Date: Jan 27, 2010

Hofstra University Celebrates Black History Month

A City Plunge Service Learning Project, Africans at Work Film Series, True Life: I Live in Africa, A Discussion of the Sexualization of African American Women

Hofstra University, Hempstead, NY – Hofstra University will celebrate Black History Month in February with various activities, including an "Africans at Work Film Series" that will feature films such as Traces of Trade, Miles of Smiles, Years of Troubles. Students will also participate in a "City Plunge Service Learning Project" in which they will learn about poverty issues impacting the lives of New Yorkers. Discussions throughout the month include True Life: I Live in Africa and I Wanna Sex You Up: The Sexualization of African American Women.

The True Life: I Live in Africa discussion will feature a panel of Hofstra students who grew up on the African continent. They will discuss what their daily lives were like and dispel some of the myths, stereotypes and misinformation people may have about Africa. Another discussion included in the Black History Month calendar of events is I Wanna Sex You Up: The Sexualization of African American Women. This discussion will explore how African American women are sexualized in contemporary American society. The impact this has on women and on how they are perceived in the United States will also be explored.

“This year’s Black History Month is set to be our most successful as a community. With over fifteen events sponsored by over twenty campus offices and student organizations it’s incredible to see how the community rallied around developing high quality events that honor the rich history, culture, and leadership within the Black and African American communities,” said Director for Multicultural & International Student Programs Ryan Greene. “This month’s programs also tackle important issues in our world today, like the Take Back the Night event that is committed raising money to prevent human trafficking, and the Labor Studies Africans at Work Film Series highlighting three important films about labor issues, and the City Plunge event that focuses on the importance of giving back to the greater community which has always been a central component of Black and African American culture”.

For more information on Hofstra University’s celebrations marking Black History Month please visit the Office of Multicultural & International Student Programs Web site at http://www.hofstra.edu/StudentAffairs/omisp/index.html

Hofstra University is a dynamic private institution where students can choose from about 150 undergraduate and more than 160 graduate offerings in liberal arts and sciences, business; engineering; communication; education, health and human services;  and honors studies, as well as a School of Law. The University also provides excellent facilities with state-of-the-art technology, extensive library resources and internship programs that match students' interests and abilities with appropriate companies and organizations.  The Hofstra community is driven, dynamic and energetic, helping students find and focus their strengths to prepare them for a successful future.