NOTE TO PANELISTS

Rights, Recovery and Renaissance will focus on actions needed to ensure that all those affected by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita are afforded their rights as Americans as this gathering stems from the realization that only when all citizens are afforded these basic rights can the region and its people recover and achieve an economic and cultural Renaissance.  These rights include:

• The right to economic security following public catastrophes
• The right to political representation
• The right to participate in the economic development of the community
• The right to environmental protection

Each panel is centered around one of these four rights. As the panels last only an hour and each has four to six panelists and a moderator, we request that panelists are succinct and keep all comments under five minutes so to respect their fellow panelists.  The moderators are responsible for ensuring the timeliness and focus of each session. 

Action is the goal of Rights, Recovery and Renaissance.  Thus, we ask panelists to suggest actionable steps with SPICE--initiatives that are social, personal, immediate, concrete and effective.

Dr. Quintus Jett, a professor at Dartmouth College, is a great resource to discuss the "SPICE"iness of ideas.  He has begun the MOSAIC project, which provides tools and direction for volunteers working on Katrina and Rita relief and recovery.  Dr. Quintus Jett can be contacted at qjett@dartmouth.edu.

The event is on Saturday, November 19th at Southern University Law Center (click here for directions).  While we hope all panelists attend the entire event, we ask that panelists and moderators arrive at least fifteen minute before their session and call Monisha Sujan at 646 479 0554 upon their arrival.  The schedule of panels is below:

PANEL 1: 10:15 am to 11:15 am

THE RIGHT TO ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

Panelists: Darryl Malek-Wiley, Anne Rolfes, Jeffery Thomas, Aaron Viles and Lawrence Williams 

PANEL 2: 11:30 am to 12:30 am

THE RIGHT TO PARTICIPATE IN THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF THE COMMUNITY

Panelists: Eugene Cornelius, George Gele, Karen Livers, Susan Mason,  Beverly Trahan and Marshall Truehill 

Moderator: Musheer Robinson

PANEL 3: 1:30pm to 2:30 pm

THE RIGHT TO POLITICAL REPRESENTATION

Panelists: Carmelita Freeman, Jacques Morial, Shana Sasson and Dave Zimmerman

Moderator: Quintus Jett 

PANEL 4: 2:45 pm to 3:45 pm

THE RIGHT TO ECONOMIC SECURITY FOLLOWING PUBLIC CATASTROPHES

Panelists: Johnie Anderson, Lauree Hayden, Johnie Pierre and Bert Santos

Moderator: Leonard Moore