The 2003 Social Justice Conference has four main sessions:

• Anti-Racism
• Peace
• Civil Liberties
• Death Penalty

The Conference will open with a service led by the Rev. Dr. William G. Sinkford, the first African American president of the UUA, followed by the morning break out sessions. The morning sessions will end at 11:30 when everyone will assemble in the Sanctuary for the Conference Award Presentation to and Keynote Speech by Rev. William G. Sinkford. After a lunch break from 12 to 1:30, there will follow the afternoon break out sessions. An award ceremony will begin at 3PM followed by an Interfaith Celebration Service on the theme of "Building Bridges."

9:00 AM to 10:00AM
Opening Service
Rev. William G. Sinkford

10:00 AM to 11:30AM
Anti-Racism Session
Panel: "Views on Anti-Racism, Affirmative Action and Reparations"
Rev. Bill Sinkford, Rev. Claude Alexander, Rev. Steve Shoemaker, Rev. Andy Baxter, Rev. Amy Brooks, Ahmad Daniels
Facilitator: Rev. Dr. Doug Reisner

Peace Session
Workshop: Nonviolence Training and Conscientious Objector workshop
Chuck Fager

Civil Liberties Session
Workshop: "The Patriot Act and Other Attacks on our Civil Liberties"
Jim Gronquist, Mark Ortiz
Facilitator: Doug Sea

11:30 PM to 12:00PM
Plenary Session: Social Justice Conference Award Presentation to Rev. Sinkford
Award presented by Qiyamah Rahman
Keynote Speech
Rev. Dr. William Sinkford

12:00 PM to 1:30 PM
LUNCH

Conference Keynote Speaker:

Session Award Recepients

The Stephen J. Dear Anti-Death Penalty Award:

The Peace Award

The Martin Luther King Jr. Award

Rev. Claude Alexander is the senior paster of University Park Baptist Church in Charlotte, where the regional office for H.E.L.P (Helping Empower Local People) is located. Rev. Alexander has also served on the N.A.A.C.P. Educational Committee and is on the board of directors of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Urban League, the United Way and the Arts and Science Council.

The Henry David Thoreau Award

Ahmad Daniels M.Ed, has championed the cause of African liberation both continental and Diasporan, for over a quarter of a century. He is an educator and facilitator with Creative Interchange, an organization whose purpose is to encourage and facilitate non-blaming experiential workshops for persons of different ethnicities on matters relating to race.

1:30 PM to 3:00PM
Peace Session
Panel: "The War on Terrorism: a 'Just' War or 'Just War'?"
Anne Wolfley, Catherine Stratton Treadway, Mary Rider, Patrick O'Neill, Wally Kleucker
Facilitator: Dr. Reisner

Video and Discussion: "Jerusalem: Occupation Set In Stone"
Marty Rosenbluth

Workshop: "Come Together: Sing a Song, Make a Sign"
Donna Fisher, J. Charles Jones
Facilitator: Maggie Davis

Anti-Racism Session
"Can Racism Ever Be Uprooted From Our Society?"
Panel and Q&A: Qiyamah Rahman, Barbara Wade, Chuck Fager, Congressman Mel Watt
Facilitator: Rev. Janet Newman

Death Penalty Moratorium Session
Henderson Hill, Julie Fosbinder, Steve Dear, Ted Frazer
Facilitator: Jeannette Manning

3:00 to 4:00 PM
Session Awards Presentations and Acceptance Speeches

The Martin Luther King Jr. Award:
Rev. Claude Alexander
Award presented by Dr. Reisner

The Stephen J. Dear Award:
Ted Frazer
Award presented by Stephen Dear

The Peace Award
Patrick O'Neil and Mary Rider
Award presented by Wally Kleucker

The Henry David Thoreau Award
Ahmad Daniels
Award presented by the Hon. Mel Watt

4:00-5:00 PM
Interfaith Celebration Service:
"Building Bridges"
Andy Baxter graduated from West Charlotte High School, before completing an undergraduate degree in public policy and a master?s degree in divinity from Duke University. After serving as an associate pastor at Davidson United Methodist Church, Andy came to Mecklenburg Ministries in Jan. 2001 as its executive director. He attends Seigle Avenue Presbyterian Church.

Suggested donation is $10 ($5 for seniors/students). Childcare is available throughout the day.

Speakers and Panelists:

Rev. Andy Baxter graduated from West Charlotte High School, before completing an undergraduate degree in public policy and a master?s degree in divinity from Duke University. After serving as an associate pastor at Davidson United Methodist Church, Andy came to Mecklenburg Ministries in Jan. 2001 as its executive director. He attends Seigle Avenue Presbyterian Church.

Dale Brook a.k.a the Magikal Minstrel is a multi-talented musician and all-around entertainer whose creative professional performances actively involve his enthusiastic audiences. He is the music director of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Charlotte.

Rev. Amy Brooks is the Community Minister at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Charlotte and works at RAIN, Regional AIDS Interfaith Network.

Chuck Fager is a peace activist and Director of the Quaker House in Fayetteville which has been a front-line Friends peace witness project there since 1969. He worked on the staff of the SCLC, led by Martin Luther King Jr. for two years in the 1960's and has written two books about King including "Selma 1965: The March that Changed the South." In 1965 he applied for classification as a Conscientious Objector to the draft. He is also author of a published book "Without Apology: The Heroes, the Heritage and the Hope of Liberal Quakerism".

Ted Frazer is a member of the Charlotte Coalition for a Moratorium Now, an organization which meets twice a month working for a statewide moratorium on executions. He is also CO-chair of St. Peter's (Catholic) Social Justice Committee.

Henderson Hill joined the law firm of Ferguson, Stein, Wallas, Adkins Gresham& Sumpter in 1996 and received the Paul Green Award from the North Carolina Civil Liberties Union in 1999, the Lawyer of the Year Award from the North Carolina Association of Black Lawyers in 1999, and was named Lawyer of the Year by the George W. White Bar Association, Durham in 1996.

Wally Kleucker, Chair of the Social Action Committee, a founding member of the Charlotte Coalition for Peace and Justice, coordinator of the Social Justice Conference, webmaster of the conference website and for the past ten years church organist at UUCC.

Rev. Dr. Doug Reisner is Minister Emeritus of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Charlotte. His interest in social action concerns in Arizona led him to seminary in mid-life. Social action was a continuing theme of his ministry in Texas and North Carolina. He has worked actively among migrant farm workers and participated in organized labor efforts. His work has included environmental protection, women?s rights, prison reform, minority civil rights, and struggles for lesbian and gay equality.

Marty Rosenbluth is an independent videographer based in Hillsborough, North Carolina. His company, Insightment Video Productions, focuses on producing videos for non-profit groups. He directs, shoots and edits these documentaries and educational videos. Marty has also worked for PBS Frontline as senior researcher for "Journey to the Occupied Lands", a 90-minute Frontline special. Winner of the Lindheim Award for his documentary "Jerusalem" at the Judah L. Magnes Museum's Jewish Video Festival,he has also won Honarable Mention at the Columbus Film and Video Festival in Ohio.

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