LAS VEGAS - January 22, 2010 - While the roots of African Americans in Nevada can be traced back to the early 1900s, the state was not known for diversity and inclusion. Rather, some journalists and critics dubbed Nevada the "Mississippi of the West" as a way to define the state's race relations.
On Jan. 26, MGM MIRAGE and UNLV will host Generations Speak: The black Experience in Nevada, a free community forum that will explore the history of blacks in the state. The event, scheduled from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. in UNLV's Student Union Ballroom, will formally commemorate the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday and launch the community-wide Black History Month Celebration in February.
"UNLV is proud to co-sponsor this event with MGM MIRAGE to celebrate the legacy of Dr. King and to acknowledge the contributions of blacks in Southern Nevada," said UNLV President Neal Smatresk.
Refreshments will be served during a pre-program networking reception at 5 p.m., followed by the presentation from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. No advance registration is required.
The forum will feature influential individuals and leaders who now call Las Vegas home. Speakers include:
- Trish Geran, author of Beyond the Glittering Lights--The Pride and Perseverance of African Americans in Las Vegas
- Sarann Knight Preddy, the first and only black woman to receive a Nevada gaming license
- Hannah Brown, president of the Coalition of 100 Black Women of Las Vegas
- Frank Hawkins, president of the Las Vegas Chapter of the NAACP
- Ricki Barlow, member of the Las Vegas City Council.
For the past four years, MGM MIRAGE has collaborated with UNLV to produce a program to mark the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday.
"This exciting program will offer historical perspectives from our community's history-makers and provide contemporary viewpoints from those who are now making history," said Debra Nelson, MGM MIRAGE Vice President of Corporate Diversity and Community Affairs and panel moderator.
For additional event information, please contact the UNLV Office of Diversity & Inclusion at (702) 895-5580 or email Jos? L. Mel?ndrez at jose.melendrez@unlv.edu.
