News Briefs

Briefs

African American Healthy Marriage Initiative
conference at UNC

The UNC School of Social Work, UNC Jordan Institute for Families and the Annie E. Casey Foundation have teamed with the U.S. Administration for Children and Families to sponsor a conference on the African American Healthy Marriage Initiative (AAHMI).

The conference will bring together researchers and practitioners to discuss and present information about the initiative. The free event will be held Tuesday, Sept. 12, through Sept. 14 at UNC's William and Ida Friday Center for Continuing Education. Pre-registration is required. For more information, please visit http://www.aahmi.org.

The AAHMI is a component of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services' Healthy Marriage Initiative. The program promotes a culturally competent strategy for fostering healthy marriage and responsible fatherhood, improving child well-being and strengthening families within the black community.

UNC conference participants include Associate Provost for Diversity and Multicultural Affairs Archie Ervin, Jordan Institute for Families Director Nancy Dickinson and School of Social Work Professor and Jordan Institute for Families Associate Director Dennis Orthner. Wade Horn, assistant secretary of the Administration for Children and Fmailies, will give the keynote address.

The event will also provide invitees with opportunities to exchange views around the critical issues impacting families and communities; as well as recommend what is missing in the field of research that would support healthy marriage and responsible fatherhood programming for blacks.

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Speaker to discuss artists
and censorship issues

Dr. Svetlana Mintcheva will speak on "Censorship and its Disguises" at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday (Sept. 12) in 101 Hanes Art Center off South Columbia Street.

Mintcheva directs the arts advocacy project of the National Coalition Against Censorship based in New York City. The project works with artists and curators involved in censorship disputes, seeking to protect artists' rights; it defends public access to their work and supports their ability to express views that might be unpopular or controversial.

Mintcheva initiated and supervised the online project "Art Now: Art After September 11," which evolved into "The Patriotism of Dissent: Artists Responding to the Political Present" and "Law, Art and Free Expression," and database of legal case summaries. Her UNC talk is part of the art department's Hanes Visiting Artist Lecture Series. For more information, call the department at 962-2015.

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Drawing, making a book, listening
to jazz, taking a look - at the Ackland

Events at UNC's Ackland Art Museum this weekend will begin with extended hours Friday (Sept. 8) for Art After Dark, with complimentary refreshments and live jazz. The museum, which usually closes at 5 p.m., will stay open until 9 p.m. The Ackland Art Museum Guild will sponsor the free event.

Saturday (Sept. 9), community members are invited to draw in the galleries from 10 a.m. until noon. The session will opens with a brief consideration of a single work of art, followed by time to draw. Participants should bring their own dry media (pencil, crayon, charcoal) and paper. Camp stools and drop cloths will be available. The museum offers this free event at the same time every second Saturday.

From 1-4 p.m. Saturday, the Ackland will host "A Book of My Own: Measure, Cut, Fold, Sew, Glue, Imagine, Dream, Draw, Write, Do." No experience is necessary for this guided workshop for everyone over the age of 13. Pre-registration required; call 966-5736. Fees of $8 for museum members and $10 for non-members cover the cost of all materials. For more information, call 843-3676 or email acklandprograms@unc.edu.

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News Services contacts: Becky Oskin, (919) 962-8596; LJ Toler, (919) 962-8589