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Fall 2016 Common Reading Experience events annnounced

September 20, 2016

just-mercy-portraitA series of events linked to themes of the Common Reading Experience (CRE) book selection, Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption, has been released. Students, faculty, staff and community members are welcome to participate in events that pique your interest.

Events are sponsored by several different entities and focus on themes related to Just Mercy, including injustice in the criminal justice system related to race and poverty, children in prison, mass incarceration and the death penalty.

All CRE events are free and open to the public:

HUMAN The Movie- Vol. 3: Happiness, Education, Disability, Immigration, Corruption and the Meaning of Life, Monday, Sept. 19, 4:30 – 6:30 p.m., Holmes Student Center, Carl Sandburg Auditorium View and discuss a film interviewing people from 60 different countries about what it means to be human.

The Illinois Innocence Project, Thursday, Sept. 22, noon, Swen Parson Hall, Riley Courtroom (Rm. 170) Attorneys from Illinois Innocence Project explain how innocent people are imprisoned and how they can be exonerated.

Day in the Life of a Prisoner, Monday, Sept. 26, 3 – 5 p.m., Homes Student Center, Regency Room, Walk through a simulated demonstration of prisoner life in the U.S. Criminal Justice System.

Defamation: The Play, Thursday, Sept. 29, 6 p.m., Homes Student Center, Carl Sandburg Auditorium A play exploring issues of race, religion, gender, class, and the law with a twist: The audience is the jury.

Safety Awareness Fair, Monday, Oct. 3, 7 p.m., Homes Student Center, Duke Ellington Ballroom Drop in to experience various simulations, including texting while driving and a seatbelt interaction. Meet and learn about police, fire and other service agencies.

Open Mic Night: Sharing Stories of Injustice, Monday, Oct. 10, 3:30 p.m., Swen Parson Hall, Riley Courtroom (Rm.170) Share your stories of injustice and/or hear how it has touched the lives of others.

Just Mercy Book Discussion, Wednesday, Oct. 5, noon, Swen Parson Hall, Room 188 Facilitated by Assistant Professor of Law, Daniel McConkie, J.D.

Just Mercy Book Discussion, Wednesday, Oct. 12, noon, Swen Parson Hall, Room 188 Facilitated by Associate Dean and Professor of Law, Marc Falkoff, J.D., Ph.D.

Just Mercy Essay Contest, Due on or before Friday, Oct. 14, 4 p.m. Essays should address themes of social justice, injustice, mass incarceration and others raised by Stevenson’s text. (Open to students currently enrolled in English 102P, 103P, 103, 103ESL, 203, 203ESL, 204, 451, 452, 453, or UNIV 101/201). Submit to Maribel Montelongo at mmontelongo1@niu.edu.

Storybook Project, Oct. 19-26, 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., Altgeld Hall, Room 100 Purchase a Book to help incarcerated grand/parents record themselves reading for their grand/child.

“American Injustice, Mercy, Humanity and Making a Difference,” Monday, Oct. 24, 6:30 p.m., Homes Student Center, Carl Sandburg Auditorium Author Bryan Stevenson’s presentation followed by Q&A and Book Signing.

Grassroots Leadership: Promoting Change in the Social Media Age, Thursday, Nov. 10, 6 p.m., Homes Students Center, Carl Sandburg Auditorium Payton Head, former Mizzou Association President, will share about creating institutional change.

The CRE is a High Impact Practice (HIP) that has a foundation in liberal education. (Find out more about the goals of the CRE here.) For more information, contact, First- and Second-Year Experience at fsye@niu.edu, 815-753-0028 or visit at Altgeld Hall 100.