC Area Peacebuilding Conference

August 25, 2020 — Park University and its Center for Global Peace Journalism, along with Johnson County (Kan.) Community College, are co-hosting the Greater Kansas City Peacebuilding Conference. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, this year’s conference, “Building Peace Through Social Justice,” will feature eight virtual presentations spread across three months.

This year’s conference will kick off on Wednesday, Sept. 9, at 2 p.m., with a session on “Partisan Media Narratives: Impeding Social Justice,” by Steve Youngblood, director of the CGPJ and associate professor of communication arts at Park University. Youngblood will look at how the media present partisan narratives about social justice issues, such as recent protest movements. He will also discuss how media can unite, instead of divide.

Additional sessions include:
          •  “Disinformation, Civil Rights Protests and Social Justice,” on Monday, Sept. 21, 1 p.m., by Lewis Diuguid, president, Kansas City Association of Black Journalists
          •  “Social Justice in South Asia: A Tradition of Resistance and Current Challenges,” on Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2 p.m., by Tamanna Salikuddin, director of South Asia programs, United States Institute of Peace
          •  “Solidarity Not Charity: Building Peace Through Mutual Aid and Faith Activism,” Wednesday, Nov. 4, noon, by Rev. Eric Garbison, director, Cherith Brook Catholic Worker House, Kansas City, Mo.
          •  “Comprehensive and Effective Approach to Black Lives Matter and Addressing the Needs of All Marginalized Communities,” Wednesday, Nov. 4, 1 p.m., by Rabbi Doug Alpert, Congregation Kol Ami, Kansas City, Mo.
          •  “The Pathology of American Racism: New Millennium Causes, Symptoms, Cures,” Thursday, Nov. 5, 11 a.m., by Rev. Vernon Howard Jr., D.Min., president, Southern Christian Leadership Conference of Greater Kansas City
          •  “Economic Mobility: A Framework to Achieve Health Parity,” Thursday, Nov. 5, 12:30 p.m., by Melissa Robinson, president, Black Health Care Coalition, and member of the Kansas City, Mo., City Council
          •  “Gun Violence,” Thursday, Nov. 5, 6 p.m., by Quinton Lucas, mayor, Kansas City, Mo.

For more information or to register to virtually attend any or all sessions of this year’s conference, visit jccc.edu/conferences/peacebuilding.