Media Officials

Niagara Foundation Welcomes Torey Malatia, President & General Manager Chicago Public Radio for a Luncheon Forum.

Theme: Expectations and Potential for Radio’s Civic Role

Date: Thursday, April 10, 2008

Reception: 12:00 p.m.

Luncheon: 12.15 p.m.

Venue: Niagara Foundation

203 N. Wabash Ave., Suite 1700 Chicago, IL 60601

T- (312) 701-0086 F- (312) 701-0087 info@niagarafoundation.org

Shots from the event:

Niagara Foundation Welcomes Warner Saunders, Anchor, NBC 5 News Chicago for a Luncheon Forum.

Theme: " Is Black History Month Really Necessary ? "

Date: Thursday, February 28, 2008

Reception: 12:00 p.m.

Luncheon: 12.15 p.m.

Venue: Niagara Foundation

203 N. Wabash Ave., Suite 1700 Chicago, IL 60601

T- (312) 701-0086 F- (312) 701-0087 info@niagarafoundation.org

Warner Saunders' Speech

On February 28, 2008 Warner Saunders, NBC 5 anchorman addressed the theme of “Is black history month really necessary?” to the Niagara Foundation. Mr. Saunders has been asked many times the question “is black history month really necessary?” Some have even asked “if we have a black history month, why don’t we have a white history month?” Mr. Saunders answers the question with yes. In a society that supports the superiority of white Americans; black history is one of the few things that blacks can cling to that can instill pride, and combat racism. Mr. Saunders traces black history month to Dr. Carnegie Woodsen, a black American who was a son of slaves and had earned Masters degree form the University of Chicago and his PHD from Harvard. He had become an educator and philosopher. Dr. Carnegie felt that it was most important for blacks to know about their history, and in 1926 he started the Negro history week, which was later changed to black history month. Mr. Saunders then recounts events in his own life to illustrate the effect that learning about black history had on him personally. Mr. Saunders was born in Chicago in 1935. He attended catholic schools. In his history class he saw cotton fields with blacks working the land; and the section on black history covered only 2 people – George Washington Carver, and Booker T. Washington. And that was it. In Chicago at that time there was not de jure segregation, but rather de facto segregation. He lived in a small community. Everything was the within the community except the freedom to move out of the community. For example, the beach was off limits. Even the most professional person in Chicago if he was black, could not get an office downtown. The worst time in his life was when he attended St. Phillip high school. There he was constantly called “the n word.” Mr. Saunders explains what this can do to a persons psyche. You begin to tell yourself, “there must be something wrong with me … why am I treated in this fashion.” Mr. Saunders then went to college in New Orleans where de jure segregation was in practice. There were signs that read “For colored only.” There were many places you could not go. In his sophomore year, Mr. Saunders took a history course called Negro history. The professor, Dr. Buiz, had said “your life is going to be a revolution today.” During and after the course, he was so full of pride; while prior to that he felt himself to be inferior. Mr. Saunders then explained his definition of racism: the belief in the superiority of one race over another. If you feel yourself to be superior because of your race, then you’re a racist. Likewise if you feel yourself to be inferior because of your race then you too are a racist. Mr. Saunders pointed out the fact that “our government, our corporate structure, the news media, the newspapers, you go down the list, support the superiority of white Americans vs. the inferiority of black Americans.” What does that do to black Americans? Mr. Saunders stated that “my theory is that it brings with it, even with the most accomplished black Americans, a feeling of inferiority.” The response to that feeling of inferiority comes out in many different ways. Prisons are overcrowded with black Americans, drug use is prevalent. “Black history is something that blacks can cling to – to know that there is a brilliant past and there is a present. So in response to the question of is black history month really necessary? the answer is yes” Mr. Saunders remembered in Montgomery hearing the talk of boycotting buses and thinking that they were crazy, but this sparked the beginning of the greatest civil rights movement of all time. Warner Saunders later got involved with it personally so as to be cured of being racist (in his own terms); and now considers himself to be a recovering racist. In the question and answer session, a member of the audience brought up Martin Luther King Jr. and praised him for his life’s work. The question of “how to get society to start appreciating the human race” was asked. He addressed the issue of the treatment of white collar crimes vs. obvious crimes. Also discussed was Obama and the presidential race, and how to set up a dialogue with people who are different racially, culturally, and who are different from the stand point of religion.

Shots from the event:

Niagara Foundation Welcomes Cathleen Falsani, the religion columnist for the Chicago Sun-Times and author of The God Factor, for a Luncheon Forum.

Theme: Spirituality and Popular Culture: Issues, Icons and Ideas

Date: Thursday-November 15, 2007

Reception: 12:00 p.m.

Luncheon: 12.15 p.m.

Venue: Niagara Foundation

203 N. Wabash Ave., Suite 1700 Chicago, IL 60601

T- (312) 701-0086 F- (312) 701-0087 info@niagarafoundation.org

Shots from the event:

Niagara Foundation Welcomes Leah Hope, General Assignment Reporter of ABC 7 News for a Luncheon Forum!

http://abclocal.go.com/wls

Theme: How Diversity Promotes Peace ?

Date: Thursday-October 25, 2007 

Reception: 12:00 p.m.

Luncheon: 12.15 p.m.

Venue: Niagara Foundation

203 N. Wabash Ave., Suite 1700 Chicago, IL 60601

T- (312) 701-0086 F- (312) 701-0087 info@niagarafoundation.org

Shots from the event:

Niagara Foundation Welcomes, John Lampinen, Senior Vice President and Editor of Daily Herald, for a Luncheon Froum.

www.dailyherald.com

Theme: Diversity in the Suburbs

Date: Thursday-Jun 21, 2007

Reception: 12:00 p.m.

Luncheon: 12.30 p.m.

Venue: Niagara Foundation

203 N. Wabash Ave., Suite 1700 Chicago, IL 60601

T- (312) 701-0086 F- (312) 701-0087 info@niagarafoundation.org

Shots from the event

(click on image to enlarge it)

Niagara Foundation Welcomes Emily L. Barr, President and General Manager of ABC 7 Chicago (WLS-TV) for a Luncheon Forum.

Theme: ABC7's Dedication to the Community Service

Date: Wednesday-January 10, 2007

Reception: 12:00 p.m.

Luncheon: 12.30 p.m.

Venue: Niagara Foundation

203 N. Wabash Ave., Suite 1700 Chicago, IL 60601

T- (312) 701-0086 F- (312) 701-0087 info@niagarafoundation.org

Emily L. Barr's Speech
Within the framework of Luncheon Forums, Niagara Foundation organized yet another forum on Wednesday, January 10. Yesterday’s event was focused particularly on media in the USA and fair broadcasting in a diverse community. The speaker was well-known media leader, President and General Manager of ABC 7 (WLS-TV), Emily Barr. Along with delicious, home-made Turkish food and delight and after introduction of Executive Director of Niagara Foundation Kemal Oksuz, Emily Barr delivered a speech about the media situation in the USA with a particular focus on Chicago area emphasizing ABC 7’s contribution to diversity of views and community service in Chicago area. Emily Barr emphasized the existing diverse communities in Chicago and the need to voice different opinions. However, sometimes it is difficult to do so. “There was issue about 9/11 and we didn’t know anything about the Muslim community, also we didn’t want to broadcast something that doesn’t really represent their views. Although we have some Muslim employees, we tried to call some experts from this community and we established kind of dialogue and that was so constructive” added Emily Barr. Emily Barr also talked about various campaigns that her TV channel has undertaken for many years such as fire safety awareness campaigns. She especially stressed that every single burned house didn’t have a smoke detector and there is an urgent need to have one in each house. She also complained about several TV channels’ biased broadcast but also put that she admires and respects this country’s freedom of speech. She also said that some TV channels claim that they are national but represent not more than 2 or 3 views but ABC 7 TV channel is not a national one yet trying to voice all opinions as much as it can. At the end of her speech, Emily Barr answered the questions of the audience. Kemal Oksuz concluded the event by presenting a very wonderfully hand-written gift that reads Emily Barr’s name in an Ottoman Empire’s seal’s ornament. Many important voices attended the event including the President of Harold Washington College, a representative from International Visitor Center, Representatives from ABC 7 TV, the director of Turkish American Society, mayor of Mount Prospect, leaders from different communities and many more. The next event is announced to be on February 1st by Robert Grant, special agent in charge of FBI in Chicago.

Shots from the event (click on image to enlarge it)

Back to Luncheon Forum's Main Page