BRI's Educator Newsletter

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It is serendipitous that this year's celebration of Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday coincides with the launch of two of our programs for students, the We the Students Essay Contest ([link removed]) which invites students to reflect on the relationship between natural rights and respect in a free society, and the MyImpact Challenge national civics contest ([link removed]) which helps them create projects that will have a positive impact on their communities in the spirit of Dr. King's call of service to others. We hope you will share both opportunities with your students!

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Martin Luther King Jr. Day Playlist ([link removed])
A list curated by BRI staff featuring resources on Martin Luther King Jr., his life and times, his accomplishments, and the principles of equality and justice that he fought for.
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Black Intellectuals and the African American Experience ([link removed])

In the Scholar Talk series "Black Intellectuals and the African-American Experience," Tony Williams was joined by scholars to discuss the unique ways Black intellectuals like Ralph Ellison, Anna Julia Cooper, and Frederick Douglass have contributed to understanding the African-American experience in America.

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For decades, the United States and China have had economic and geopolitical interests that have often clashed. In fact, the United States did not normalize its relations with China until 1979. This normalization of relations led to immense economic cooperation, but tensions have again begun to rise. Does this rise indicate the United States is entering a new Cold War with China? Or is this simply the outgrowth of normal economic competition? Encourage your students to join this latest debate on Think the Vote for a chance to win prizes for themselves and you. ([link removed])
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In the latest podcast episode ([link removed]) , BRI Staff share their memories of Gary Colletti, cherished friend and colleague, who passed away on November 5, 2021.

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Student Spotlight

Meet Jay Giffin!
Music, theatre, and dance all play central roles in Jay Giffin’s life. The senior at St. Henry District High School in Erlanger, Kentucky was also very proud to be a winner in one of our recent ** Think the Vote debate ([link removed])
contests. “I do theatre after school every week–directing, writing, and performing in musicals/plays,” says Jay. “Additionally, I take dance classes in tap, ballet, and jazz.”** ...Read More. ([link removed])

BoE: Bottom of Email

** "We are now faced with the fact that tomorrow is today. We are confronted with the fierce urgency of now. In this unfolding conundrum of life and history there is such a thing as being too late." ([link removed])
Martin Luther King, Jr., "Beyond Vietnam: A Time to Break Silence,"
April 4,1967

Dear John,

Happy New Year! In the lead up to the celebration of Martin Luther King, Jr.'s birthday, we invite you to pause and look at his life and legacy through the lens of the challenges we face today in our country, in education generally, and in social studies education in particular. What are the "urgencies" we face in our own communities, and how can we best address them?

We are continuing to develop more programs and resources to give you and your students additional tools to understand and grapple with issues you are facing. As students of history, we have learned to confront today's problems by examining the past as a roadmap. To that end, our content team is putting the finishing touches on our new resource, ** Plainest Demands of Justice: Documents for Dialogue on the African American Experience ([link removed])
which will be fully live on our site in time for Black History Month.

Last month, we redesigned our ** principles and virtues handouts which you can download from the website ([link removed])
. What are the principles and virtues we need to lean on most in the present moment?

We hope you will encourage your students to enter the ** We the Students essay contest ([link removed])
for a chance to win up to $7,500 in scholarship prizes. This year's topic is: How does an understanding of natural rights and respect build a free society? The ceadline for entry is April 15.

Finally, the ** MyImpact Challenge national civics contest ([link removed])
has officially launched. You and your students can earn funding, supporting curriculum, and expert guidance on effectively implementing civic engagement projects that can bring about concrete change in your communities.

What questions do you have for us? How can the Bill of Rights Institute better support you and your students? We hope to hear from you!

Warmly,

Laura Vlk
Director, Educator Engagement
Bill of Rights Institute

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