LEXINGTON, Ky. (Oct. 26, 2021) — This Saturday, the University of Kentucky Appalachian Center and the Sunup Initiative will present a virtual panel titled “Advocacy in Southeastern Kentucky.” The event is in recognition of the anniversary of the 1919 expulsion in Corbin, Kentucky.
Advocates from various locations around the Corbin region will gather to share tips and discuss the challenges and successes of being an effective advocate.
The panelists include Sherry Tinsley from Southeast Kentucky Community and Technical College, Venus Evans from Kentucky Native American Heritage Commission, John Stewart from Williamsburg Action Team and Chase Carson from Laurel County Diversity and Inclusion Council. The panel will be moderated by Sunup Initiative member Lisa Garrison.
“We are excited to spotlight some of the great advocacy work happening in Southeastern Kentucky,” said Kathryn Engle, director of the UK Appalachian Center. “In recognition of the events of Oct. 30, 1919, this panel will explore how far we’ve come and how far we have yet to go on issues relating to diversity, inclusion and racial justice in the region. We are thankful for the panelists and their organizations and the work they put in everyday to make change in their communities.”
The panel will take place 2-3:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 30, on Zoom. Pre-register for the event here. The event is open to the UK community and the public.
More information is available at www.facebook.com/events/892655231371296?ref=newsfeed.
The Sunup Initiative is a coalition of community members who are working in partnership with local and state organizations to promote diversity and inclusion in Corbin and beyond. Learn more at https://sunupcorbin.com/.
The University of Kentucky is increasingly the first choice for students, faculty and staff to pursue their passions and their professional goals. In the last two years, Forbes has named UK among the best employers for diversity, and INSIGHT into Diversity recognized us as a Diversity Champion four years running. UK is ranked among the top 30 campuses in the nation for LGBTQ* inclusion and safety. UK has been judged a “Great College to Work for" three years in a row, and UK is among only 22 universities in the country on Forbes' list of "America's Best Employers." We are ranked among the top 10 percent of public institutions for research expenditures — a tangible symbol of our breadth and depth as a university focused on discovery that changes lives and communities. And our patients know and appreciate the fact that UK HealthCare has been named the state’s top hospital for five straight years. Accolades and honors are great. But they are more important for what they represent: the idea that creating a community of belonging and commitment to excellence is how we honor our mission to be not simply the University of Kentucky, but the University for Kentucky.
