Welcome to the conversation!


Welcome to the conversation!

Harriet Beecher Stowe's (1811-1896) best-selling anti-slavery novel Uncle Tom's Cabin (1852), made her the most famous American woman of the 19th century and galvanized the abolition movement before the Civil War.

The Stowe Center is a 21st-century museum and program center using Stowe's story to inspire social justice and positive change.

The Salons at Stowe programs are a forum to connect the challenging issues (race, gender and class) that impelled Stowe to write and act with the contemporary face of those same issues. The Salon format is based on a robust level of audience participation, with the explicit goal of promoting civic engagement. Recent topics included: Teaching Acceptance; Is Prison the New Slavery; Traces of the Trade: A Story from the Deep North; Creativity and Change; Race, Gender and Politics Today; How to be an Advocate

This blog will expand the reach of these community conversations to the online audience. Add your posts and comments to keep the conversation going! Commit to action by clicking HERE to stay up to date on Salon and social justice news.

For updates on Stowe Center programs and events, sign up for our enews at http://harrietbeecherstowe.org/email.

Thursday, February 24, 2011

Featured Guest Bios: Training the Next Generation of Social Change Leaders

Every day the Center uses Stowe's story to inspire social change and civic engagement.  Both PeaceJam and the Purpose Project connect experienced and young leaders.  Learn how mentors inspire and train the next generation of social change leaders.  Whether you are an emerging or an experienced leader, you will have something to add to this conversation.

Michelle Cote: Co-Director, The Purpose Project
Before Co-Founding The Purpose Project, Michelle spent three years working in the Nonprofit sector for Aid to Artisans, an organization specializing in the development of craft enterprises around the world.  As a Program Manager at Aid to Artisans, she helped plan and implement two three-year, multi-million dollar artisan enterprise development initiatives in Peru and Bolivia.  The Purpose Project is a program seeking to gather and share the wisdom of experienced social leaders to inspire and equip members of a younger generation to respond to the social issues that confront our world.  Michelle and The Purpose Project were recently selected as one of 80 women, out of over 3000 applicants, with an "idea that could change the world" by Women Rule! - a joint initiative of The Oprah Magazine and The White House Project.

Camila Marquez: Program Coordinator, PeaceJam Northeast
Originally from New Mexico and Colorado, Camila grew up surrounding by economic, political, religious, and cultural diversity which contributed to her desire to find ways to bring people together despite their differences.  She was also consistently involved in social-justice oriented organizations Love 146, Friends of Farmworkers, Free The Children, and PeaceJam.  Since High School, Camila has been a PeaceJam participant, served as a mentor, interned at PeaceJam Headquarters, and is currently in her second year of service as an AmeriCorps VISTA working for the organization.

Colleen Kelly Alexander:  Program Manager, PeaceJam Northeast
Colleen has worked in the non-profit sector for over ten years, previously serving nine years as the Executive Director of the Common Ground Youth Center in Vermont.  She has also worked internationally with Unicef, Partners of the Americas, and the Red Cross.  She has owned and maintained an organic farm in Vermont, served as a health/tobacco Coordinator with the VT Department of Education, and worked as a volunteer for EMT.  Her educational background is from the University of Vermont in Psychology and World Religion.  Colleen has a strong passion for women and youth issues around mental and physical health.

Reception at 5pm. Conversation from 5:30 - 7:00 PM.
Additional information at www.harrietbeecherstowe.org

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