Press Release

American Cultural Center Activities for February 2009

February is Black History Month at the American Cultural Centre (and in the U.S.), and below follows a round-up of the activities that the Centre has planned for this historic month.

Human Rights In Namibia Essay Competition

The American Cultural Center in co-operation with The Namibian Youth Paper launched the “I Have a Dream” essay competition on Tuesday, February 3, 2009.  The competition is inspired by the famous speech that Martin Luther King, Jr. made on August 28, 1963.   The competition is open to all Grade 7 – 10 learners, and the theme for the competition is:  “What is your dream for human rights for Namibia?” 

The competition closes on Friday, March 20, 2009, and the winners will be announced on Friday, April 17, 2009.  They will each receive a book prize from the U.S. Embassy, and excerpts of the four winning essays will be published in The Namibian Youth Paper on April 24, 2009.  Copies of the “I Have a Dream” speech can be collected from the American Cultural Center Library on the Third Floor in the Sanlam Centre on Independence Avenue in Windhoek.

Black History Month Speaker:  Mr. Eric Casher

The American Cultural Center is proud to host well known Obama campaign organizer, Eric Casher, this month (February 22-28, 2009).  In April of 2007, Eric began work on Barack Obama’s presidential campaign serving initially as a fundraiser and later as a field organizer. 

In September of 2007, Eric accepted a position as the Northern California Coordinator for Young Lawyers for Obama (“YLFO”), where he created and managed a network of over 500 attorneys in Northern California.  In August of 2008, Eric was appointed to the National Finance Committee for the Obama campaign where he currently serves as an active member.

Throughout the Presidential election Eric participated in, and coordinated, a number of activities and efforts to assist the Obama campaign.  Eric hosted, and helped plan, over 30 fundraisers and events for the campaign, many of which were attended by President Elect Obama.  In addition, Eric traveled to Iowa, Texas, Nevada, and New Mexico where he organized teams of attorneys to conduct field work, as well as, voter protection and voter education activities.  Eric grew the Northern California Chapter of Young Lawyers for Obama from 50 members to 500, and inspired many of his members to take an active role in fundraising and grass roots organizing.  Eric also provided legal assistance to the campaign researching election laws for National Finance Committee members. 

Eric has been interviewed by multiple media outlets regarding his work on the Obama campaign including National Public Radio (“NPR”), the UC Berkeley School of Journalism, New America Media, and was mentioned in the New York Times as an “Obama bundler.”  Eric has also served as a public speaker and surrogate for the campaign speaking at numerous fundraisers and events throughout the presidential primary and general election.
While in Namibia, Eric will meet with Namibian lawyers, conduct lectures at the Polytechnic of Namibia and various high schools in Windhoek, hold talks with civil society groups in Windhoek, speak to leaders of various Namibian political parties to mention but only a few. 

Wednesday Night Movie Nights

Our Wednesday movie nights also kick off in earnest this month with the Africa American lives series commencing at 17h30 in the American Cultural Centre auditorium.  Through African American Lives, Eminent Harvard Professor, Louis Gates Jr., uses revolutionary breakthroughs in genealogical research and DNA analysis to take eight prominent African Americans on once unimaginable journeys into their past, tracing their family sagas down through U.S history, and even back to Africa.

On this epic adventure, Gates is joined by neurosurgeon Ben Carson, actress Whoopi Goldberg, Bishop T.D. Jakes, astronaut Mae Jemison, musician/producer Quincy Jones, sociologist Sara Lawrence-Lightfoot, comedian/actor Chris Tucker and TV pioneer/philanthropist Oprah Winfrey.

Wednesday, 4th February, 2009: 
African American Lives (Listening to Our Past):
Gates’ search for roots begins in the present and moves back through the tumultuous changes of the 20th century.

Wednesday, 11th February, 2009:
African American Lives (The Promise of Freedom):
Gates makes dramatic discoveries about how his guests’ ancestors rebuilt their lives and their families in the first years of freedom after the civil war.

Wednesday, 18 February, 2009:
African American Lives (Searching for Our Names):
Gates unearths records that help his guests’ discover their unknown ancestors during the darkest hour of African American history-Slavery.

Wednesday, 25, 2009:
African American Lives (Beyond the Middle Passage):
Gates uses groundbreaking DNA analysis to discover more about his guests’ American ancestry, and to rediscover their roots in Africa.

The movies will start at 17h30 in the American Cultural Center Auditorium on the Third Floor in the Sanlam Building.

For further information please contact Public Affairs Officer, Ray Castillo, at 0811280816, Information Specialist, Roger Lyners, at 229801 [ext. 226] or Cultural Assistant Sarah Nauyoma at 229801 [ext 225].