The Cincinnati Human Relations Commission & National Underground Railroad Freedom Center present 49 Lights: Cincinnati Remembers
MEDIA CONTACT:
Jamie Glavic
(513) 333-7511
(513) 802-7355
jglavic@nurfc.org
Assia Johnson
(513) 333-7555
(513) 787-2110
asjohnson@nurfc.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CINCINNATI, OH (July 19, 2016) The Cincinnati Human Relations Commission (CHRC), National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), Greater Cincinnati Human Rights Campaign, Islamic Center of Greater Cincinnati, League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), Office of City of Cincinnati Councilmember Chris Seelbach and University of Cincinnati LGBTQ Center are partnering to honor the victims of the Pulse Nightclub tragedy with a vigil and community conversation 49 Lights: Cincinnati Remembers on Thursday, July 28, 2016 from 4:00-6:00 p.m. at the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, 50 E. Freedom Way, Cincinnati, OH 45202. This event is free and open to the public. RSVPs are requested as seating is limited.
On June 12, 2016, 49 innocent lives were lost and countless others were forever changed by an extreme act of violence in Orlando. 49 Lights: Cincinnati Remembers will honor those who have passed on with the lighting of 49 candles as the victims’ names are read and will include a panel discussion providing a call to action for our community to actively work towards having more positive human relations. This joint community program represents the diversity of cultures and the unity of our nation, here in Cincinnati.
49 Lights: Cincinnati Remembers panelists include Amy Schlag, Director of the University of Cincinnati LGBTQ Center, Steve Newsome, HRC Steering Committee Member, Lourdes Ribera, former LULAC Ohio and Cincinnati President, and Karen Dabdoub, Executive Director & Litigation Assistant of CAIR, Cincinnati Chapter.
Ericka King-Betts, PhD, Executive Director, Cincinnati Human Relations Commission, expressed her condolences stating, “We all love, hurt and bleed. And still today, all of our hearts hurt for the individuals lost, their families and the countless others impacted by this act of hate. But, we will not allow hate to win.”
“Our nation was rocked by the tragedy in Orlando,” says Dr. Clarence G. Newsome, president of the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center. “This gathering of community organizations and leaders will honor those who lost their lives and outshine hate. We stand in solidarity with the LGBTQ community. We will not allow hate to win.”
49 Lights: Cincinnati Remembers, a vigil and panel discussion to honor the 49 victims of the Pulse Nightclub tragedy, is scheduled for Thursday, July 28 from 4-6:00 p.m. This event is free and open to the public. RSVPs are requested as seating is limited. To learn more and RSVP, visit freedomcenter.org.
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ABOUT THE NATIONAL UNDERGROUND RAILROAD FREEDOM CENTER
The National Underground Railroad Freedom Center opened in August 2004 on the banks of the Ohio River in downtown Cincinnati, Ohio. Since then, more than 1.3 million people have visited its permanent and changing exhibits and public programs, inspiring everyone to take courageous steps for freedom. Two million people have utilized educational resources online at freedomcenter.org, working to connect the lessons of the Underground Railroad to inform and inspire today’s global and local fight for freedom. Partnerships include Historians Against Slavery, Polaris Project, Free the Slaves, US Department of State and International Justice Mission. In 2014, the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center launched a new online resource in the fight against modern slavery, endslaverynow.org.