Buffalo, NY - Canisius University will celebrate the legacy of Dr. Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. with two events, during Black History Month in February.
The month kicks off with Soup with Substance on Tuesday, Feb. 5, 2019 from 12 p.m. – 12:45 p.m. in the Grupp Fireside Lounge, located in the college’s Richard E. Winter ’42 Student Center. Presented by the ALANA (African American, Latino/a American, Asian American and Native American) Student Center, the event is free and open to the public, with soup served for the body and discussion for the heart and mind.
The Soup with Substance event will feature a panel discussion focused on the legacy of Dr. Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. Sandy E. White ’77, award-winning journalist and owner and president of Mustard Seed World Consulting Group, will lead the discussion with the following featured guests:
- Rod Watson, founding president of Buffalo’s Association of Black Journalists. As urban affairs director for The Buffalo News, Watson is a weekly columnist who covers socio-economic and political issues affecting minorities and/or the poor, as well as the follies of local government.
- Dr. Rev. James Lewis III, founder of the Miracle Missions Full Gospel Church, where he serves as pastor. He is also chaplain for the Buffalo Police Department and director of pastoral care for ECMC.
The annual Soup with Substance Series, open to the Western New York community, presents culturally-based programs to familiarize audiences with topics germane to ALANA cultures. Free parking is available from 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. in the college’s Science Hall parking ramp (corner of Delavan and Jefferson). For more information, contact the ALANA Student Center at (716) 888-2787.
Canisius University will host Letitia A. James, attorney general of New York, on Thursday, February 28 for a presentation entitled “You Can … You Will … You Must!” The event, which will take place at the Buffalo Grand Hotel, located at 120 Church Street, begins at 9:30 a.m. Comedian and social media personality “Shiggy” will be a special guest at the Black History Month event. He will speak address social media etiquette and protocol.
Sworn into office on Tuesday, January 1, 2019, James is the first African American and first woman to be elected New York State Attorney General. She previously served as the New York City Public Advocate and was the first black woman to hold citywide office. A member of the New York City Council, she represented the 35th District and served as chair of the Economic Development and Sanitation Committees.
In her prior roles, James worked to develop her community through the establishment of the Urban Network, an alliance of African American organizations that provide students with scholarships. She also promoted the Primary Health Care Development Bill in the City Council and served on a number of committees for women’s rights and small business development.
James earned her bachelor’s degree from the City University of New York’s Lehman College and her law degree from Howard University School of Law. She was admitted to the New York State Bar in 1989. James is in the process of earning her master’s degree in public administration from Columbia’s School of International and Public Affairs.
Canisius University is one of 28 Jesuit colleges in the nation and the premier private college in Western New York.
-30-
