Over 900 streets in the U.S. are named after
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
And more throughout the world are named for him.
Students at Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School in Dakar, Senegal, relax after classes. Image by Michelle Tyrene Johnson. Senegal, 2019
Pulitzer journalist, Michelle Tyrene Johnson, will speak to area middle and high school classes via Zoom, 3/8 & 3/9, about her stories exploring MLK streets in the world. Teachers--sign up your classes to hear her stories.
Bringing Pulitzer Center journalists to St. Louis to spend a few days visiting metro area high schools was once an annual Civitas event that many teachers and students looked forward to. Unfortunately, COVID is still restricting travel and in-person visits to classrooms for students to hear about underreported global issues. The Pulitzer Center has a website full of compelling stories and resources, and remote visits with journalists can still be arranged. So Civitas decided to plan a series of Zoom visits with Michelle Tyrene Johnson, public radio journalist and award-winning playwright, who will be exclusively available on Tuesday, March 8 and Wednesday, March 9 to speak to St. Louis area middle and high school classes. Michelle's hometown is Kansas City, Missouri where nearly three years ago the city council voted to rename Paseo Boulevard in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. For many complicated reasons, residents in Kansas City did not want Paseo Boulevard renamed after the civil rights leader, and eventually they voted against it. Despite what it looks like to outsiders, the vote against the renaming "was not a racial issue," says Michelle. But the conflict did inspire an idea for a story project that the Pulitzer Center helped fund called "A Tale of Three Kings," which provided an opportunity for her to travel to Dakar, Senegal; Amsterdam, Netherlands; and Memphis, Tennessee. All three cities have streets named for Dr. King, so she embarked on an adventure to explore a global angle on Kansas City's ongoing efforts. Her travels, as a Black American woman, were eye-opening for many reasons. "As Americans we think we know Dr. King in America," Michelle shares. "But we don't know the global version. We know the 'Santa Claus' version." She goes on to say that Dr. King's fight for equality was just as controversial as today's Black Lives Matter movement. Her travels and stories were completed just weeks before Covid shut down the world, so she has not had a lot of opportunity to share her amazing insights.
Explore Michelle's stories in the project, including audio segments, by clicking here.
If you are a teacher who would like to schedule a class to hear Michelle Tyrene Johnson talk about her project and discoveries, click here to sign up for a date (March 8 or March 9) and time.
If you are a student who would like to hear Michelle Tyrene Johnson, share this opportunity with a teacher you know!
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Questions and concerns about the Russia-Ukraine crisis?
We'll discuss it on Sat., March 5.
On Saturday, March 5 from 10:00 am until noon we are planning a casual, fun morning of watching mini-documentaries on a variety of topics at the World Community Center (438 N. Skinker Blvd., 63130). We plan to start the morning with an update on the Russia-Ukraine crisis followed by discussion. A lot might happen between now and March 5. Also in consideration for the morning--a short film about a prison project influenced by Scandinavian practices, an update on the current wave of book banning in local and national high schools, and a Frontline episode of Boeing's awareness of flaws in its 737 Max airplane before crashes that killed 346 people. We are hoping to have suggestions from students, too. We'll decide as a group what to watch that morning from a list of ideas. You can suggest topics and/or specific short doc titles when you sign up.
We know it is a rich and valuable experience for students from a variety of different high schools to come together and talk about lofty ideas in a casual, low-key environment. It will be a fun and memorable event!
Snacks and beverages will be served.
Click here to sign up now!
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A Spring HS Model UN is on the Calendar--April 2!
Our spring high school Model UN session will be held at Webster University's Browning Auditorium on Saturday, April 2, 2022 from 9:00 am until noon. This is the same location as the fall sessions. All are invited, including students who did not attend an earlier session. Anyone can submit a resolution; however, we will prioritize resolutions submitted in the fall that were not discussed. Students should represent the same country they did at the November or December sessions, or if new to the program, contact Civitas for a list of available countries. If there are duplicate sign ups for the same country from different schools, we will notify you. We can have duplicates, or you might choose to represent a different country if you find out yours is already taken.
Click here to sign up!
Email Stephanie at gavinstephanie89@gmail.com with any questions or concerns.
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Middle School Model UN Teacher Meeting Next Week!
On Tuesday, March 1 from 4-5 pm, we will have the final Middle School Model UN teacher meeting of the year. We will be going over bus protocols, COVID-19 guidelines for the General Assemblies, venue information, updating country rosters, Honors Model UN details, and more! We will be hosting the meeting over Zoom and teachers will be getting an invitation this week. It’s been wonderful seeing so many of you at classroom visits these past weeks and we cannot wait to get everyone together. If you have questions about the Model UN program, please contact Bobbi Kennedy at bobbidkennedy@gmail.com.
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Postcards From a World On Fire--A New York Times opinion piece
In an effort to show how Climate Change is affecting all us of sharing this planet, The New York Times compiled 193 (brief) stories to represent every country in the world. Some countries are highlighted in pictures with captions, others in video, and others with accompanying sounds to visuals. All are eye-opening.
Click here to explore "Postcards From a World On Fire."
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Saturday, March 5, 2022, 10:00 am-12:00 pm at the World Community Center
Students will watch and discuss short documentaries on several topics, including prison reform modeled after more humane Scandinavian practices.
Sign up here.
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Tuesday, March 8, 2022 and Wednesday, March 9, 2022--Pulitzer journalist visits via Zoom
Public radio journalist and playwright, Michelle Tyrene Johnson, visits area classrooms.
Sign up a class here.
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Saturday, April 2, 2022, 9:00 am-12:00 pm at Webster University in Browning Hall
Spring Model UN session for high school students.
Sign up here.
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Travelers wait in line to check in to their departing flights Tuesday, February 15, at the Boryspil International Airport outside Kyiv, Ukraine. US President Joe Biden urged Americans in Ukraine to leave the country, warning that "things could go crazy quickly" in the region. Timothy Fadek/Redux for CNN |
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This past week at the United Nations
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