More than 1,000 students and
Ann Arbor residents filled Hill
Auditorium on Monday to hear
keynote speakers principal and
co-founder of the James and Grace
Lee Boggs School in Detroit Julia
Putnam and anti-racism activist
and writer Tim Wise discuss
issues of inequality and injustice

in America.
The keynote memorial lecture
is just one event in a two-week
series of discussions, forums and
events honoring Martin Luther
King Jr. and his efforts in the civil
rights movement.
The
event
began
with
a
performance from Mosaic Youth
Theatre before transitioning to
remarks from Robert Sellers, vice
provost for equity and inclusion

and chief diversity officer, as
well as Scott DeRue, dean of the
Ross School of Business. DeRue
introduced University of Michigan
President Mark Schlissel.
Schlissel said the symposium is
one of the largest events honoring
Martin Luther King Jr. in the
country. He commended the work
of the event organizers in his
speech.
“We’re
proud
that
the

University of Michigan Martin
Luther King Jr. Symposium is one
of our nation’s largest university
celebrations of the life and legacy
of Dr. King,” Schlissel said. “It
reflects our desire to serve society
and strive for a better, more
equitable, more just and more
peaceful world.”

michigandaily.com
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Tuesday, January 22, 2019

ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-EIGHT YEARS OF EDITORIAL FREEDOM

Approximately
300
protesters marched near the
entrance of Cobo Center on
the first night of the North
American International Auto
Show in Detroit on Friday.
Protesters came to support

causes including the Green
New Deal and the prevention
of the General Motors plant
closures.
The
Green
New
Deal,
most notably proposed by
U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-
Cortez, D-N.Y., is a proposal
aimed at addressing both
climate change and economic

inequalities. Many of the
signs at the demonstration
represented this ideal with
phrases such as, “Green Union
Jobs Now” and, “Clean Air!
Clean Jobs! Clean Energy!”
The first night of the auto
show, before it opens to the
public, is historically the
Charity Preview. Attendees

get the first view of the
show and are encouraged to
participate in philanthropic
activities.
The auto show describes
the Charity Preview as “One
of the most exclusive, high
profile events in the nation.”
w

In honor of Martin Luther
King Jr. Day, the History and
Afroamerican
and
African
Studies departments hosted
a panel discussion titled
“Fighting
for
Our
Rights:
Three Young Women Facing
Southern Racism in the 1960s”
on Monday to recognize the
contributions of young women
to the civil rights struggle.
The panel featured activists
and former Student Nonviolent
Coordinating
Committee
members Bettie Mae Fikes,
Marilyn Lowen and University
Alum Martha Noonan.
The SNCC is an organization
well known for their activism
during
the
Civil
Rights
movement during the 1960s.
They began from a wave of
student sit-ins and grew into a
larger organization with many
supporters.
The
event,
which
was
coordinated
by
Matthew
Countryman,
professor
of
history and American culture,
was part of a larger symposium
dedicated to celebrating King’s

GOT A NEWS TIP?
Call 734-418-4115 or e-mail
news@michigandaily.com and let us know.

INDEX
Vol. CXXVIII, No. 57
©2019 The Michigan Daily

N E WS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

O PI N I O N . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

CL A SSIFIEDS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6

S U D O K U . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

A R T S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

SPORTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1B -4B
michigandaily.com

For more stories and coverage, visit

‘Circle of
Unity’ uses
art to call
for peace

Annual gathering celebrates history
of nonviolence through song, dance

ATTICUS RAASCH
Daily News Reporter

About
300
students
and
faculty attended the 17th Annual
South Asian Awareness Network
Conference took place Saturday

at the Michigan League. SAAN is
a student-run organization at the
University of Michigan which
focuses on spreading awareness
about social justice issues related
to South Asian communities and
other communities of color.
The
conference,
titled
“Shifting
Sands:
Amplifying
Stories
to
Create
a
New
Narrative,” hosted a variety of
speakers to discuss social justice
issues such as sexual and mental
health, representation in media,
immigration and transgressing
gender stereotypes.
SAAN’s vision statement for
the conference read, “We aim to
maintain spaces that challenge
the dominant narrative and
support those who are not given
the opportunity to tell their
stories.”
Students, alumni and Ann
Arbor residents who attended
the event were divided into
small
groups
to
participate
in
group
dialogues
about

17th SAAN
keynote
talks media
presence

SHIFTING SANDS

Conference examines
justice issues facing
communities of color

CALLIE TEITELBAUM
Daily Staff Reporter

Congresswoman Tlaib supports 300
protestors outside Detroit Auto Show

Demonstrators march for causes including the Green New Deal and GM plant closures

CATHERINE NOUHAN
Daily Staff Reporter

Female
civil rights
activists
revisit role

SNCC LOOKS BACK

Panel discussion looks at
contribution of women
during Civil Rights era

LIAT WEINSTEIN
Daily Staff Reporter

Follow The Daily
on Instagram,
@michigandaily

See PROTEST, Page 3A

More than 100 people gathered
inside Haven Hall for the 13th
Annual Martin Luther King Jr.
Day Circle of Unity hosted by the
Michigan Community Scholars
Program.
The event, held in conjunction
with the University of Michigan’s
Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King
Jr. Day Symposium, brought
people together to honor heritage
and diversity through different
art forms.
Gabe
Colman,
coordinator
for
diversity
initiatives
for
the
Michigan
Community
Scholars Program, reflected on
the significance of the event,
commenting on how it offers
individuals an opportunity to
come together as one in an often

polarizing time.
“It’s called a ‘Circle of Unity’
because we all hold hands and
get in a circle and that’s not
something we do every day,”
Colman said. “That’s what makes
it special, especially in the world
we live in now — it’s super divisive
and polarizing even on campus.
It’s cool to see people from all
different walks of life get together
in the same room and be able to
be one.”
The event celebrated King’s
commitment to social justice,
peace and unity. Participants
used song, dance and spoken-
word poetry to honor King’s
legacy. Local musicians Joe Reilly
and Julie Beutel were featured
artists at the event, along with
the Smile Bringer Singers, a club

MADELINE MCLAUGHLIN
Daily Staff Reporter

SARAH KUNKEL/Daily
Julia Putnam, principal and co-founder of the James and Grace Lee Boggs School, discusses her school’s reformed approach to education at the MLK Day
Keynote Memorial Lecture in Hill Auditorium Monday.

Symposium
honors Dr.
King’s fight
for justice

Speakers discuss importance
of education and equality in
remembering MLK’s legacy

See UNITY, Page 3A

See ACTIVISTS, Page 3A

CAMPUS LIFE

See SAAN, Page 3A
ALEXIS RANKIN/Daily
Protestors gather outside of Cobo Center, on the night of the Charity Preview opening of the North American International Autoshow, to raise
awareness of GM plant closures and the Green New Deal Friday evening.

Read more at
MichiganDaily.com

Unbeaten run ends
Michigan basketball falls to
Wisconsin, 64-54, ending its
perfect, school record 18-0
start to the season

» Page 1B