Indiana Black Expo Details Education Conference
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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowIndiana Black Expo has announced the keynote speakers for this summer's Education Conference. Children's advocate Leigh Anne Tuohy and activist and author Hill Harper will speak in July as part of the 45th Annual Summer Celebration.
May 5, 2015
News Release
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – Indiana Black Expo announced today that children’s advocate Leigh Anne Tuohy and activist and author Hill Harper will keynote its 8th Annual Education Conference presented by Cummins Inc. and the Indiana Civil Rights Commission. The Education Conference will be held on Thursday, July 16th at the Indiana Convention Center as part of the 45th Annual Summer Celebration.
This year's theme, Closing the Opportunity Gap: Leveling the Playing Field for All Children will focus on increasing cultural competency among administrators, educators and policy-makers. “We are very excited to have Ms. Tuohy and Mr. Harper share inspirational stories and perspectives about the needs of our students in the 21st Century,” said Tanya Bell, IBE president and Chief Executive Officer. “Many evidenced based practices identified in the Your Life Matters Report, including alternatives to suspensions and expulsions, Restorative Justice and Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) models, effective classroom management strategies, and the utilization of Response to Intervention (RTI), will be addressed,” added Bell.
About Leigh Anne Tuohy
Leigh Anne Tuohy and her family opened their doors and hearts to Michael Oher, the illiterate and homeless African American teen who later became Baltimore Ravens offensive lineman. Leigh Anne’s story was featured in Michael Lewis’ #1 New York Times Best-selling book, The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game, and its 2009 record-breaking blockbuster film adaptation, The Blind Side. Tuohy was portrayed by actress Sandra Bullock, who won an Academy Award for Best Actress. Michael Oher’s childhood symbolizes the reality that many educators face in the classroom today – many children are disadvantaged and without adequate resources and supports. Michael’s birth mother was a drug addict and birth father was murdered when he was young. Leigh Anne will share her life’s story and how caring teachers, a loving family and an academic tutor changed the trajectory for a young man that had always harbored a burning hunger to learn and succeed.
About Hill Harper
Hill Harper is an award-winning actor, best-selling author, and philanthropist. Harper starred on the CBS TV drama CSI: NY from 2004 to 2013. As of March 2013, he joined the USA Network spy drama Covert Affairs. Harper is the author of four New York Times bestsellers and he has earned seven NAACP Image Awards for his writing and acting. He is founder of the Manifest Your Destiny Foundation, dedicated to empowering underserved youth through mentorship, scholarship, and grant programs.
Harper graduated magna cum laude as valedictorian of his department with a bachelor’s degree from Brown University and cum laude with a Juris Doctorate degree from Harvard Law School. It was during his Harvard years, that he found himself classmates with President Barack Obama.
For more information or to register for the conference, visit http://www.indianablackexpo.com/summercelebration/events/education-conference/ or call (317) 925-2702.
Source: Indiana Black Expo