Monday, January 26, 2009

Wednesday, February 4: Library Hosts Racism Movie & Discussion

The community is invited to attend another program in the "Coming Together Racine" series of movie screenings and discussions about racism and race relations at the Racine Public Library, 75 Seventh St., on Wednesday, February 4, 2009 at 5:30 p.m (NOTE: new time, due to change in library's hours).

The Balkan conflict of the 1990s is still having strong ramifications for the residents of Sarajevo even after all these years. A single mother, Esma (Mirjana Karanovic), struggles to raise her 12-year-old daughter, Sara (Luna Mijovic), in the city where there is a distinct lack of job opportunities. Meanwhile, Sara must put up with the taunting of her classmates when she and her mother are too poor to pay for a special school trip. However, surviving through these hardships will bring Esma and Sara closer together.

A member of Coming Together Racine will facilitate a discussion of the movie after the screening. Participants are encouraged to bring a brown bag supper. The series is cosponsored by Coming Together Racine and the Racine Public Library and is funded by the library's Alma Boernke Endowment Fund.

Coming Together Racine is a 501(c)3 organization developed in response to community needs identified at a Town Hall Meeting on February 25, 2005. At the event it was determined that a greater effort is needed in the Racine community to eliminate the barriers preventing equal voice and access to community resources. In response to the results from the Town Hall Meeting a community-wide committee, The Committee to Eliminate Racism, was formed. In September 2005, after assessing the Racine community's needs, the Committee to Eliminate Racism submitted an application to become an affiliate of the Coming Together Project, and in February 2006 was approved as Coming Together Racine.

Coming Together Racine will work to:
  • Promote racial harmony in the community;

  • Educate community members on racism and its effects on people and the community; and

  • Bring people together to foster awareness and appreciation of people of all cultures.
To achieve these goals the Committee will provide opportunities for members of the Racine community to dialogue, explore, learn, and strategize around racism. This movie is one of a series of events designed to engage Racine in discussion.

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