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Fair Game?

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HSU’s Social Justice Summit presents Fair Game? directed by Mario Van Peebles and hosted by Tim’m West Saturday, March 6, at Arcata Theatre Lounge, 1036 G St in Arcata. Doors open at 1 p.m. and is all ages.

The election of America’s first Black president — Barack Obama — has given many people the impression that the Black man’s struggle for equality or simply the “level playing field” has been achieved. Black men can strive to be anything they choose, and opportunity and the pathway to it have been made free and clear of obstruction. Sounds great, right? However, is it the truth? Twenty-First Century Foundation (21CF) asks this question and more of a number of prominent Black males from diverse fields in its innovative documentary film, FAIR GAME? Some of the interviewees in the film include Amar’e Stoudemire, Chris Rock, Spike Lee, Dr. Cornel West, Lou Gossett Jr., Hill Harper, Melvin Van Peebles, Tim’m West, and Geoffrey Canada. Produced in partnership with actor-director Mario Van Peebles (New Jack City, Baadaasss, Panther) and producer Karen Williams, FAIR GAME? is a new tool in the work of 21CF’s Black Men and Boys Initiative (BMB) aimed at shining a national spotlight on the issues affecting this segment of the population.

FAIR GAME? speaks to adults, and enlists Black men to add their voices to the discussion around education, employment, criminal justice, fatherhood and mental health and share their personal stories of success, the setbacks, the preparation, and the sacrifices they made that brought them ultimate success in their fields. It deals with the complexities in the age of Obama and why the ‘Game’ still isn’t fair.-TRUitional.com

In the age of Barack Obama, prominent Black males from diverse fields debate the notion of a “level playing field” by weighing in on the complexities of critical issues such as education, employment, criminal justice, fatherhood and mental health that negatively impact the Black male population.-IMDB.com

Tim’m West is an educator, scholar, journalist, poet, activist, hip hop artist and much more.    A former instructor of Writing Pedagogy at Eugene Lang College of The New School (NYC) and in Stanford University’s Writing and Critical Thinking program, he received an M.A. in Liberal Studies/Philosophy from Graduate Faculty at The New School for Social Research in 1998, and in January of 2002, an M.A. in Modern Thought and Literature from Stanford.  In 2003 he released a critically acclaimed poetic memoir Red Dirt Revival, in 2005 a chapbook BARE, and released his second full-length book, Flirting in early 2007.  Musically, he released his solo debut, Songs from Red Dirt on Cellular Records, followed by the critically acclaimed Blakkboy Blue(s) and In Security: The Golden Error . Tim’m is also featured in several documentaries:  Alex Hinton’s “Pick Up the Mic” and Byron Hurt’s “Beyond Beats and Rhymes” and Mario Van Peebles’ “Fair Game?”.  Tim’m has been interviewed by the Washington Post, The Advocate, Rolling Stone, the BBC, and other media affiliates.  He has taught at Stanford University, Oakland School of the Arts, Cesar Chavez Public Charter High School for Public Policy, and HSU.   Most recently, Tim’m has been hosting the ‘Front Porch’ series, a Spoken Word/Hip-Hop/Soul showcase that has been held in DC, Chicago, Oakland, Brooklyn, Atlanta, and at various colleges and universities. He continues to teach, perform, and raise consciousness and looks forward to developing a community of progressive artists and intellectuals in Houston, TX where he now resides and works as an Intervention Specialist with young men at St. Hope Foundation’s FUSION Center.

This event is made possible with generous support from HSU Diversity Program Funding Committee,  Housing Department, Library, Psychology, and Social Justice Summit (MCC).

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