Alan Headbloom, host of “Feel Like You Belong” will co-moderate the Grand Valley State University’s Fourth Annual Civil Discourse Symposium, set for Friday, Nov. 2, at the Paul A. Johnson Conference Hall at the L.V. Eberhard Center on the Robert C. Pew Grand Rapids Campus.
The 2017 Padnos/Sarosik Civil Discourse Symposium offers a venue for the community to engage in a civil discussion on immigration by considering both its benefits and challenges. Through round-table discussion and panelist-let dialogue, the symposium offers opportunities to interact with community organizations engaged with immigrants and refugees and examine the dynamics driving global migration.
This year’s symposium topic is “Immigrants and Refugees: Celebrating Our Diversity” and will be facilitated by Dr. Jack Mangala, the 2016-2017 Padnos/Sarosik Endowed Professor of Civil Discourse
A light dinner will be served starting at 5 p.m. Parking is available at no cost Your RSVP is appreciated.
In 2013, Headbloom co-created the show “Feel Like You Belong,” a multi-resource web portal and TV show. Headbloom inviterviews immigrants and expatriate to learn how one goes about being long in a new land, new language and new culture. His guests have included “Sesame Street” pioneer Sonia Manzano and former Chicago Young Lords Jose Cha Cha Jimenez. “Feel Like You Belong” is filmed at WKTV.
Panelists
Dr. Mladjo Ivanovic is a visiting professor at the department of philosophy at Grand Valley State University. His research focuses on moral and political challenges tied with the forceful displacement and migration of people. He is also engaged with NGO communities in Serbia, Greece and Turkey, and serves as an advisor for various student organizations that deal with humanitarianism and social justice.
Steffanie Rosalez is the Program Director for the Grandville Avenue Arts and Humanities, Cook Arts Center. Using the arts, she has worked with children from immigrant families in various capacities, including as the manager of the after school program (LOOP) at Cesar Chavez Elementary School.
Kristine Van Noord is the Program Manager for Bethany Christian Services’ Refugee Adult & Family Programs. Kristine has 19 years of experience working with refugees including over seven years with Bethany. She also lived in the Middle East for five years.