RICHLAND, Wash. A community conversation about diversity issues, followed by a jazz performance, is being put on Saturday, Jan. 17, by Washington State University Tri-Cities students in recognition of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
The event starts at 6 p.m. at the Three Rivers Convention Center, 7016 W. Grandridge Blvd., Kennewick. It includes a buffet dinner at 7:30 p.m. Northwest jazz artist Nancy King performs at 7:45 p.m. Admission to the entire event is free and open to the public no reservations or tickets are needed.
Community conversation panelists include:
Dave Arnold, Columbia Basin College, intercultural studies professor
Christine Brown, KNDU TV, news director
Debjani Chakrabarti, Columbia Basin College, sociology professor
Jennifer Curtis, Fluor Hanford, managing general counsel
José García-Pabón, WSU Extension, Latino outreach specialist
Todd Garlick, WSU Tri-Cities, engineering professor
Albert Torres, Tú Decides, publisher
Jacqueline Van Wormer, Benton Franklin Juvenile Justice Center
Barbara Ward, WSU Tri-Cities, education professor visiting from New Orleans
Judge Dennis Yule, Benton Franklin Superior Court, retired
The discussion moderator is Robert Bauman, WSU Tri-Cities history professor and author of the recently released book “Race and the War on Poverty, From Watts to East L.A.”
The community conversation and jazz event is co-sponsored by these WSU Tri-Cities student organizations: Business Club, Multicultural Club, and the Associated Students of WSU Tri-Cities (ASWSUTC). The student clubs were supported by several community groups including the African American Community Cultural and Education Society and the Tri-City Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.
WSU Tri-Cities is located along the Columbia River in Richland, Wash. Established in 1989 with upper division and graduate programs, WSU Tri-Cities offers 17 baccalaureate, 12 master’s and six doctoral degree programs. The campus added freshman and sophomore courses in fall 2007 to become a full four-year public university, extending the WSU land-grant mission of providing affordable, accessible higher education. For more information, call 509-372-7250 or visit www.tricity.wsu.edu.