Wed., Nov. 13 | JFK Library, Lower Level, AUX Classroom | Noon – 1:30

Watch this thought-provoking and timely lecture  by Dr. Mark Finney, Executive Director of Thrive International.

As the number of displaced people hits historical levels around the world, Dr. Finney presented how local communities are essential in creating solutions.

Displacement is driven by wars, political and religious oppression, economic disparities, and population shifts. While numbers are typically measured in terms of nations or continents, people always leave a specific place in search of another local community to call home. Federal and state governments are important players in addressing the current crisis, but so are cities, small towns, neighborhoods, and other local communities such as faith groups and local nonprofits.

Migration is a global issue, yet it always manifests in the face of a new neighbor and the story of a potential new friend.

Dr. Mark Kinney, Executive Director, Thrive International

Made possible by the Jeffers W. Chertok Memorial Endowed Professorship, EWU Libraries, and the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences. 

EWU Libraries, with support from the Chertok Memorial Endowed Professorship, invites you to join us for this awareness-raising event at the JFK Library.

Kassahun Kebede will speak about representation issues related to immigration and refugees and his experience growing up in a book-scarce environment. Ellenore Angelidis will discuss representation and global experiences in children’s literature, and the challenges of publishing children’s books related to Africa.

Thursday, May 2, 2024 | 1:30 pm – 3 pm
JFK Library | Lower Level
Refreshments will be served.

Watch via livestream.

Kassahun Kebede, PhD, EWU Sociology and Justice Studies, is a cultural sociologist who has taught and conducted research for more than 15 years in both Ethiopia and the United States. His research includes various topics such as international migration, rural livelihoods, development-induced population relocation, and health disparities. He has been recognized with multiple awards for his teaching and research endeavors, and was chosen for EWU’s Chertok Professorship in 2023. Kebede is founder of the Libraries for Ethiopia Fund (LiFEF), a nonprofit focused on creating safe centers with books, computers and activities that support self-expression and learning.

Ellenore Angelidis is the founder and executive director of Open Hearts and Big Dreams (OHBD), a literacy project seeking to increase literacy by providing colorful, mother tongue, early reader books to children in need. The project, through “Ready Set Go Books,” involves creating, publishing, printing, and distributing children’s books, many of which are based in Ethiopia, with others about immigrant and refugee experiences. She is excited to share her journey with EWU students and everyone else. Learn more about OHBD online: https://openheartsbigdreams.org/

People needing accommodations can call 509.359.6201 three days prior to the event.