A.C.T.O.R (A Continuing Talk on Race) BLACK LIVES MATTER DMV
Date and Time
Sep 6, 2015 5:00 pm
Location
14th & V
2021 14th St NW, Washington, District of Columbia, 20009
Sep 6, 2015 5:00 pm
14th & V
The A.C.T.O.R. (A Continuing Talk on Race) open discussion series is hosted by Busboys and Poets as a community service. It provides the opportunity for people to come together and speak openly and honestly about issues of race. The intent is that each person walks away from the discussion feeling something: challenged, educated, uncomfortable, enlightened, refreshed, reassured and hopefully inspired and moved to action! Each month there is a new topic for discussion.Â
This month's topic: BLACK LIVES MATTER DMV.  We will not only focus on the direction of the Black Lives Matter movement, but we will also address the recent rise in violence and violent crimes in the District and the Black Lives Matter strategy regarding this. Â
Featuring:Â
DeRay McKesson an American civil rights activist.  He is a member of the organization We The Protesters, which organizes protests that center on African-American issues. Mckesson is known for his activism via social media outlets and has been active in the Ferguson, MO and Baltimore, MD protests.  In March 2015 the Los Angeles Times named him one of the "new civil rights leaders" for the 21st century.  Aside from social media, Mckesson has participated in discussions on CNN with Wolf Blitzer and has written for the Huffington Post. He along with fellow activist Johnetta Elzie and WeTheProtestors.org, launched “Mapping Police Violence", which collected data on people killed by police during 2014. Mckesson and Elzie were awarded the Howard Zinn Freedom to Write Award in 2015 for their activism. They were also named to Fortune's “World’s Greatest Leaders List†for their work with the Black Lives Matter Movement.Â
Omolara Williams McCallister a textile artist, arts educator, activist and community organizer.  Since moving to DC in 2011 she has worked in DC based community organizations developing community engagement and educational programming initiatives that use art to ignite social consciousness and instigate social change.  Her active engagement in the Black Lives Matter movement involves organizing communities to participate in art based protest actions; working with local organizers and organizations to create infrastructure forthe local movement; and spending time to intentionally practice self-care and self-love.
Aaron Goggans is an organizer, artist and facilitator originally from Falcon, Colorado. Aaron began organizing around housing and labor on the South-Side of Chicago as a college student and remained on the south-side for 6 years. Aaron moved to DC to be closer his sisters and quickly continued organizing around labor and housing in the District. After the non-indictment of Darrin Wilson, Aaron began spending all of his free time writing and organizing around #BlackLivesMatter. He is also the creator of the website and collaborative social action project the Well Examined Life. Currently he focuses on creating relationships between organizers, creating an infrastructure for movement work in DC and created spaces for self care and sustainability among organizers.
A.C.T.O.R. is held on the first Sunday of every month at Busboys and Poets 14 th & V; 5:00 PM.
