AUSTIN, Texas—The Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs will host the Third Annual Barbara Jordan Memorial Forum on Diversity in Public Policy on Feb. 20 on The University of Texas at Austin campus.
All forum events, to be held in the Bass Lecture Hall, are free and open to the public but participants are encouraged to pre-register.
Founded in 1996 by LBJ School students, the forum commemorates Barbara Jordan’s commitment to the value of diversity in public policy. Jordan was the first African American Texas state senator since Reconstruction, the first black congresswoman from any southern state and an LBJ School of Public Affairs professor.
Texas state Sen. Rodney Ellis, an alumnus of the LBJ School of Public Affairs, will present the keynote address at 2 p.m., discussing his experiences representing Barbara Jordan’s former senate district in Houston.
At 3:30, a panel of community leaders will discuss “Racial Reconciliation in Austin.” The roundtable discussion is the result of a controversial letter acknowledging discrimination in Austin drafted by Mayor Kirk Watson and other city leaders. Roundtable participants will include: Dr. Jorge Lara-Braun of El Buen Pastor Presbyterian Church, Dr. Sterling Lands of Greater Calvary Baptist Church, former Austin City Council Member Eric Mitchell, the Rev. Rick Randall of Austin Cornerstone Church and the Rev. Joseph Parker Jr. of David Chapel Missionary Baptist Church.
Austin City Manager and LBJ School alumnus Jesus Garza will present a proclamation for the Barbara Jordan Memorial Forum on behalf of the city of Austin. These events will be followed at 5 p.m. by a reception for all participants and guests.
For additional information, contact Stephanie Hill at (512) 471-0801 or visit the forum’s home page on the World Wide Web at www.utexas.edu/lbj/events/bjmf.
