“Social justice icon, scholar and author Dr. Angela Davis will deliver the keynote address at the 25th annual community celebration of civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Monday, Jan. 18 at 6:30 p.m. in the Lawrence Memorial Chapel.
“The theme for this year’s celebration is ‘Breaking the Chains of Injustice.’ The event is free and open to the public. A sign-language interpreter will be present.
“The annual commemoration of Dr. King’s life and legacy is jointly presented by Lawrence University and Celebrate Diversity Fox Cities, with the support of The Post-Crescent, numerous Fox Valley organizations, churches and individuals.”
Join ESTHER in a three-part community conversation series around faith, values and community. The first event will be in March (dates and locations in the left column) with locations in Appleton, Neenah/Menasha, and Oshkosh to engage the community at the local level.
What you can expect: each event will begin with a potluck followed by a brief reflection, then small-group conversations about faith and values. You will walk away with a better understanding of your community and the people who live here, and have an opportunity to explore your faith, values, and their connection.
We will announce the dates and locations for the next two parts in the series (summer and early fall) in the coming weeks.
Help spread the word: download event flyer here. (PDF)
Noon-6PM
City Park
500 E. Franklin St
Downtown Appleton
Juneteenth is the oldest national program commemorating the ending of slavery in the United States. African Heritage, Inc. (AHI), in collaboration with the City of Appleton, is hosting its seventh annual Juneteenth Celebration on June 19, 2016 in downtown Appleton. The family-friendly program will feature musical, dance and poetry performances as well as a Children‘s Village and community resource fair with food sales. Stop by and see us at the ESTHER booth! More info at African Heritage Inc.
Tuesday, June 14
4:30-9:00 pm
Bad Badger Sports Bar
215 W. College Ave, Appleton
No charge; proceeds benefit ESTHER
Help us thank our amazing organizer, Stephanie Gyldenvand, for her leadership over the last eight years, and wish her all the best in her new position with Winnebago County.
No charge, but if you have a beverage, or snack on some pizza, ESTHER gets 60% of the proceeds!
So, come on down to say “Farewell,” but not goodbye, to Stephanie, and help us raise some money to build community, share hope, and stand for justice!
(In case you missed the letter about Stephanie's big change, you can read it here.)
ESTHER awards its 2016 Community Award for an individual to Norys Piña for her work to improve the quality of life for immigrants throughout our community. She passionately educates immigrants about their rights and has formed a group, Unidos por un Futuro Mejor, to work for systemic change in our community, state, and nation. Her passion rises from her own story and that of those around her.
Norys advocated for driver’s cards for undocumented immigrants and quickly drew together funding and people to fill three buses to participate in a statewide “A Day Without Latinos” demonstration at the state capitol on February 18, 2016. She has been active in ESTHER’s Latino Simulations and Voices of Hope theatre productions. Most recently, Norys has organized a community-wide Latino Voter Engagement campaign.
When asked what sustains her work in ensuring rights for immigrants, Norys says, “I find hope and strength to keep fighting in the faces of my kids, in the stories of my friends, in the lives of all good people who deserve the opportunity to use their full potential, in the humanity in each of us crying out for equity. Just the thought of not fighting for our rights and keep silent scares me more than anything else.”
More than 200 people attended ESTHER’s 12th annual banquet on Sunday evening, November 13, making the event one of the largest in ESTHER history. Attendees included elected officials, faith leaders, community award recipients and their guests, WISDOM and ESTHER staff, and ESTHER members and friends from throughout the Fox Valley. At a time of great uncertainty and change in our nation and state, it was good to be together. It was also good to recommit ourselves to the values and hopes we share as we work together for a better future.
To mark World Hijab Day in the Fox Valley, a series of events are being held in the month of February:
February 1 in Oshkosh and Neenah, and on Facebook Live:
Pick up your hijab at one of three Oshkosh or Neenah locations, then view the Facebook Live stream from 6:30-8:30 pm
February 11 at the Appleton Public Library
1:00-3:00 pm - Hijab Celebration (meeting rooms A/B/C). Learn how to wear hijab and why it is an important tradition for Muslim women. There will be time to talk, ask questions, enjoy amazing free food! Meet new friends and celebrate diversity in our community!
9:30 am-2:30 pm
Plumbers and Steamfitters UA Local 400
2700 Northridge Drive, Kaukauna
Join your Fox Valley friends for a fun, social and informative day as we learn together about the Wisconsin budget process and how to present our budget concerns effectively to our state representatives. A project of the Wisconsin Leadership Development Project (WiLD). Click 'Read more' for a flyer and a link to online registration.
From the Lawrence University Press Release:
Increasing Access to Transportation: 
Noon-6PM
Help us thank our amazing organizer, Stephanie Gyldenvand, for her leadership over the last eight years, and wish her all the best in her new position with Winnebago County.
More than 200 people attended ESTHER’s 12th annual banquet on Sunday evening, November 13, making the event one of the largest in ESTHER history. Attendees included elected officials, faith leaders, community award recipients and their guests, WISDOM and ESTHER staff, and ESTHER members and friends from throughout the Fox Valley. At a time of great uncertainty and change in our nation and state, it was good to be together. It was also good to recommit ourselves to the values and hopes we share as we work together for a better future.
To mark World Hijab Day in the Fox Valley, a series of events are being held in the month of February:
SAVE THE DATE
